diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-tasks.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-tasks.xml
index 9b1e8e3a41..97c8a9e1dd 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-tasks.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-tasks.xml
@@ -100,6 +100,20 @@
         <para>
             Configures the source by enabling and disabling any build-time and
             configuration options for the software being built.
+            The task runs with the current working directory set to
+            <filename>${</filename><link linkend='var-B'><filename>B</filename></link><filename>}</filename>.
+        </para>
+
+        <para>
+            The default behavior of this task is to run
+            <filename>oe_runmake clean</filename> if a makefile
+            (<filename>Makefile</filename>, <filename>makefile</filename>,
+            or <filename>GNUmakefile</filename>) is found and
+            <link linkend='var-CLEANBROKEN'><filename>CLEANBROKEN</filename></link>
+            is not set to "1".
+            If no such file is found or the <filename>CLEANBROKEN</filename>
+            variable is set to "1", the <filename>do_configure</filename>
+            task does nothing.
         </para>
     </section>