diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 3e903327a2..38d8605bb9 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -13134,12 +13134,14 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
 
         <glossentry id='var-SYSROOT_DIRS'><glossterm>SYSROOT_DIRS</glossterm>
             <info>
-                SYSROOT_DIRS[doc] = "Directories that are staged in the sysroot."
+                SYSROOT_DIRS[doc] = "Directories that are staged into the sysroot by the do_populate_sysroot task."
             </info>
             <glossdef>
                 <para role="glossdeffirst">
 <!--                <para role="glossdeffirst"><imagedata fileref="figures/define-generic.png" /> -->
-                    Directories that are staged in the sysroot.
+                    Directories that are staged into the sysroot by the
+                    <link linkend='ref-tasks-populate_sysroot'><filename>do_populate_sysroot</filename></link>
+                    task.
                     By default, the following directories are staged:
                     <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      SYSROOT_DIRS = " \
@@ -13156,12 +13158,18 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
 
         <glossentry id='var-SYSROOT_DIRS_BLACKLIST'><glossterm>SYSROOT_DIRS_BLACKLIST</glossterm>
             <info>
-                SYSROOT_DIRS_BLACKLIST[doc] = "Directories that should not be staged into sysroot."
+                SYSROOT_DIRS_BLACKLIST[doc] = "Directories that are not staged into the sysroot by the do_populate_sysroot task."
             </info>
             <glossdef>
                 <para role="glossdeffirst">
 <!--                <para role="glossdeffirst"><imagedata fileref="figures/define-generic.png" /> -->
-                    Directories that should not be staged into sysroot.
+                    Directories that are not staged into the sysroot by the
+                    <link linkend='ref-tasks-populate_sysroot'><filename>do_populate_sysroot</filename></link>
+                    task.
+                    You can use this variable to exclude certain subdirectories
+                    of directories listed in
+                    <link linkend='var-SYSROOT_DIRS'><filename>SYSROOT_DIRS</filename></link>
+                    from staging.
                     By default, the following directories are not staged:
                     <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      SYSROOT_DIRS_BLACKLIST = " \
@@ -13180,13 +13188,17 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
 
         <glossentry id='var-SYSROOT_DIRS_NATIVE'><glossterm>SYSROOT_DIRS_NATIVE</glossterm>
             <info>
-                SYSROOT_DIRS_NATIVE[doc] = "Extra directories staged for native into sysroot."
+                SYSROOT_DIRS_NATIVE[doc] = "Extra directories staged into the sysroot by the do_populate_sysroot task for -native recipes, in addition to those specified in SYSROOT_DIRS."
             </info>
             <glossdef>
                 <para role="glossdeffirst">
 <!--                <para role="glossdeffirst"><imagedata fileref="figures/define-generic.png" /> -->
-                    Extra directories staged for native into sysroot.
-                    By default, the following directories are staged:
+                    Extra directories staged into the sysroot by the
+                    <link linkend='ref-tasks-populate_sysroot'><filename>do_populate_sysroot</filename></link>
+                    task for <filename>-native</filename> recipes, in addition
+                    to those specified in
+                    <link linkend='var-SYSROOT_DIRS'><filename>SYSROOT_DIRS</filename></link>.
+                    By default, the following extra directories are staged:
                     <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      SYSROOT_DIRS_NATIVE = " \
          ${bindir} \