diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 786cad6..8973fc8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ squill fmt --help                                       # the full flag surface
 
 Options (via the nearest squill.toml or flags — flags win): `--dialect postgres|sqlite`,
 `--indent tab|spaces`, `--indent-width N` (default 2), `--keyword-case
-lower|upper`, `--quote-idents unquote-safe|always`, `--at-params` for
+lower|upper`, `--quote-idents as-needed|always`, `--at-params` for
 sqlc-style `@name` parameters, `--strict` to fail on statements that
 could not be parsed.
 
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/config.rs b/crates/cli/src/config.rs
index 9c87543..44f5420 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/config.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ pub fn parse_keyword_case(value: &str) -> Result<KeywordCase, String> {
 
 pub fn parse_quoting(value: &str) -> Result<IdentQuoting, String> {
 	match value {
-		"unquote-safe" => Ok(IdentQuoting::UnquotedWhenSafe),
+		"as-needed" => Ok(IdentQuoting::UnquotedWhenSafe),
 		"always" => Ok(IdentQuoting::AlwaysQuoted),
 		other => Err(format!("unknown quoting mode `{other}`")),
 	}
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/main.rs b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
index 49082a5..7df6fd7 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Options:
   --indent <STYLE>        tab (default) | spaces
   --indent-width <N>      Indent width (and tab measure), default 2
   --keyword-case <CASE>   lower (default) | upper
-  --quote-idents <MODE>   unquote-safe (default) | always
+  --quote-idents <MODE>   as-needed (default) | always
   --at-params             Treat sqlc-style @name as parameters (Postgres)
   --no-config             Ignore squill.toml files
   --embedded              Also format SQL embedded in host files (.rs,
diff --git a/docs/src/pages/index.astro b/docs/src/pages/index.astro
index 4ea599e..40318da 100644
--- a/docs/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/docs/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ squill fmt path/to/queries/</code></pre>
 						</tr>
 						<tr>
 							<td><code>quote-idents</code></td>
-							<td><code>unquote-safe</code> | <code>always</code></td>
-							<td><code>unquote-safe</code></td>
+							<td><code>as-needed</code> | <code>always</code></td>
+							<td><code>as-needed</code></td>
 						</tr>
 						<tr>
 							<td><code>at-params</code></td>