diff --git a/txexpr/base.rkt b/txexpr/base.rkt
index 267c08e..fd2559c 100644
--- a/txexpr/base.rkt
+++ b/txexpr/base.rkt
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@
               x))))
 
 ;; function to split tag out of txexpr
-(define+provide+safe deleted-signal symbol? (gensym))
+(define deleted-signal #f)
 (define+provide+safe (splitf-txexpr tx pred [proc (λ (x) deleted-signal)])
   ((txexpr? procedure?) (procedure?) . ->* . (values txexpr? txexpr-elements?))
   (unless (txexpr? tx)
diff --git a/txexpr/scribblings/txexpr.scrbl b/txexpr/scribblings/txexpr.scrbl
index f02cf33..5a1f62c 100644
--- a/txexpr/scribblings/txexpr.scrbl
+++ b/txexpr/scribblings/txexpr.scrbl
@@ -469,18 +469,12 @@ In practice, most @racket[_txexpr-element]s are strings. But it's unwise to pass
 ]
 
 
-@deftogether[(
-
-@defthing[deleted-signal symbol?]
-
 @defproc[
 (splitf-txexpr
 [tx txexpr?]
 [pred procedure?]
-[replace-proc procedure? (λ (x) deleted-signal)])
+[replace-proc procedure? (λ (x) #f)])
 (values txexpr? (listof txexpr-element?))]
-
-)]
 Recursively descend through @racket[_txexpr] and extract all elements that match @racket[_pred]. Returns two values: a @racket[_txexpr] with the matching elements removed, and the list of matching elements. Sort of esoteric, but I've needed it more than once, so here it is.
 
 @examples[#:eval my-eval
@@ -489,7 +483,7 @@ Recursively descend through @racket[_txexpr] and extract all elements that match
 (splitf-txexpr tx is-meta?)
 ]
 
-Ordinarily, the result of the split operation is to remove the elements that match @racket[_pred]. This happens only when returning @racket[_deleted-signal]. You can change this behavior with the optional @racket[_replace-proc] argument.
+Ordinarily, the result of the split operation is to remove the elements that match @racket[_pred]. But you can change this behavior with the optional @racket[_replace-proc] argument.
 
 @examples[#:eval my-eval
 (define tx '(div "Wonderful day" (meta "weather" "good") "for a walk"))