diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
index 6880c60a5a..3f1814c253 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
@@ -434,6 +434,19 @@
     </para>
 </section>
 
+<section id='ref-classes-compress_doc'>
+    <title><filename>compress_doc.bbclass</filename></title>
+
+    <para>
+        Enables compression for man pages and information pages.
+        This class is intended to be inherited globally.
+        The default compression mechanism is gz (gzip) but you can
+        select an alternative mechanism by setting the
+        <link linkend='var-DOC_COMPRESS'><filename>DOC_COMPRESS</filename>
+        variable.
+    </para>
+</section>
+
 <section id='ref-classes-copyleft_compliance'>
     <title><filename>copyleft_compliance.bbclass</filename></title>
 
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 1aabd5c71d..fe5738ec9f 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -2191,8 +2191,24 @@
                     chapter.
                 </para>
             </glossdef>
-
         </glossentry>
+
+        <glossentry id='var-DOC_COMPRESS'><glossterm>DOC_COMPRESS</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Sets the compression policy used when the OpenEmbedded
+                    build system compresses man pages and info pages.
+                    By default, the compression method used is gs (gzip).
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    For information on how to use this variable, see the
+                    comments in the
+                    <filename>compress_doc.bbclass</filename> file.
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
     </glossdiv>
 
     <glossdiv id='var-glossary-e'><title>E</title>