diff --git a/share/man/man9/style.9 b/share/man/man9/style.9
--- a/share/man/man9/style.9
+++ b/share/man/man9/style.9
@@ -446,14 +446,6 @@
 separate header file, e.g.,
 .Qq Pa extern.h .
 .Pp
-In general code can be considered
-.Dq "new code"
-when it makes up about 50% or more of the file(s) involved.
-This is enough
-to break precedents in the existing code and use the current
-.Nm
-guidelines.
-.Pp
 The kernel has a name associated with parameter types, e.g., in the kernel
 use:
 .Bd -literal
@@ -881,10 +873,17 @@
 .Nm
 guides.
 The guidelines for third-party maintained modules and device drivers are more
-relaxed but at a minimum should be internally consistent with their style.
+relaxed.
+Their code is expected to at least be internally consistent with their style.
 .Pp
-Stylistic changes (including whitespace changes) are hard on the source
-repository and are to be avoided without good reason.
+Standalone stylistic changes, including whitespace changes, are hard on the
+source repository and are to be avoided without another reason.
+On the other hand, as soon as a significant portion, usually about 50% or more,
+of some logical unit of code, be it a function, group of functions, file or
+group of files, is modified, developers are encouraged to amend the style of the
+whole unit as just described.
+In this case, style changes to otherwise unmodified code can be committed
+separately.
 Code that is approximately
 .Fx
 KNF