diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ca16173..ca84dec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,16 +113,16 @@ in `bin/state` unless `SWWAF_STATE_DIR` is set, and the default rule file of
   `X-Forwarded-Proto`, and `X-Forwarded-For` with the peer added at the end. It
   also gets the request's id in `X-Request-ID`, the same id as in the request's
   log line (see `request_id` in "Request log" below).
-- Enforces the timeouts and the size limits below. A limit passed before the
-  response has started gets `smallwebwaf`'s own answer: `408` for a client too
-  slow to send its request, `413` for a request body that is too large, `504`
-  for an app too slow to answer, and `502` for a response that is too large or
-  an app that cannot be reached. A request that announces a body over the limit
-  is refused before anything reaches the app. While a request body is still on
-  its way, a request timeout that runs out answers `408` if `smallwebwaf` was
-  waiting for the client to send more, and `504` if it was waiting for the app
-  to take what it had. Once the response has started, a limit can only cut the
-  connection.
+- Enforces the timeouts and the size limits below. Once a request's line and
+  headers have been read, a limit passed before the response has started gets
+  `smallwebwaf`'s own answer: `408` for a client too slow to send its body,
+  `413` for a request body that is too large, `504` for an app too slow to
+  answer, and `502` for a response that is too large or an app that cannot be
+  reached. A request that announces a body over the limit is refused before
+  anything reaches the app. While a request body is still on its way, a request
+  timeout that runs out answers `408` if `smallwebwaf` was waiting for the
+  client to send more, and `504` if it was waiting for the app to take what it
+  had. Once the response has started, a limit can only cut the connection.
 - Counts each client's requests over a minute, an hour and a day. A request that
   takes the client over one of the rate limits below is refused with
   `SWWAF_BAN_RESPONSE`, `403` by default, before anything reaches the app, and
@@ -1045,9 +1045,11 @@ less severe than `SWWAF_LOG_LEVEL` are not written.
 Go's HTTP server, on which `smallwebwaf` is built, reads a request's line and
 headers before `smallwebwaf` sees the request, and some requests end there,
 without a line in the log: headers over `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_HEADER_MAX_BYTES`,
-which it answers `431`, headers slower than `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT`,
-whose connection it closes without an answer, and requests it cannot read at
-all, which it answers itself, mostly with `400`.
+which it answers `431`, and requests it cannot read at all, which it answers
+itself, mostly with `400`. A client too slow to send its request line and
+headers within `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT` gets either no answer or an error
+answer from the server, mostly `400 Bad Request`; either way the server closes
+its connection, nothing reaches the app, and no line is written in the log.
 
 ### Sending the log to a syslog server
 
diff --git a/SPEC.md b/SPEC.md
index f84d356..428df09 100644
--- a/SPEC.md
+++ b/SPEC.md
@@ -414,10 +414,10 @@ The settings, by group:
       to send its request line and headers, and then, from the end of the
       headers, its body.
     - `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_HEADER_MAX_BYTES` (default `32K`): the largest
-      request line and headers a client may send. Over it, `smallwebwaf` answers
-      `431` and closes the connection, and nothing reaches the app. It must be
-      more than `4K`, and cannot be `off`: Go's HTTP server always has such a
-      limit, and reads 4 KiB past the one it is given before it refuses.
+      request line and headers a client may send. Over it, Go's HTTP server
+      answers `431` and closes the connection, and nothing reaches the app. It
+      must be more than `4K`, and cannot be `off`: Go's HTTP server always has
+      such a limit, and reads 4 KiB past the one it is given before it refuses.
     - `SWWAF_CLIENT_IDLE_TIMEOUT` (default `120s`): how long a kept-open
       connection may wait for its next request before `smallwebwaf` closes it.
       It is longer than the 90 seconds after which traefik, by default, closes a
@@ -435,12 +435,13 @@ The settings, by group:
       the client sends it and the app receives it.
     - `SWWAF_RESPONSE_MAX_BYTES` (default `5G`): the largest response body, as
       the app sends it and the client receives it.
-    - When a limit is passed before the response has started, `smallwebwaf`
-      answers itself: `413` for a request body that is too large, `408` for a
-      client that is too slow, `502` for a response that is too large, `504` for
-      an app that is too slow. A request that announces a body larger than its
-      limit is refused before anything reaches the app. Once the response has
-      started it can only be cut off, and the connection is closed.
+    - When a limit is passed after a request's line and headers have been read,
+      but before the response has started, `smallwebwaf` answers itself: `413`
+      for a request body that is too large, `408` for a client too slow to send
+      its body, `502` for a response that is too large, `504` for an app that is
+      too slow. A request that announces a body larger than its limit is refused
+      before anything reaches the app. Once the response has started it can only
+      be cut off, and the connection is closed.
     - Since a request body streams through, each side can hold up the other: a
       slow client slows the send to the app, and an app slow to take the body
       slows the client's send. So while a request body is still on its way, a
@@ -450,10 +451,11 @@ The settings, by group:
       waiting for the app to take what it had.
     - Go's HTTP server, on which `smallwebwaf` is built, reads a request's line
       and headers before `smallwebwaf` sees the request. A client that takes
-      longer than `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT` to send them gets no answer:
-      the server closes its connection. Headers over
-      `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_HEADER_MAX_BYTES` are answered `431` by the server
-      itself. Neither request gets a line in the request log.
+      longer than `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT` to send them gets either no
+      answer or an error answer from the server, mostly `400 Bad Request`;
+      either way the server closes its connection and nothing reaches the app.
+      Headers over `SWWAF_CLIENT_REQUEST_HEADER_MAX_BYTES` are answered `431` by
+      the server itself. Neither request gets a line in the request log.
     - A WebSocket connection leaves these limits behind once it is upgraded: it
       stays open until either side closes it.
 - Lookup of AS number and country (R7). On by default through GeoJS, which needs