diff --git a/config/jail.conf b/config/jail.conf
index e7568fa7..7e01c05c 100644
--- a/config/jail.conf
+++ b/config/jail.conf
@@ -1,16 +1,25 @@
-# Fail2Ban jail specifications file
+# Fail2Ban jail base specification file
 #
-# Comments: use '#' for comment lines and ';' (following a space) for inline comments
+# HOW TO ACTIVATE JAILS:
 #
-# Changes:  in most of the cases you should not modify this
-#           file, but provide customizations in jail.local file, e.g.:
+# YOU SHOULD NOT MODIFY THIS FILE.
+#
+# It will probably be overwitten or improved in a distribution update.
+#
+# Provide customizations in a jail.local file or a jail.d/customisation.local.
+# For example to change the default bantime for all jails and to enable the
+# ssh-iptables jail the following (uncommented) would appear in the .local file.
+# See man 5 jail.conf for details.
 #
 # [DEFAULT]
 # bantime = 3600
 #
 # [ssh-iptables]
 # enabled = true
-#
+
+
+
+# Comments: use '#' for comment lines and ';' (following a space) for inline comments
 
 # The DEFAULT allows a global definition of the options. They can be overridden
 # in each jail afterwards.
@@ -56,7 +65,7 @@ backend = auto
 usedns = warn
 
 
-# This jail corresponds to the standard configuration in Fail2ban 0.6.
+# This jail corresponds to the standard configuration in Fail2ban.
 # The mail-whois action send a notification e-mail with a whois request
 # in the body.
 
diff --git a/man/jail.conf.5 b/man/jail.conf.5
index 2d1f362d..8ea44316 100644
--- a/man/jail.conf.5
+++ b/man/jail.conf.5
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ jail.d/*.local (in alphabetical order).
 
 Likewise for fail2ban configuration.
 
+Comments: use '#' for comment lines and ';' (following a space) for inline comments
+
+
 .SH DEFAULT
 The following options are applicable to all jails. Their meaning is described in the default \fIjail.conf\fR file.
 .TP