diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-structure.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-structure.xml
index 8976097d36..d6e506d18e 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-structure.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-structure.xml
@@ -522,9 +522,7 @@
             which are directory trees, traversed (or walked) by BitBake.
             The <filename>bblayers.conf</filename> file uses the
             <link linkend='var-BBLAYERS'><filename>BBLAYERS</filename></link>
-            variable to list the layers BitBake tries to find, and uses the
-            <link linkend='var-BBLAYERS_NON_REMOVABLE'><filename>BBLAYERS_NON_REMOVABLE</filename></link>
-            variable to list layers that must not be removed.
+            variable to list the layers BitBake tries to find.
         </para>
 
         <para>
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index a79d8e5bcb..2d2337cfc1 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -993,6 +993,14 @@
        /home/scottrif/poky/meta-yocto \
        "
                     </literallayout>
+                    <note>
+                        The
+                        <link linkend='var-BBLAYERS_NON_REMOVABLE'><filename>BBLAYERS_NON_REMOVABLE</filename></link>
+                        variable exists only for
+                        <ulink url='https://www.yoctoproject.org/tools-resources/projects/hob'>Hob</ulink>.
+                        The OpenEmbedded build system does not use this
+                        variable.
+                    </note>
                 </para>
 
                 <para>
@@ -1013,8 +1021,8 @@
                     using the
                     <ulink url='https://www.yoctoproject.org/tools-resources/projects/hob'>Hob</ulink>.
                     <note>
-                        When building an image outside of Hob, this variable
-                        is ignored.
+                        When building an image outside of Hob, the OpenEmbedded
+                        build system ignores this variable.
                     </note>
                 </para>