diff --git a/reference/reflection/reflectionattribute.xml b/reference/reflection/reflectionattribute.xml
index 95790fd5fd17..f938d74fd9f7 100644
--- a/reference/reflection/reflectionattribute.xml
+++ b/reference/reflection/reflectionattribute.xml
@@ -81,10 +81,16 @@
        <type>int</type>
       </term>
       <listitem>
-       <para>
+       <simpara>
         Retrieve attributes using an
         <parameter>instanceof</parameter> check.
-       </para>
+        Used as the <parameter>flags</parameter> argument of
+        <methodname>ReflectionClass::getAttributes</methodname> and the
+        equivalent methods of the other reflection classes. When set, the
+        <parameter>name</parameter> argument matches attributes whose class is
+        the given class or a subclass of it, or implements the given
+        interface, instead of only matching the exact class name.
+       </simpara>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>