diff --git a/docs/scripting.xml b/docs/scripting.xml
index 949a22913..ff4817593 100644
--- a/docs/scripting.xml
+++ b/docs/scripting.xml
@@ -3402,11 +3402,11 @@ end
       <para>
         For example, consider the earlier <xref
         linkend="nse-worker-example"/>.  Until all
-        the workers finish, the master thread must sleep. Note that we cannot
+        the workers finish, the controller thread must sleep. Note that we cannot
         <literal>poll</literal> for results like in a traditional operating
         system thread because NSE does not preempt Lua threads. Instead,
-        we use a condition variable that the master thread
-        <emphasis>waits</emphasis> on until awakened by a worker. The master
+        we use a condition variable that the controller thread
+        <emphasis>waits</emphasis> on until awakened by a worker. The controller
         will continually wait until all workers have terminated.
       </para>
 
@@ -3474,11 +3474,11 @@ end
       <para>
         When using condition variables, it is important to check the predicate
         before and after waiting. A predicate is a test on whether to continue
-        doing work within a worker or master thread. For worker
+        doing work within a worker or controller thread. For worker
         threads, this will at the very least include a test to see if the
-        master thread is still alive. You do not want to continue doing work
+        controller is still alive. You do not want to continue doing work
         when there's no thread to use your results. A typical test before waiting
-        may be: Check whether the master is still running; if not, then quit.
+        may be: Check whether the controller is still running; if not, then quit.
         Check if is work to be done; if not, then wait.
       </para>
 
@@ -3490,7 +3490,7 @@ end
         The usual, but not only, reason that this may happen
         is the termination of one of the threads using the condition variable. This
         is an important guarantee NSE makes that allows you to avoid deadlock
-        where a worker or master waits for a thread to wake them up that ended
+        where a worker or controller waits for a thread to wake them up that ended
         without signaling the condition variable.
       </para>
     </sect2>
diff --git a/nselib/nmap.luadoc b/nselib/nmap.luadoc
index 3dd204eeb..e9942d93f 100644
--- a/nselib/nmap.luadoc
+++ b/nselib/nmap.luadoc
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ function mutex(object)
 --
 -- In NSE, Condition Variables are typically used to coordinate with threads
 -- created using the stdnse.new_thread facility. The worker threads must
--- wait until work is available that the master thread (the actual running
--- script) will provide. Once work is created, the master thread will awaken
+-- wait until work is available that the controller thread (the actual running
+-- script) will provide. Once work is created, the controller thread will awaken
 -- one or more workers so that the work can be done.
 --
 -- It is important to check the predicate (the test to see if your worker
@@ -349,8 +349,8 @@ function mutex(object)
 -- guarantee your thread will not be awakened when no thread called
 -- <code>"signal"</code> or <code>"broadcast"</code> on the condition variable).
 -- One important check for your worker threads, before and after waiting,
--- should be to check that the master script thread is still alive.
--- (To check that the master script thread is alive, obtain the "base" thread
+-- should be to check that the controller thread is still alive.
+-- (To check that the controller thread is alive, obtain the "base" thread
 -- using stdnse.base and use coroutine.status). You do not want your worker
 -- threads to continue when the script has ended for reasons unknown to your
 -- worker thread. You are guaranteed that all threads waiting on a
diff --git a/nselib/stdnse.lua b/nselib/stdnse.lua
index 38b128afe..a173bf057 100644
--- a/nselib/stdnse.lua
+++ b/nselib/stdnse.lua
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ end
 -- If known, the output includes some context based information: the script
 -- identifier and the target ip/port (if there is one). If the debug level is
 -- at least 2, it also prints the base thread identifier and whether it is a
--- worker thread or the master thread.
+-- worker thread or the controller thread.
 --
 -- @class function
 -- @name debug
diff --git a/scripts/snmp-interfaces.nse b/scripts/snmp-interfaces.nse
index e35dbbbf7..18645fa50 100644
--- a/scripts/snmp-interfaces.nse
+++ b/scripts/snmp-interfaces.nse
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ function process_interfaces( tbl )
       end
 
       new_tbl[item.index] = item
-      -- Add this interface index to our master list
+      -- Add this interface index to our returned list
       table.insert( new_tbl.index_list, item.index )
 
     end