diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index 9e0e4e1024..b108d6f60b 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -1009,17 +1009,6 @@ sc_gettext_init:
 	halt='the above files do not call virGettextInitialize'		\
 	  $(_sc_search_regexp)
 
-# <dt> is mostly used to document symbols, in which case it should contain
-# a <code> element. The regular expression below trades speed and readability
-# for accuracy, and won't catch someone trying to stick a <canvas> inside a
-# <dt>, but that's what code reviews are for :)
-sc_prohibit_dt_without_code:
-	@prohibit='<dt>([^<]|<[^c])' \
-	exclude='exempt from syntax-check' \
-	in_vc_files='docs/.*$$' \
-	halt='Use <code> inside <dt> when documenting symbols' \
-	  $(_sc_search_regexp)
-
 # We don't use this feature of maint.mk.
 prev_version_file = /dev/null
 
@@ -1248,9 +1237,6 @@ exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_sysconf_pagesize = \
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_pthread_create = \
   ^(cfg\.mk|src/util/virthread\.c|tests/.*)$$
 
-exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_dt_without_code = \
-  ^docs/(newapi\.xsl|(apps|contact)\.html\.in)$$
-
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_always-defined_macros = \
   ^tests/virtestmock.c$$
 
diff --git a/docs/formatsnapshot.html.in b/docs/formatsnapshot.html.in
index 8c66a9cb4f..c3ab516fa4 100644
--- a/docs/formatsnapshot.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatsnapshot.html.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
       There are several types of snapshots:
     </p>
     <dl>
-      <dt>disk snapshot</dt> <!-- exempt from syntax-check -->
+      <dt>disk snapshot</dt>
       <dd>Contents of disks (whether a subset or all disks associated
         with the domain) are saved at a given point of time, and can
         be restored back to that state.  On a running guest, a disk
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@
         since the snapshot in a single file) and external (the
         snapshot is one file, and the changes since the snapshot are
         in another file).</dd>
-      <dt>memory state (or VM state)</dt> <!-- exempt from syntax-check -->
+      <dt>memory state (or VM state)</dt>
       <dd>Tracks only the state of RAM and all other resources in use
         by the VM.  If the disks are unmodified between the time a VM
         state snapshot is taken and restored, then the guest will
         resume in a consistent state; but if the disks are modified
         externally in the meantime, this is likely to lead to data
         corruption.</dd>
-      <dt>system checkpoint</dt> <!-- exempt from syntax-check -->
+      <dt>system checkpoint</dt>
       <dd>A combination of disk snapshots for all disks as well as VM
         memory state, which can be used to resume the guest from where it
         left off with symptoms similar to hibernation (that is, TCP
diff --git a/docs/remote.html.in b/docs/remote.html.in
index 4c3012f1b4..f65454ea5e 100644
--- a/docs/remote.html.in
+++ b/docs/remote.html.in
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ cp clientcert.pem /etc/pki/libvirt/clientcert.pem
       <a name="Remote_TLS_troubleshooting">Troubleshooting TLS certificate problems</a>
     </h4>
     <dl>
-      <dt>failed to verify client's certificate</dt> <!-- exempt from syntax-check -->
+      <dt> failed to verify client's certificate </dt>
       <dd>
         <p>
 On the server side, run the libvirtd server with