diff --git a/doc/man/man5/keepalived.conf.5.in b/doc/man/man5/keepalived.conf.5.in
index 62830a4848..8e8ebfb464 100644
--- a/doc/man/man5/keepalived.conf.5.in
+++ b/doc/man/man5/keepalived.conf.5.in
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ The syntax for vrrp_instance is :
     # whether another instance may have taken over (based on the advert interval and
     # the highest priority of the other instances - default 254 unless specified with
     # this option), and if that time has expired since the last advert has been sent,
-    # the VRRP instance will revert to backup state (remember to include and track_script
+    # the VRRP instance will revert to backup state (remember to include any track_script
     # etc. weights when calculating the highest priority of other instances).
     \fbthread_timer_expired \fR[HIGHEST_PRIORITY_OF_OTHER_INSTANCES]
 
diff --git a/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_parser.c b/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_parser.c
index 499ea60920..523e8517a3 100644
--- a/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_parser.c
+++ b/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_parser.c
@@ -1369,13 +1369,19 @@ vrrp_timer_expired_backup_handler(const vector_t *strvec)
 
 	if (vector_size(strvec) >= 2) {
 		if (!read_unsigned_strvec(strvec, 1, &other_priority, 1, VRRP_PRIO_OWNER - 1, false)) {
-			report_config_error(CONFIG_GENERAL_ERROR, "(%s) timer_expired _backup highest_other_priority not valid! must be between 1 & %d", current_vrrp->iname, VRRP_PRIO_OWNER - 1);
+			report_config_error(CONFIG_GENERAL_ERROR, "(%s) timer_expired_backup highest_other_priority not valid! must be between 1 & %d", current_vrrp->iname, VRRP_PRIO_OWNER - 1);
 			return;
 		}
 	}
 
 	current_vrrp->highest_other_priority = (uint8_t)other_priority;
 }
+static void
+vrrp_thread_timer_expired_handler(const vector_t *strvec)
+{
+	report_config_error(CONFIG_GENERAL_ERROR, "(%s) thread_timer_expired - please replace with keyword 'timer_expired_backup'", current_vrrp->iname);
+	vrrp_timer_expired_backup_handler(strvec);
+}
 #ifdef _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_
 static void
 vrrp_garp_extra_if_handler(const vector_t *strvec)
@@ -2215,6 +2221,7 @@ init_vrrp_keywords(bool active)
 	install_keyword("garp_lower_prio_repeat", &vrrp_garp_lower_prio_rep_handler);
 	install_keyword("down_timer_adverts", &vrrp_down_timer_adverts_handler);
 	install_keyword("timer_expired_backup", &vrrp_timer_expired_backup_handler);
+	install_keyword("thread_timer_expired", &vrrp_thread_timer_expired_handler);	// Added to match the release notes
 #ifdef _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_
 	install_keyword("garp_extra_if", &vrrp_garp_extra_if_handler);
 	install_keyword("vmac_garp_intvl", &vrrp_garp_extra_if_handler);	/* Deprecated after v2.2.2 - incorrect keyword in commit 3dcd13c */