diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 615ce4ad47..2e3ae56b3c 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -1219,6 +1219,35 @@ Core layer for images cannot be removed
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-FILESOVERRIDES'><glossterm>FILESOVERRIDES</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    A subset of <link linkend='var-OVERRIDES'><filename>OVERRIDES</filename></link>
+                    used by the OpenEmbedded build system for creating
+                    <link linkend='var-FILESPATH'><filename>FILESPATH</filename></link>.
+                    You can find more information on how overrides are handled
+                    in the BitBake Manual that is located at
+                    <filename>bitbake/doc/manual</filename> in the
+                    <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#source-directory'>Source Directory</ulink>.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    By default, the <filename>FILESOVERRIDES</filename>
+                    variable is defined as:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     FILESOVERRIDES = "${TRANSLATED_TARGET_ARCH}:${MACHINEOVERRIDES}:${DISTROOVERRIDES}"
+                    </literallayout>
+
+                    <note>
+                        Do not hand-edit the <filename>FILESOVERRIDES</filename>
+                        variable.
+                        The values match up with expected overrides and are
+                        used in an expected manner by the build system.
+                    </note>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-FILESPATH'><glossterm>FILESPATH</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>