diff --git a/reference/functions/readfile.markdown b/reference/functions/readfile.markdown
index 5d166e4a..1af1c515 100644
--- a/reference/functions/readfile.markdown
+++ b/reference/functions/readfile.markdown
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ tags: [reference, io functions, functions, readfile]
 
 [%CFEngine_function_prototype(filename, maxbytes)%]
 
-**Description:** Returns the first `maxbytes` bytes from file `filename`.
+**Description:** Returns the first `maxbytes` bytes from file
+`filename`.  When `maxbytes` is 0, the maximum possible bytes will be
+read from the file (but see **Notes** below).
 
 [%CFEngine_function_attributes(filename, maxbytes)%]
 
@@ -28,8 +30,19 @@ Output:
 [%CFEngine_include_snippet(readfile.cf, #\+begin_src\s+example_output\s*, .*end_src)%]
 
 **Notes:**
-- At the moment, only the first 4096 bytes of the file can be retrieved.
-- To reliably read files located within /proc or /sys directories,
+
+* To reliably read files located within /proc or /sys directories,
 `maxsize` has to be set to `0`.
 
-**History:** 4096 bytes limit and special `0` value were introduced in 3.6.0
+* At the moment, only 4095 bytes can fit into a string variable.  This
+limitation may be removed in the future.  If this should happen, a
+warning will be printed.
+
+* If you request more bytes than CFEngine can read into a string
+variable (e.g. `999999999`), a warning will also be printed.
+
+* If either because you specified a large value, or you specified `0`,
+more bytes are read than will fit in a string, the string is
+truncated to the maximum.
+
+**History:** Warnings about the size limit and the special `0` value were introduced in 3.6.0