diff --git a/doc/src/Manual.rst b/doc/src/Manual.rst
index 33a54cf7aa..17e61c97be 100644
--- a/doc/src/Manual.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Manual.rst
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 LAMMPS Documentation (|version| version)
 ########################################
 
-**About LAMMPS and this manual**
+.. toctree::
+   :caption: About LAMMPS
+
+****************************
+About LAMMPS and this manual
+****************************
 
 LAMMPS stands for **L**\ arge-scale **A**\ tomic/**M**\ olecular
 **M**\ assively **P**\ arallel **S**\ imulator.
diff --git a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
index a29ba618ae..f6db25bea8 100644
--- a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
+++ b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ latex_elements = {
 'preamble': r'''
 \usepackage{xcolor}
 \setcounter{tocdepth}{2}
+\setcounter{part}{-1}
 \renewcommand{\sfdefault}{ptm}  % Use Times New Roman font for \textrm
 \renewcommand{\sfdefault}{phv}  % Use Helvetica font for \textsf
 \usepackage[columns=1]{idxlayout} % create index with only one column
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ latex_elements = {
 % Make ToC number fields wider to accommodate sections with >= 100 subsections
 %   or >= 10 subsections with >= 10 subsubsections
 \makeatletter
+% reset chapter counter for each part
 \@addtoreset{chapter}{part}
 \renewcommand*{\sphinxtableofcontentshook}{%
   \renewcommand*\l@section{\@dottedtocline{1}{1.5em}{3.1em}}