diff --git a/doc/faq/environment_variables_faq.rst b/doc/faq/environment_variables_faq.rst
index 6be761e6892e..fa7b14d9889c 100644
--- a/doc/faq/environment_variables_faq.rst
+++ b/doc/faq/environment_variables_faq.rst
@@ -7,14 +7,6 @@ Environment variables
 .. contents::
    :backlinks: none
 
-
-.. envvar:: DISPLAY
-
-  The server and screen on which to place windows. This is interpreted by GUI
-  toolkits in a backend-specific manner, but generally refers to an `X.org
-  display name
-  <https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.7/doc/man/man7/X.7.xhtml#heading5>`_.
-
 .. envvar:: HOME
 
   The user's home directory. On Linux, :envvar:`~ <HOME>` is shorthand for :envvar:`HOME`.
diff --git a/tutorials/introductory/usage.py b/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
index 1f393e6a7606..397d7b7a8879 100644
--- a/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
+++ b/tutorials/introductory/usage.py
@@ -299,11 +299,10 @@ def my_plotter(ax, data1, data2, param_dict):
 #
 # Without a backend explicitly set, Matplotlib automatically detects a usable
 # backend based on what is available on your system and on whether a GUI event
-# loop is already running. On Linux, if the environment variable
-# :envvar:`DISPLAY` is unset, the "event loop" is identified as "headless",
-# which causes a fallback to a noninteractive backend (agg); in all other
-# cases, an interactive backend is preferred (usually, at least tkagg will be
-# available).
+# loop is already running.  The first usable backend in the following list is
+# selected: MacOSX, Qt5Agg, Gtk3Agg, TkAgg, WxAgg, Agg.  The last, Agg, is a
+# non-interactive backend that can only write to files.  It is used on Linux,
+# if Matplotlib cannot connect to either an X display or a Wayland display.
 #
 # Here is a detailed description of the configuration methods:
 #