diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 6e6eb22d86..7b1aef08c3 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -2806,23 +2806,29 @@
                                 <filename>DEPENDS</filename> does not make
                                 sense.
                                 Use "foo" instead, as this will put files
-                                from all the packages that make up "foo" -
-                                including those from "foo-dev" - into the
-                                sysroot.
+                                from all the packages that make up
+                                <filename>foo</filename>, which includes
+                                those from <filename>foo-dev</filename>, into
+                                the sysroot.
                                 </para></listitem>
                             <listitem><para>
-                                Counter intuitively,
+                                Counterintuitively,
                                 <filename>DEPENDS</filename> is often necessary
                                 even for recipes that install precompiled
                                 components.
-                                For example, if "libfoo" is a precompiled
-                                library that links against "libbar", then
-                                linking against "libfoo" requires both "libfoo"
-                                and "libbar" to be available in the sysroot.
+                                For example, if <filename>libfoo</filename>
+                                is a precompiled library that links against
+                                <filename>libbar</filename>, then
+                                linking against <filename>libfoo</filename>
+                                requires both <filename>libfoo</filename>
+                                and <filename>libbar</filename> to be available
+                                in the sysroot.
                                 Without a <filename>DEPENDS</filename> from the
-                                recipe that installs "libfoo" to the recipe
-                                that installs "libbar", other recipes might
-                                fail to link against "libfoo".
+                                recipe that installs <filename>libfoo</filename>
+                                to the recipe that installs
+                                <filename>libbar</filename>, other recipes might
+                                fail to link against
+                                <filename>libfoo</filename>.
                                 </para></listitem>
                         </itemizedlist>
                     </note>