diff --git a/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml b/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
index 1f10ccf18..96eaaafb4 100644
--- a/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
+++ b/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
@@ -498,7 +498,10 @@ use Shorewall::Config qw/shorewall/;</programlisting>
 <emphasis role="bold">END</emphasis> [ <emphasis role="bold">PERL</emphasis> ] [<emphasis
           role="bold">;</emphasis>]</programlisting></para>
 
-    <para></para>
+    <para><emphasis role="bold">Note: </emphasis>The '[' and ']' above are
+    meta-characters which indicate that what they enclose is optional and may
+    be omitted. So you may follow PERL with a semicolon ( ':') or you may omit
+    the semicolon.</para>
   </section>
 
   <section id="dnsnames">