diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
index 5f4a814f9c..d87126c4a1 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
@@ -1403,7 +1403,8 @@
                 files automatically itself.</para></listitem>
             <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>ldflags:</filename></emphasis>
                 Ensures that the binaries were linked with the
-                <filename>LDFLAGS</filename> options provided by the build system.
+                <link linkend='var-LDFLAGS'><filename>LDFLAGS</filename></link>
+                options provided by the build system.
                 If this test fails, check that the <filename>LDFLAGS</filename> variable
                 is being passed to the linker command.</para></listitem>
             <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>libdir:</filename></emphasis>
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-qa-checks.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-qa-checks.xml
index 8571192e8d..78badc2d6b 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-qa-checks.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-qa-checks.xml
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@
                 </literallayout>
                 This indicates that binaries produced when building the
                 recipe have not been linked with the
-                <filename>LDFLAGS</filename>
+                <link linkend='var-LDFLAGS'><filename>LDFLAGS</filename></link>
                 options provided by the build system.
                 Check to be sure that the <filename>LDFLAGS</filename> variable
                 is being passed to the linker command.
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 9a027375fa..24c0faa1ef 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -4159,6 +4159,37 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-LDFLAGS'><glossterm>LDFLAGS</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Specifies the flags to pass to the linker.
+                    This variable is exported to an environment
+                    variable and thus made visible to the software being
+                    built during the compilation step.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    Default initialization for <filename>LDFLAGS</filename>
+                    varies depending on what is being built:
+                    <itemizedlist>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <filename>TARGET_LDFLAGS</filename> when building
+                            for the target
+                            </para></listitem>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <filename>BUILD_LDFLAGS</filename> when building
+                            for the build host (i.e.
+                            <filename>-native</filename>)
+                            </para></listitem>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <filename>BUILDSDK_LDFLAGS</filename> when building
+                            for an SDK (i.e. <filename>-nativesdk</filename>)
+                            </para></listitem>
+                    </itemizedlist>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-LEAD_SONAME'><glossterm>LEAD_SONAME</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>