diff --git a/pep-0001.txt b/pep-0001.txt
index 5560a7d74..82ff18ea0 100644
--- a/pep-0001.txt
+++ b/pep-0001.txt
@@ -185,8 +185,11 @@ corrected by the editors).
 The standard PEP workflow is:
 
 * You, the PEP author, fork the `PEP repository`_, and create a file named
-  ``pep-9999.rst`` that contains your new PEP.  Use "9999" as your draft PEP
-  number.
+  :file:`pep-{NNNN}.rst` that contains your new PEP.  :samp:`{NNNN}` should be the next
+  available PEP number not used by a published or in-PR PEP.
+
+* In the "PEP:" header field, enter the PEP number that matches your filename
+  as your draft PEP number.
 
 * In the "Type:" header field, enter "Standards Track",
   "Informational", or "Process" as appropriate, and for the "Status:"
@@ -791,12 +794,11 @@ problem, ask the author(s) to use :pep:`12` as a template and resubmit.
 
 Once the PEP is ready for the repository, a PEP editor will:
 
-* Assign a PEP number (almost always just the next available number,
-  but sometimes it's a special/joke number, like 666 or 3141).
-  (Clarification: For Python 3, numbers in the 3000s were used for
-  Py3k-specific proposals.  But now that all new features go into
-  Python 3 only, the process is back to using numbers in the 100s again.
-  Remember that numbers below 100 are meta-PEPs.)
+* Check that the author has selected a valid PEP number or assign them a
+  number if they have not (almost always just the next available number, but
+  sometimes it's a special/joke number, like 666 or 3141).
+
+  Remember that numbers below 100 are meta-PEPs.
 
 * Check that the author has correctly labeled the PEP's type
   ("Standards Track", "Informational", or "Process"), and marked its
diff --git a/pep-0012.rst b/pep-0012.rst
index bea8a8083..7ad01dc43 100644
--- a/pep-0012.rst
+++ b/pep-0012.rst
@@ -60,14 +60,10 @@ Once you've decided which type of PEP yours is going to be, follow the
 directions below.
 
 - Make a copy of this file (the ``.rst`` file, **not** the HTML!) and
-  perform the following edits. Name the new file ``pep-9999.rst`` if
-  you don't yet have a PEP number assignment, or ``pep-NNNN.rst`` if
-  you do. Those with push permissions are welcome to claim the next
-  available number (ignoring the special blocks 3000 and 8000, and a
-  handful of special allocations - currently 666, 754, and 801) and
-  push it directly.
+  perform the following edits. Name the new file :file:`pep-{NNNN}.rst`, using
+  the next available number (not used by a published or in-PR PEP).
 
-- Replace the "PEP: 12" header with "PEP: 9999" or "PEP: NNNN",
+- Replace the "PEP: 12" header with "PEP: NNNN",
   matching the file name. Note that the file name should be padded with
   zeros (eg ``pep-0012.rst``), but the header should not (``PEP: 12``).
 
@@ -158,7 +154,7 @@ directions below.
   non-inline link targets referenced by the text.
 
 - Run ``./build.py`` to ensure the PEP is rendered without errors,
-  and check that the output in ``build/pep-9999.html`` looks as you intend.
+  and check that the output in :file:`build/pep-{NNNN}.html` looks as you intend.
 
 - Create a pull request against the `PEPs repository`_.