diff --git a/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 5784ba5914..ca3d87cfd2 100644
--- a/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -444,7 +444,15 @@
 
         <glossentry id='var-DESCRIPTION'><glossterm>DESCRIPTION</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
-                <para>The package description used by package managers.</para>
+                <para>The package description used by package managers.
+                      By default, <filename>DESCRIPTION</filename> is
+                      defined by the 
+                      <link linkend='var-SUMMARY'><filename>SUMMARY</filename></link>
+                      variable:
+                      <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     DESCRIPTION ?= "${SUMMARY}"
+                      </literallayout>
+                </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>