diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc-goodies.el b/lisp/erc/erc-goodies.el
index 8293994c5d4..7e30b1060fd 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/erc-goodies.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc-goodies.el
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ be experimental.  It currently only works with Emacs 28+."
    (when (and erc-scrolltobottom-all (< emacs-major-version 28))
      (erc-button--display-error-notice-with-keys
       "Option `erc-scrolltobottom-all' requires Emacs 28+. Disabling.")
-     (setopt erc-scrolltobottom-all nil))
+     (setq erc-scrolltobottom-all nil))
    (unless erc--updating-modules-p (erc-buffer-do #'erc--scrolltobottom-setup))
    (if erc-scrolltobottom-all
        (progn
diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc.el b/lisp/erc/erc.el
index edac1060c3e..67c31d961e3 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/erc.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc.el
@@ -2183,13 +2183,17 @@ buffer rather than a server buffer.")
       (cl-pushnew mod (if (get mod 'erc--module) built-in third-party)))
     `(,@(sort built-in #'string-lessp) ,@(nreverse third-party))))
 
+;;;###autoload(custom-autoload 'erc-modules "erc")
+
 (defcustom erc-modules '( autojoin button completion fill imenu irccontrols
                           list match menu move-to-prompt netsplit
                           networks readonly ring stamp track)
-  "A list of modules which ERC should enable.
-If you set the value of this without using `customize' remember to call
-\(erc-update-modules) after you change it.  When using `customize', modules
-removed from the list will be disabled."
+  "Modules to enable while connecting.
+When modifying this option in lisp code, use a Custom-friendly
+facilitator, like `setopt', or call `erc-update-modules'
+afterward.  This ensures a consistent ordering and disables
+removed modules.  It also gives packages access to the hook
+`erc-before-connect'."
   :get (lambda (sym)
          ;; replace outdated names with their newer equivalents
          (erc-migrate-modules (symbol-value sym)))
@@ -3828,14 +3832,14 @@ TYPE, when non-nil, to be a symbol handled by
 string MSG).  Expect BUFFER to be among the sort accepted by the
 function `erc-display-line'.
 
-Expect BUFFER to be a live `erc-mode' buffer, a list of such
-buffers, or the symbols `all' or `active'.  If `all', insert
-STRING in all buffers for the current session.  If `active',
-defer to the function `erc-active-buffer', which may return the
-session's server buffer if the previously active buffer has been
-killed.  If BUFFER is nil or a network process, pretend it's set
-to the appropriate server buffer.  Otherwise, use the current
-buffer.
+When non-nil, expect BUFFER to be a live `erc-mode' buffer, a
+list of such buffers, or the symbols `all' or `active'.  If
+`all', insert STRING in all buffers for the current session.  If
+`active', defer to the function `erc-active-buffer', which may
+return the session's server buffer if the previously active
+buffer has been killed.  If BUFFER is nil or a network process,
+pretend it's set to the appropriate server buffer.  Otherwise,
+use the current buffer.
 
 When TYPE is a list of symbols, call handlers from left to right
 without influencing how they behave when encountering existing
@@ -3848,11 +3852,10 @@ being (erc-error-face erc-notice-face) throughout MSG when
 `erc-notice-highlight-type' is left at its default, `all'.
 
 As of ERC 5.6, assume third-party code will use this function
-instead of lower-level ones, like `erc-insert-line', when needing
-ERC to process arbitrary informative messages as if they'd been
-sent from a server.  That is, guarantee \"local\" messages, for
-which PARSED is typically nil, will be subject to buttonizing,
-filling, and other effects."
+instead of lower-level ones, like `erc-insert-line', to insert
+arbitrary informative messages as if sent by the server.  That
+is, tell modules to treat a \"local\" message for which PARSED is
+nil like any other server-sent message."
   (let* ((erc--msg-props
           (or erc--msg-props
               (let ((table (make-hash-table))