diff --git a/docs/pages/reference/backends.mdx b/docs/pages/reference/backends.mdx
index 5ab4353ffb2e2..de81cb7721475 100644
--- a/docs/pages/reference/backends.mdx
+++ b/docs/pages/reference/backends.mdx
@@ -651,8 +651,8 @@ Service reads these parameters to configure its interactions with S3:
 - `use_fips_endpoint=true` -  [Configure S3 FIPS
   endpoints](#configuring-aws-fips-endpoints)
 
-- `use_s3_path_style` - Whether to use path-style instead of virtual-host-style URLs for the
-  bucket. Only applies when a custom endpoint is set. Defaults to true when unset. If used
+- `use_s3_virtual_style_addressing` - Whether to use virtual-host-style instead of path-style URLs for the
+  bucket. Only applies when a custom endpoint is set. Defaults to false when unset. If used
   without a custom endpoint set, this option has no effect.
 
 ### S3 IAM policy
diff --git a/lib/events/s3sessions/s3handler.go b/lib/events/s3sessions/s3handler.go
index ef1d86637e183..2313fc27b7e61 100644
--- a/lib/events/s3sessions/s3handler.go
+++ b/lib/events/s3sessions/s3handler.go
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ type Config struct {
 	DisableServerSideEncryption bool
 
 	// UseVirtualStyleAddressing use a virtual-hosted–style URI.
+	// Path style e.g. https://s3.region-code.amazonaws.com/bucket-name/key-name
+	// Virtual hosted style e.g. https://bucket-name.s3.region-code.amazonaws.com/key-name
+	// Teleport defaults to path-style addressing for better interoperability
+	// with 3rd party S3-compatible services out of the box.
+	// See https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/VirtualHosting.html for more details.
 	UseVirtualStyleAddressing bool
 }