diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
index 5856c359bd..2ae83810e1 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
@@ -46,9 +46,17 @@
             <title>Layers</title>
 
             <para>
-                The Source Directory contains several layers right out of the box.
-                You can easily identify a layer in the Source Directory by its folder name.
-                Folders that are layers begin with the string <filename>meta</filename>.
+                The Source Directory contains several layers right out of the
+                box.
+                You can easily identify layers that ship with a
+                Yocto Project release in the Source Directory by their
+                folder names.
+                Folders that are layers begin with the string
+                <filename>meta</filename>.
+                <note>
+                    It is not a requirement that a layer begins with the
+                    string <filename>meta</filename>.
+                </note>
                 For example, when you set up the <link linkend='source-directory'>Source Directory</link>
                 structure, you will see several layers: <filename>meta</filename>,
                 <filename>meta-hob</filename>, <filename>meta-skeleton</filename>,
@@ -80,10 +88,10 @@
                         <ulink url='&OE_HOME_URL;/wiki/LayerIndex'><filename>LayerIndex</filename></ulink>
                         for a list of layers from the OpenEmbedded community that can be used in the
                         Yocto Project.</para></listitem>
-                    <listitem><para><emphasis>Create a Directory:</emphasis> Create the directory
-                        for your layer.
-                        Traditionally, prepend the name of the folder with the string
-                        <filename>meta</filename>.
+                    <listitem><para><emphasis>Create a Directory:</emphasis>
+                        Create the directory for your layer.
+                        While not strictly required, prepend the name of the
+                        folder with the string <filename>meta</filename>.
                         For example:
                         <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      meta-mylayer