diff --git a/doc/manual/source/glossary.md b/doc/manual/source/glossary.md
index 94a6b5825..e18324ad9 100644
--- a/doc/manual/source/glossary.md
+++ b/doc/manual/source/glossary.md
@@ -343,14 +343,6 @@
 
   See [Nix Archive](store/file-system-object/content-address.html#serial-nix-archive) for details.
 
-- [`∅`]{#gloss-empty-set}
-
-  The empty set symbol. In the context of profile history, this denotes a package is not present in a particular version of the profile.
-
-- [`ε`]{#gloss-epsilon}
-
-  The epsilon symbol. In the context of a package, this means the version is empty. More precisely, the derivation does not have a version attribute.
-
 - [package]{#package}
 
   A software package; files that belong together for a particular purpose, and metadata.
diff --git a/src/nix/diff-closures.cc b/src/nix/diff-closures.cc
index ff9f9db40..fa3d51ae7 100644
--- a/src/nix/diff-closures.cc
+++ b/src/nix/diff-closures.cc
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ GroupedPaths getClosureInfo(ref<Store> store, const StorePath & toplevel)
 
 std::string showVersions(const StringSet & versions)
 {
-    if (versions.empty()) return "∅";
+    if (versions.empty()) return "(absent)";
     StringSet versions2;
     for (auto & version : versions)
-        versions2.insert(version.empty() ? "ε" : version);
+        versions2.insert(version.empty() ? "(no version)" : version);
     return concatStringsSep(", ", versions2);
 }
 
@@ -97,8 +97,13 @@ void printClosureDiff(
 
         if (showDelta || !removed.empty() || !added.empty()) {
             std::vector<std::string> items;
-            if (!removed.empty() || !added.empty())
+            if (!removed.empty() && !added.empty()) {
                 items.push_back(fmt("%s → %s", showVersions(removed), showVersions(added)));
+            } else if (!removed.empty()) {
+                items.push_back(fmt("%s removed", showVersions(removed)));
+            } else if (!added.empty()) {
+                items.push_back(fmt("%s added", showVersions(added)));
+            }
             if (showDelta)
                 items.push_back(fmt("%s%+.1f KiB" ANSI_NORMAL, sizeDelta > 0 ? ANSI_RED : ANSI_GREEN, sizeDelta / 1024.0));
             logger->cout("%s%s: %s", indent, name, concatStringsSep(", ", items));
diff --git a/src/nix/diff-closures.md b/src/nix/diff-closures.md
index 0294c0d8d..6b07af28f 100644
--- a/src/nix/diff-closures.md
+++ b/src/nix/diff-closures.md
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ R""(
   baloo-widgets: 20.08.1 → 20.08.2
   bluez-qt: +12.6 KiB
   dolphin: 20.08.1 → 20.08.2, +13.9 KiB
-  kdeconnect: 20.08.2 → ∅, -6597.8 KiB
-  kdeconnect-kde: ∅ → 20.08.2, +6599.7 KiB
+  kdeconnect: 20.08.2 removed, -6597.8 KiB
+  kdeconnect-kde: 20.08.2 added, +6599.7 KiB
   …
   ```
 
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ dolphin: 20.08.1 → 20.08.2, +13.9 KiB
 
 No size change is shown if it's below the threshold. If the package
 does not exist in either the *before* or *after* closures, it is
-represented using `∅` (empty set) on the appropriate side of the
-arrow. If a package has an empty version string, the version is
-rendered as `ε` (epsilon).
+represented using `added` or `removed`.
+If a package has an empty version string, the version is
+rendered as `(no version)`.
 
 There may be multiple versions of a package in each closure. In that
 case, only the changed versions are shown. Thus,
diff --git a/src/nix/profile-history.md b/src/nix/profile-history.md
index f0bfe5037..0c9a340dd 100644
--- a/src/nix/profile-history.md
+++ b/src/nix/profile-history.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ R""(
   ```console
   # nix profile history
   Version 508 (2020-04-10):
-    flake:nixpkgs#legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.awscli: ∅ -> 1.17.13
+    flake:nixpkgs#legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.awscli: 1.17.13 added
 
   Version 509 (2020-05-16) <- 508:
     flake:nixpkgs#legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.awscli: 1.17.13 -> 1.18.211
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ between subsequent versions of a profile. It only shows top-level
 packages, not dependencies; for that, use [`nix profile
 diff-closures`](./nix3-profile-diff-closures.md).
 
-The addition of a package to a profile is denoted by the string `∅ ->`
-*version*, whereas the removal is denoted by *version* `-> ∅`.
+The addition of a package to a profile is denoted by the string
+*version* `added`, whereas the removal is denoted by *version* ` removed`.
 
 )""
diff --git a/src/nix/profile.cc b/src/nix/profile.cc
index 2c593729f..5aa7013c5 100644
--- a/src/nix/profile.cc
+++ b/src/nix/profile.cc
@@ -289,12 +289,12 @@ struct ProfileManifest
 
         while (i != prev.elements.end() || j != cur.elements.end()) {
             if (j != cur.elements.end() && (i == prev.elements.end() || i->first > j->first)) {
-                logger->cout("%s%s: ∅ -> %s", indent, j->second.identifier(), j->second.versions());
+                logger->cout("%s%s: %s added", indent, j->second.identifier(), j->second.versions());
                 changes = true;
                 ++j;
             }
             else if (i != prev.elements.end() && (j == cur.elements.end() || i->first < j->first)) {
-                logger->cout("%s%s: %s -> ∅", indent, i->second.identifier(), i->second.versions());
+                logger->cout("%s%s: %s removed", indent, i->second.identifier(), i->second.versions());
                 changes = true;
                 ++i;
             }
diff --git a/tests/functional/nix-profile.sh b/tests/functional/nix-profile.sh
index b1cfef6b0..a96abbbdf 100755
--- a/tests/functional/nix-profile.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/nix-profile.sh
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ nix profile list | grep -A4 'Name:.*flake1' | grep 'Locked flake URL:.*narHash'
 [ -e $TEST_HOME/.nix-profile/share/man ]
 (! [ -e $TEST_HOME/.nix-profile/include ])
 nix profile history
-nix profile history | grep "packages.$system.default: ∅ -> 1.0"
-nix profile diff-closures | grep 'env-manifest.nix: ε → ∅'
+nix profile history | grep "packages.$system.default: 1.0, 1.0-man added"
+nix profile diff-closures | grep 'env-manifest.nix: (no version) removed'
 
 # Test XDG Base Directories support
 export NIX_CONFIG="use-xdg-base-directories = true"
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ nix profile rollback
 [ -e $TEST_HOME/.nix-profile/bin/foo ]
 nix profile remove foo 2>&1 | grep 'removed 1 packages'
 (! [ -e $TEST_HOME/.nix-profile/bin/foo ])
-nix profile history | grep 'foo: 1.0 -> ∅'
+nix profile history | grep 'foo: 1.0 removed'
 nix profile diff-closures | grep 'Version 3 -> 4'
 
 # Test installing a non-flake package.