diff --git a/kwant/system.py b/kwant/system.py
index 5b856674d24e9b28450d0007f23d07a55e7c94ed..c010f11269aa93fc5635965f56ea73d6336613f7 100644
--- a/kwant/system.py
+++ b/kwant/system.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class System(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         the first site in the range, the number of orbitals on each site in the
         range, and the offset of the first orbital of the first site in the
         range.  In addition, the final triple should have the form
-        ``(len(graph.num_nodes), tot_norbs, 0)`` where ``tot_norbs`` is the
+        ``(len(graph.num_nodes), 0, tot_norbs)`` where ``tot_norbs`` is the
         total number of orbitals in the system.
 
     Notes