diff --git a/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index b416337da6..3b7ae79eae 100644
--- a/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/poky-ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -497,9 +497,16 @@
                     <filename><link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES'>DISTRO_FEATURES</link></filename>
                     if not also present in 
                     <filename><link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES_BACKFILL_CONSIDERED'>DISTRO_FEATURES_BACKFILL_CONSIDERED</link></filename>.
-                    See the "<link linkend='ref-features-backfill'>Feature Backfilling</link>" section for 
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    This variable is set in the <filename>meta/conf/bitbake.conf</filename> file.
+                    It is not intended to be user-configurable. 
+                    It is best to just reference the variable to see which distro features are 
+                    being backfilled for all distro configurations.
+                    See the <link linkend='ref-features-backfill'>Feature backfilling</link> section for 
                     more information.
-                    </para>
+                </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
@@ -507,8 +514,9 @@
             <glossdef>
                 <para>Features from
                     <filename><link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES_BACKFILL'>DISTRO_FEATURES_BACKFILL</link></filename>
-                    that should not be added to
-                    <filename><link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES'>DISTRO_FEATURES</link></filename>.
+                    that should not backfilled (i.e. added to
+                    <filename><link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES'>DISTRO_FEATURES</link></filename>)
+                    during the build.
                     See the "<link linkend='ref-features-backfill'>Feature Backfilling</link>" section for 
                     more information.
                     </para>
@@ -1631,9 +1639,16 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
                     <filename><link linkend='var-MACHINE_FEATURES'>MACHINE_FEATURES</link></filename>
                     if not also present in 
                     <filename><link linkend='var-MACHINE_FEATURES_BACKFILL_CONSIDERED'>MACHINE_FEATURES_BACKFILL_CONSIDERED</link></filename>.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    This variable is set in the <filename>meta/conf/bitbake.conf</filename> file.
+                    It is not intended to be user-configurable. 
+                    It is best to just reference the variable to see which machine features are 
+                    being backfilled for all machine configurations.
                     See the <link linkend='ref-features-backfill'>Feature backfilling</link> section for 
                     more information.
-                    </para>
+                </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
@@ -1641,8 +1656,9 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             <glossdef>
                 <para>Features from
                     <filename><link linkend='var-MACHINE_FEATURES_BACKFILL'>MACHINE_FEATURES_BACKFILL</link></filename>
-                    that should not be added to
-                    <filename><link linkend='var-MACHINE_FEATURES'>MACHINE_FEATURES</link></filename>.
+                    that should not be backfilled (i.e. added to
+                    <filename><link linkend='var-MACHINE_FEATURES'>MACHINE_FEATURES</link></filename>)
+                    during the build.
                     See the <link linkend='ref-features-backfill'>Feature backfilling</link> section for 
                     more information.
                     </para>