diff --git a/collects/scribble/private/manual-tech.ss b/collects/scribble/private/manual-tech.ss
index d2d386ce..5cb7d417 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/private/manual-tech.ss
+++ b/collects/scribble/private/manual-tech.ss
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
          [s (regexp-replace* #px"[-\\s]+" s " ")])
     (make-elem style c (list 'tech (doc-prefix doc s)))))
 
-(define (deftech . s)
-  (let* ([e (apply defterm s)]
+(define (deftech #:style? [style? #t] . s)
+  (let* ([e (if style?
+                (apply defterm s)
+                (make-element #f (decode-content s)))]
          [t (*tech make-target-element #f #f (list e))])
     (make-index-element #f
                         (list t)
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/manual.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/manual.scrbl
index 6b97fcad..4f94f263 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/manual.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/manual.scrbl
@@ -929,7 +929,8 @@ The @tech{decode}d @scheme[pre-content] is hyperlinked to @scheme[t],
 which is normally defined using @scheme[elemtag].}
 
 
-@defproc[(deftech [pre-content any/c] ...) element?]{
+@defproc[(deftech [pre-content any/c] ...
+                  [#:style? style? any/c #t]) element?]{
 
 Produces an element for the @tech{decode}d @scheme[pre-content], and
 also defines a term that can be referenced elsewhere using
@@ -952,7 +953,10 @@ as follows:
 
 These normalization steps help support natural-language references
 that differ slightly from a defined form. For example, a definition of
-``bananas'' can be referenced with a use of ``banana''.}
+``bananas'' can be referenced with a use of ``banana''.
+
+If @scheme[style?] is true, then @scheme[defterm] is used on
+@scheme[pre-content].}
 
 @defproc[(tech [pre-content any/c] ...
                [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? false/c) #f])