diff --git a/Documentation/config/format.txt b/Documentation/config/format.txt
index 414a5a8a9d..3d708b0aec 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/format.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/format.txt
@@ -99,4 +99,20 @@ If one wishes to use the ref `ref/notes/true`, please use that literal
 instead.
 +
 This configuration can be specified multiple times in order to allow
-multiple notes refs to be included.
+multiple notes refs to be included. In that case, it will behave
+similarly to multiple `--[no-]notes[=]` options passed in. That is, a
+value of `true` will show the default notes, a value of `<ref>` will
+also show notes from that notes ref and a value of `false` will negate
+previous configurations and not show notes.
++
+For example,
++
+------------
+[format]
+	notes = true
+	notes = foo
+	notes = false
+	notes = bar
+------------
++
+will only show notes from `refs/notes/bar`.