diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0a22ae5..6508cbe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -339,11 +339,14 @@ during the hash phase:
     `content` hash, has its file checked with `lstat` first. A file
     that is gone, is no longer a regular file, or has changed (a
     different size, or an mtime newer than recorded) keeps its record
-    as it is and is not a duplicate. Any other `lstat` error is warned
-    about and counted as skipped, with the same result. The files that
-    pass and have no `content` hash are read only if at least two of
-    those records pass, so a file whose only matches are stale costs no
-    read; a file that already has a `content` hash is never read again.
+    as it is and does not count as a match for the others. Any other
+    `lstat` error is warned about and counted as skipped, with the same
+    result. If such a record has no `content` hash, it stays out of
+    duplicate groups; if it has one, it is still reported until a scan
+    covering its own tree updates or removes it. The files that pass
+    and have no `content` hash are read only if at least two of those
+    records pass, so a file whose only matches are stale costs no read;
+    a file that already has a `content` hash is never read again.
     They are read by a worker pool as in the hash phase, in inode order
     and once per inode, and their content hashes are committed in
     batches. A failed read is warned about and counted as skipped; its
diff --git a/scan.go b/scan.go
index 2fc73aa..6d7aaf4 100644
--- a/scan.go
+++ b/scan.go
@@ -607,11 +607,14 @@ func (s *scanState) contentPhase(ctx context.Context, workers int) error {
 // their records by path. Every record contentCandidatesSQL returns has
 // its file checked with lstat, whether or not it already has a content
 // hash: a file that is gone, is no longer a regular file, or has
-// changed by the walk's rule keeps its record as it is and is not a
-// duplicate, and any other lstat error is warned about and counted as
-// skipped. The files of a group that pass and have no content hash are
-// read only if at least minGroupSize of the group's files pass, so a
-// group whose other members are all stale costs no reads. Only the
+// changed by the walk's rule keeps its record as it is and does not
+// count as a match for the others, and any other lstat error is warned
+// about and counted as skipped, with the same result. If such a record
+// has no content hash, it stays out of duplicate groups; if it has one,
+// it is still reported until a scan covering its own tree updates or
+// removes it. The files of a group that pass and have no content hash
+// are read only if at least minGroupSize of the group's files pass, so
+// a group whose other members are all stale costs no reads. Only the
 // records to be read are kept.
 func (s *scanState) contentCandidates(
 	ctx context.Context,