--- a/src/pt-mat.cc
+++ b/src/pt-mat.cc
@@ -610,8 +610,24 @@
 symbols_of_pt_mat (void)
 {
   DEFVAR (empty_list_elements_ok, "warn", empty_list_elements_ok,
-    "ignore the empty element in expressions like `a = [[], 1]'");
-
+    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@defvr {Built-in Variable} empty_list_elements_ok\n\
+This variable controls whether Octave ignores empty matrices in a matrix\n\
+list.\n\
+\n\
+For example, if the value of @code{empty_list_elements_ok} is\n\
+nonzero, Octave will ignore the empty matrices in the expression\n\
+\n\
+@example\n\
+a = [1, [], 3, [], 5]\n\
+@end example\n\
+\n\
+@noindent\n\
+and the variable @code{a} will be assigned the value @code{[ 1, 3, 5 ]}.\n\
+\n\
+The default value is @code{\"warn\"}.\n\
+@end defvr\n\
+");
   DEFVAR (implicit_num_to_str_ok, 0.0, implicit_num_to_str_ok,
     "make the result of things like `[97, 98, 99, \"123\"]' be a string");