diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 78036dcf19..b9b0dfc09a 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -2669,20 +2669,15 @@
                     Defines the package type (DEB, RPM, IPK, or TAR) used
                     by the OpenEmbedded build system.
                     The variable is defined appropriately by the
-                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_deb'><filename>package_deb</filename></link>
-                    class, the
-                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_rpm'><filename>package_rpm</filename></link>
-                    class, the
-                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_ipk'><filename>package_ipk</filename></link>
-                    class, or the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_deb'><filename>package_deb</filename></link>,
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_rpm'><filename>package_rpm</filename></link>,
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_ipk'><filename>package_ipk</filename></link>,
+                    or
                     <link linkend='ref-classes-package_tar'><filename>package_tar</filename></link>
-                    class as follows:
-                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
-     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "deb"
-     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "ipk"
-     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "rpm"
-     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "tar"
-                    </literallayout>
+                    class.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
                     The
                     <link linkend='ref-classes-populate-sdk-*'><filename>package_sdk_base</filename></link>
                     and
@@ -2690,6 +2685,19 @@
                     classes use the <filename>IMAGE_PKGTYPE</filename> for
                     packaging up images and SDKs.
                 </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    You should not set the <filename>IMAGE_PKGTYPE</filename>
+                    manually.
+                    Rather, the variable is set indirectly through the
+                    appropriate
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package'><filename>package_*</filename></link>
+                    class using the
+                    <link linkend='var-PACKAGE_CLASSES'><filename>PACKAGE_CLASSES</filename></link>
+                    variable.
+                    The OpenEmbedded build system uses the first package type
+                    (e.g. DEB, RPM, or IPK) that appears with the variable
+                </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>