diff --git a/coregrind/m_main.c b/coregrind/m_main.c
index 17a5d01..96131f9 100644
--- a/coregrind/m_main.c
+++ b/coregrind/m_main.c
@@ -2819,8 +2819,8 @@
    if (VG_(clo_xml)) {
       HChar buf[50];
       VG_(ctime)(buf);
-      VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "<status> <what>RUNNING</what> "
-                               "<when>%t</when> </status>", buf);
+      VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "<status> <state>RUNNING</state> "
+                               "<time>%t</time> </status>", buf);
       VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "");
    }
 
@@ -2921,8 +2921,8 @@
          VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "");
       }
       VG_(ctime)(buf);
-      VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "<status> <what>FINISHED</what> "
-                               "<when>%t</when> </status>", buf);
+      VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "<status> <state>FINISHED</state> "
+                               "<time>%t</time> </status>", buf);
       VG_(message)(Vg_UserMsg, "");
    }
 
diff --git a/docs/internals/xml-output.txt b/docs/internals/xml-output.txt
index ec8fa57..b233e33 100644
--- a/docs/internals/xml-output.txt
+++ b/docs/internals/xml-output.txt
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@
 
 * The following, indicating that the program has now started:
 
-     <status> <what>RUNNING</what> 
-              <when>human-readable-time-string</when> 
+     <status> <state>RUNNING</state> 
+              <time>human-readable-time-string</time> 
      </status>
 
 * Zero or more of (either ERROR or ERRORCOUNTS).
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@
 * The following, indicating that the program has now finished, and
   that the wrapup (leak checking) is happening.
 
-     <status> <what>FINISHED</what> 
-              <when>human-readable-time-string</when> 
+     <status> <state>FINISHED</state> 
+              <time>human-readable-time-string</time> 
      </status>
 
 * SUPPCOUNTS, indicating how many times each suppression was used.
diff --git a/memcheck/tests/filter_xml b/memcheck/tests/filter_xml
index f9c5669..7044671 100755
--- a/memcheck/tests/filter_xml
+++ b/memcheck/tests/filter_xml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 sed "s/<dir>.*<\/dir>/<dir>...<\/dir>/" |
 sed "s/<count>.*<\/count>/<count>...<\/count>/" |
 perl -0 -p -e "s/<suppcounts>.*<\/suppcounts>/<suppcounts>...<\/suppcounts>/s" |
-perl    -p -e "s/<when>.*<\/when>/<when>...<\/when>/s" |
+perl    -p -e "s/<time>.*<\/time>/<time>...<\/time>/s" |
 perl -0 -p -e "s/<vargv>.*<\/vargv>/<vargv>...<\/vargv>/s"
 
 # Collected wisdom re Perl magic incantation:
diff --git a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp
index 65e78c3..6087926 100644
--- a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp
+++ b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   </argv>
 </args>
 
-<status> <what>RUNNING</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>RUNNING</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <error>
   <unique>0x........</unique>
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
   <pair> <count>...</count> <unique>0x........</unique> </pair>
 </errorcounts>
 
-<status> <what>FINISHED</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>FINISHED</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <suppcounts>...</suppcounts>
 
diff --git a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp2 b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp2
index 271e8d3..d6f56e0 100644
--- a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp2
+++ b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp2
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   </argv>
 </args>
 
-<status> <what>RUNNING</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>RUNNING</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <error>
   <unique>0x........</unique>
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@
   <pair> <count>...</count> <unique>0x........</unique> </pair>
 </errorcounts>
 
-<status> <what>FINISHED</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>FINISHED</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <suppcounts>...</suppcounts>
 
diff --git a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp64 b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp64
index 92f4001..42eec34 100644
--- a/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp64
+++ b/memcheck/tests/xml1.stderr.exp64
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   </argv>
 </args>
 
-<status> <what>RUNNING</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>RUNNING</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <error>
   <unique>0x........</unique>
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@
   <pair> <count>...</count> <unique>0x........</unique> </pair>
 </errorcounts>
 
-<status> <what>FINISHED</what> <when>...</when> </status>
+<status> <state>FINISHED</state> <time>...</time> </status>
 
 <suppcounts>...</suppcounts>