diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 938fb186..eca60048 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ mitogen Package
 
 .. automodule:: mitogen
 
-.. autodata:: mitogen.master
+.. autodata:: mitogen.is_master
 .. autodata:: mitogen.context_id
 .. autodata:: mitogen.parent_id
 
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index d922ab1f..cefa2a21 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ usual into the slave process.
         context = mitogen.ssh.connect(broker, sys.argv[1])
         context.call(install_app)
 
-    if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.master:
+    if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.is_master:
         import mitogen.utils
         mitogen.utils.run_with_broker(main)
 
diff --git a/mitogen/__init__.py b/mitogen/__init__.py
index 5324cd90..c6974199 100644
--- a/mitogen/__init__.py
+++ b/mitogen/__init__.py
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ be expected. On the slave, it is built dynamically during startup.
 #:              context = mitogen.master.connect(broker)
 #:              context.call(do_work)  # Causes slave to import __main__.
 #:
-#:          if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.master:
+#:          if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.is_master:
 #:              import mitogen.utils
 #:              mitogen.utils.run_with_broker(main)
 #:
-master = True
+is_master = True
 
 
 #: This is ``0`` in a master, otherwise it is a master-generated ID unique to
diff --git a/mitogen/core.py b/mitogen/core.py
index 9a9cc0a1..24054ebf 100644
--- a/mitogen/core.py
+++ b/mitogen/core.py
@@ -1128,7 +1128,7 @@ class ExternalContext(object):
         mitogen.__package__ = 'mitogen'
         mitogen.__path__ = []
         mitogen.__loader__ = self.importer
-        mitogen.master = False
+        mitogen.is_master = False
         mitogen.context_id = context_id
         mitogen.parent_id = parent_id
         mitogen.core = sys.modules['__main__']
diff --git a/tests/data/self_contained_program.py b/tests/data/self_contained_program.py
index 14a94b8e..35a42a3e 100644
--- a/tests/data/self_contained_program.py
+++ b/tests/data/self_contained_program.py
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@ def main():
         broker.shutdown()
         broker.join()
 
-if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.master:
+if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.is_master:
     main()
diff --git a/tests/data/webproject/serve_django_app.py b/tests/data/webproject/serve_django_app.py
index bc1a36f9..19f348c5 100644
--- a/tests/data/webproject/serve_django_app.py
+++ b/tests/data/webproject/serve_django_app.py
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@ def main(broker):
     #context.call(mitogen.utils.log_to_file, '/tmp/log')
     context.call(serve_django_app, 'webproject.settings')
 
-if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.master:
+if __name__ == '__main__' and mitogen.is_master:
     mitogen.utils.run_with_broker(main)