diff --git a/man/login.defs.d/PASS_MAX_LEN.xml b/man/login.defs.d/PASS_MAX_LEN.xml
index 2e145837..3d29fc54 100644
--- a/man/login.defs.d/PASS_MAX_LEN.xml
+++ b/man/login.defs.d/PASS_MAX_LEN.xml
@@ -10,10 +10,26 @@
   <listitem>
     <para>
       Number of significant characters in the password for crypt().
-      <option>PASS_MAX_LEN</option> is 8 by default. Don't change unless
-      your crypt() is better. This is ignored if
-      <option>MD5_CRYPT_ENAB</option> set to
+    </para>
+    <para>
+      <option>PASS_MAX_LEN</option> is 8 by default.
+      Don't change unless your crypt() is better.
+    </para>
+    <para>
+      <option>PASS_MAX_LEN</option> is only used for DES.
+      It is ignored if an encryption algorithm other than DES is used,
+      either because <option>MD5_CRYPT_ENAB</option> set to
+      <replaceable>yes</replaceable> or <option>ENCRYPT_METHOD</option>
+      set to an algorithm other than <replaceable>DES</replaceable>.
+    </para>
+    <para>
+      In addition, <option>PASS_MAX_LEN</option> is only used if
+      <option>OBSCURE_CHECKS_ENAB</option> set to
       <replaceable>yes</replaceable>.
     </para>
+    <para>
+      Note: This only affects the generation of user passwords.
+      Group password lengths are not checked.
+    </para>
   </listitem>
 </varlistentry>