diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
index f720b6ab0d..f73ea97c4f 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Thank you for contributing to this project! You must fill out the information be
 
 ### Why:
 
-Closes [issue link]
+Closes ISSUE
 
-<!-- If there's an existing issue for your change, please link to it in the brackets above.
+<!-- If there's an existing issue for your change, please replace ISSUE above with a link to the issue.
 If there's _not_ an existing issue, please open one first to make it more likely that this update will be accepted: https://github.com/github/docs/issues/new/choose. -->
 
 ### What's being changed (if available, include any code snippets, screenshots, or gifs):