diff --git a/man/file-hierarchy.xml b/man/file-hierarchy.xml
index 1c4a33d597..a61cada695 100644
--- a/man/file-hierarchy.xml
+++ b/man/file-hierarchy.xml
@@ -230,7 +230,9 @@
         <listitem><para>Repository for vendor-supplied default configuration files. This directory should be
         populated with pristine vendor versions of all configuration files that may be placed in
         <filename>/etc/</filename>. This is useful to compare the local configuration of a system with vendor
-        defaults and to populate the local configuration with defaults.</para></listitem>
+        defaults and to populate the local configuration with defaults. Software should not read configuration
+        settings directly from <filename>/usr/share/factory/</filename>. Those files will be copied to
+        other locations if appropriate, and should only be read from there.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -239,7 +241,9 @@
         <listitem><para>Similar to
         <filename>/usr/share/factory/etc/</filename>, but for vendor
         versions of files in the variable, persistent data directory
-        <filename>/var/</filename>.</para></listitem>
+        <filename>/var/</filename>. The same recommendations as for
+        <filename>/usr/share/factory/etc/</filename> apply here.
+        </para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
     </variablelist>
   </refsect1>