diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 131babf4bf..3bc5627c72 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -13552,6 +13552,32 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-UNKNOWN_CONFIGURE_WHITELIST'><glossterm>UNKNOWN_CONFIGURE_WHITELIST</glossterm>
+            <info>
+               UNKNOWN_CONFIGURE_WHITELIST[doc] = "Specifies a list of options that, if reported by the configure script as being invalid, should not generate a warning during the do_configure task."
+            </info>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para role="glossdeffirst">
+<!--                <para role="glossdeffirst"><imagedata fileref="figures/define-generic.png" /> -->
+                    Specifies a list of options that, if reported by the
+                    configure script as being invalid, should not generate a
+                    warning during the
+                    <link linkend='ref-tasks-configure'><filename>do_configure</filename></link>
+                    task.
+                    Normally, invalid configure options are simply not passed
+                    to the configure script (e.g. should be removed from
+                    <link linkend='var-EXTRA_OECONF'><filename>EXTRA_OECONF</filename></link>).
+                    However, common options, for example, exist that are passed
+                    to all configure scripts at a class level that might not
+                    be valid for some configure scripts.
+                    It follows that no benefit exists in seeing a warning about
+                    these options.
+                    For these cases, the options are added to
+                    <filename>UNKNOWN_CONFIGURE_WHITELIST</filename>.
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-UPDATERCPN'><glossterm>UPDATERCPN</glossterm>
             <info>
                UPDATERCPN[doc] = "Specifies the package that contains the initscript that is to be enabled."