diff --git a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
index 5aa53defc4..858054f2f2 100644
--- a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
+++ b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
@@ -570,6 +570,19 @@
             </para>
         </section>
 
+        <section id='gitsm-fetcher'>
+            <title>GIT Submodule Fetcher (<filename>gitsm://</filename>)</title>
+
+            <para>
+                This fetcher inherits from the Git fetcher and extends its
+                behavior by fetching a repositories submodules.
+                Uri is passed to the Git fetcher so see <link linkend='git-fetcher'>
+                the git fetcher documentation for syntax</link>.
+                NOTE: You must clean a recipe when switching between 'git://' and
+                'gitsm://' urls.
+            </para>
+        </section>
+
         <section id='other-fetchers'>
             <title>Other Fetchers</title>
 
@@ -582,9 +595,6 @@
                     <listitem><para>
                         Perforce (<filename>p4://</filename>)
                         </para></listitem>
-                    <listitem><para>
-                        Git Submodules (<filename>gitsm://</filename>)
-                        </para></listitem>
                     <listitem><para>
                         Trees using Git Annex (<filename>gitannex://</filename>)
                         </para></listitem>
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
index 1a762153c4..c125cff54b 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 # -*- tab-width: 4; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil -*-
 """
 BitBake 'Fetch' git submodules implementation
+
+Inherits from and extends the Git fetcher to retrieve submodules of a git repository
+after cloning.
+
+SRC_URI = "gitsm://<see Git fetcher for syntax>"
+
+See the Git fetcher, git://, for usage documentation.
+
+NOTE: Switching a SRC_URI from "git://" to "gitsm://" requires a clean of your recipe.
+
 """
 
 # Copyright (C) 2013 Richard Purdie