diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b35614e4..41de7f22 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -246,8 +246,8 @@ Required Permission: `pull-requests: write`
 
 #### exempt-issue-labels
 
-The label(s) that can exempt to automatically mark as stale the issues.  
-It can be a comma separated list of labels (e.g: `question,bug`).
+Comma separated list of labels that can be assigned to issues to exclude them from being marked as stale
+(e.g: `question,bug`)
 
 If unset (or an empty string), this option will not alter the stale workflow.
 
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ Default value: unset
 
 #### exempt-pr-labels
 
-The label(s) that can exempt to automatically mark as stale the pull requests.  
-It can be a comma separated list of labels (e.g: `need-help,WIP`).
+Comma separated list of labels that can be assigned to pull requests to exclude them from being marked as stale
+(e.g: `need-help,WIP`)
 
 If unset (or an empty string), this option will not alter the stale workflow.
 
diff --git a/__tests__/main.spec.ts b/__tests__/main.spec.ts
index 21882547..6f752864 100644
--- a/__tests__/main.spec.ts
+++ b/__tests__/main.spec.ts
@@ -1094,44 +1094,6 @@ test('exempt pr labels will not be marked stale', async () => {
   expect(processor.staleIssues).toHaveLength(2); // PR should get processed even though it has an exempt **issue** label
 });
 
-test('exempt issue labels will not be marked stale and will remove the existing stale label', async () => {
-  expect.assertions(3);
-  const opts = {...DefaultProcessorOptions};
-  opts.exemptIssueLabels = 'Exempt';
-  const TestIssueList: Issue[] = [
-    generateIssue(
-      opts,
-      1,
-      'My first issue',
-      '2020-01-01T17:00:00Z',
-      '2020-01-01T17:00:00Z',
-      false,
-      ['Exempt', 'Stale']
-    )
-  ];
-  const processor = new IssuesProcessorMock(
-    opts,
-    async p => (p === 1 ? TestIssueList : []),
-    async () => [
-      {
-        user: {
-          login: 'notme',
-          type: 'User'
-        },
-        body: 'Body'
-      }
-    ], // return a fake comment to indicate there was an update
-    async () => new Date().toDateString()
-  );
-
-  // process our fake issue list
-  await processor.processIssues(1);
-
-  expect(processor.staleIssues.length).toStrictEqual(0);
-  expect(processor.closedIssues.length).toStrictEqual(0);
-  expect(processor.removedLabelIssues.length).toStrictEqual(1);
-});
-
 test('stale issues should not be closed if days is set to -1', async () => {
   const opts = {...DefaultProcessorOptions};
   opts.daysBeforeClose = -1;
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index 0e78fccc..f039f498 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -523,20 +523,17 @@ class IssuesProcessor {
                 }
             }
             if (issue.isStale) {
-                issueLogger.info(`This $$type has a stale label`);
+                issueLogger.info(`This $$type includes a stale label`);
             }
             else {
-                issueLogger.info(`This $$type hasn't a stale label`);
+                issueLogger.info(`This $$type does not include a stale label`);
             }
             const exemptLabels = words_to_list_1.wordsToList(issue.isPullRequest
                 ? this.options.exemptPrLabels
                 : this.options.exemptIssueLabels);
-            if (exemptLabels.some((exemptLabel) => is_labeled_1.isLabeled(issue, exemptLabel))) {
-                if (issue.isStale) {
-                    issueLogger.info(`An exempt label was added after the stale label.`);
-                    yield this._removeStaleLabel(issue, staleLabel);
-                }
-                issueLogger.info(`Skipping this $$type because it has an exempt label`);
+            const hasExemptLabel = exemptLabels.some((exemptLabel) => is_labeled_1.isLabeled(issue, exemptLabel));
+            if (hasExemptLabel) {
+                issueLogger.info(`Skipping this $$type because it contains an exempt label, see ${issueLogger.createOptionLink(issue.isPullRequest ? option_1.Option.ExemptPrLabels : option_1.Option.ExemptIssueLabels)} for more details`);
                 IssuesProcessor._endIssueProcessing(issue);
                 return; // Don't process exempt issues
             }
diff --git a/src/classes/issues-processor.ts b/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
index 70e3bf24..07aff68f 100644
--- a/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
+++ b/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
@@ -321,9 +321,9 @@ export class IssuesProcessor {
     }
 
     if (issue.isStale) {
-      issueLogger.info(`This $$type has a stale label`);
+      issueLogger.info(`This $$type includes a stale label`);
     } else {
-      issueLogger.info(`This $$type hasn't a stale label`);
+      issueLogger.info(`This $$type does not include a stale label`);
     }
 
     const exemptLabels: string[] = wordsToList(
@@ -332,17 +332,16 @@ export class IssuesProcessor {
         : this.options.exemptIssueLabels
     );
 
-    if (
-      exemptLabels.some((exemptLabel: Readonly<string>): boolean =>
-        isLabeled(issue, exemptLabel)
-      )
-    ) {
-      if (issue.isStale) {
-        issueLogger.info(`An exempt label was added after the stale label.`);
-        await this._removeStaleLabel(issue, staleLabel);
-      }
+    const hasExemptLabel = exemptLabels.some((exemptLabel: Readonly<string>) =>
+      isLabeled(issue, exemptLabel)
+    );
 
-      issueLogger.info(`Skipping this $$type because it has an exempt label`);
+    if (hasExemptLabel) {
+      issueLogger.info(
+        `Skipping this $$type because it contains an exempt label, see ${issueLogger.createOptionLink(
+          issue.isPullRequest ? Option.ExemptPrLabels : Option.ExemptIssueLabels
+        )} for more details`
+      );
       IssuesProcessor._endIssueProcessing(issue);
       return; // Don't process exempt issues
     }
@@ -427,6 +426,7 @@ export class IssuesProcessor {
     // Determine if this issue needs to be marked stale first
     if (!issue.isStale) {
       issueLogger.info(`This $$type is not stale`);
+
       const shouldIgnoreUpdates: boolean = new IgnoreUpdates(
         this.options,
         issue