diff --git a/CONF.sh b/CONF.sh
index 979f00d8..29976074 100644
--- a/CONF.sh
+++ b/CONF.sh
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ export ISOLINUX=1
 # them too
 export MAX_PKG_SIZE=600000000
 
-# uncoment this to make build_all.sh try to build a simple CD image if
-# the proper official CD run does not work
+# Should build_all.sh try to build a simple CD image if the proper official
+# CD run does not work?
 ATTEMPT_FALLBACK=yes
 
 # Set your disk type here. Known types are:
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export DISKTYPE=CD
 export TASK_LANGLIST=tasksel_d-i.languages
 
 # Extra variants to enable. See docs/README.variants for more information.
-# export VARIANTS=
+export VARIANTS=
 
 # We don't want certain packages to take up space on CD1...
 #export EXCLUDE1=exclude
@@ -216,12 +216,12 @@ export TASK_LANGLIST=tasksel_d-i.languages
 # excluded completely. The same goes for packages listed in EXCLUDE.
 
 # Set this if the recommended packages should be skipped when adding 
-# package on the CD.  The default is 'false'.
-export NORECOMMENDS=1
+# package on the CD.  The default is 'true'.
+# export NORECOMMENDS=1
 
 # Set this if the suggested packages should be skipped when adding 
 # package on the CD.  The default is 'true'.
-#export NOSUGGESTS=1
+# export NOSUGGESTS=1
 
 # Set to 1 to generate MD5/SHA1/SHA256/SHA512 sums for generated images
 export IMAGESUMS=1
@@ -357,14 +357,14 @@ done
 # If so we will link to them on the web site.
 export OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES=1
 
+# Set this to override the default location
+#export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
+
 # Set to 1 to not include the doc/tools directories on CD1
 # Useful to save space and avoids failures if you have a mirror
 # without those directories.
 #export OMIT_DOC_TOOLS=1
 
-# Set this to override the default location
-#export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
-
 case "$OFFICIAL" in
     "Official")
 	export OFFICIAL_VAL=2
diff --git a/debian/CONF.sh b/debian/CONF.sh
index 6e5f10b8..29976074 100644
--- a/debian/CONF.sh
+++ b/debian/CONF.sh
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ export ISOLINUX=1
 # them too
 export MAX_PKG_SIZE=600000000
 
-# uncoment this to make build_all.sh try to build a simple CD image if
-# the proper official CD run does not work
+# Should build_all.sh try to build a simple CD image if the proper official
+# CD run does not work?
 ATTEMPT_FALLBACK=yes
 
 # Set your disk type here. Known types are:
@@ -216,12 +216,12 @@ export VARIANTS=
 # excluded completely. The same goes for packages listed in EXCLUDE.
 
 # Set this if the recommended packages should be skipped when adding 
-# package on the CD.  The default is 'false'.
-export NORECOMMENDS=1
+# package on the CD.  The default is 'true'.
+# export NORECOMMENDS=1
 
 # Set this if the suggested packages should be skipped when adding 
 # package on the CD.  The default is 'true'.
-#export NOSUGGESTS=1
+# export NOSUGGESTS=1
 
 # Set to 1 to generate MD5/SHA1/SHA256/SHA512 sums for generated images
 export IMAGESUMS=1
@@ -357,14 +357,14 @@ done
 # If so we will link to them on the web site.
 export OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES=1
 
+# Set this to override the default location
+#export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
+
 # Set to 1 to not include the doc/tools directories on CD1
 # Useful to save space and avoids failures if you have a mirror
 # without those directories.
 #export OMIT_DOC_TOOLS=1
 
-# Set this to override the default location
-#export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
-
 case "$OFFICIAL" in
     "Official")
 	export OFFICIAL_VAL=2
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 8a28b667..0360862a 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ debian-cd (3.1.4) unstable; urgency=low
   * Minor tweaks to Debian packaging to make lintian happy.
     Closes: #592932
   * Minor whitespace/wording fixes for the README file. Closes: #592933
+  * Change the default for NORECOMMENDS to 1 for consistency with
+    NOSUGGESTS. Closes: #598196
+  * Documentation patches
 
   [ Steve McIntyre ]
   * Rename log.add_packages to add_packages.log
diff --git a/tools/sort_deps b/tools/sort_deps
index aaa1e75f..3ae92663 100755
--- a/tools/sort_deps
+++ b/tools/sort_deps
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ my $extranonfree = $ENV{'EXTRANONFREE'} || 0;
 my $force_firmware = $ENV{'FORCE_FIRMWARE'} || 0;
 my $local = $ENV{'LOCAL'} || 0;
 my $complete = $ENV{'COMPLETE'} || 0;
-my $norecommends = $ENV{'NORECOMMENDS'} || 0;
+my $norecommends = $ENV{'NORECOMMENDS'} || 1;
 my $nosuggests = $ENV{'NOSUGGESTS'} || 1;
 
 my $apt = "$ENV{'BASEDIR'}/tools/apt-selection";