diff --git a/mm/pgtable-generic.c b/mm/pgtable-generic.c
index fa9d4d084291..4fcd959dcc4d 100644
--- a/mm/pgtable-generic.c
+++ b/mm/pgtable-generic.c
@@ -315,6 +315,50 @@ pte_t *pte_offset_map_nolock(struct mm_struct *mm, pmd_t *pmd,
 	return pte;
 }
 
+/*
+ * pte_offset_map_lock(mm, pmd, addr, ptlp), and its internal implementation
+ * __pte_offset_map_lock() below, is usually called with the pmd pointer for
+ * addr, reached by walking down the mm's pgd, p4d, pud for addr: either while
+ * holding mmap_lock or vma lock for read or for write; or in truncate or rmap
+ * context, while holding file's i_mmap_lock or anon_vma lock for read (or for
+ * write). In a few cases, it may be used with pmd pointing to a pmd_t already
+ * copied to or constructed on the stack.
+ *
+ * When successful, it returns the pte pointer for addr, with its page table
+ * kmapped if necessary (when CONFIG_HIGHPTE), and locked against concurrent
+ * modification by software, with a pointer to that spinlock in ptlp (in some
+ * configs mm->page_table_lock, in SPLIT_PTLOCK configs a spinlock in table's
+ * struct page).  pte_unmap_unlock(pte, ptl) to unlock and unmap afterwards.
+ *
+ * But it is unsuccessful, returning NULL with *ptlp unchanged, if there is no
+ * page table at *pmd: if, for example, the page table has just been removed,
+ * or replaced by the huge pmd of a THP.  (When successful, *pmd is rechecked
+ * after acquiring the ptlock, and retried internally if it changed: so that a
+ * page table can be safely removed or replaced by THP while holding its lock.)
+ *
+ * pte_offset_map(pmd, addr), and its internal helper __pte_offset_map() above,
+ * just returns the pte pointer for addr, its page table kmapped if necessary;
+ * or NULL if there is no page table at *pmd.  It does not attempt to lock the
+ * page table, so cannot normally be used when the page table is to be updated,
+ * or when entries read must be stable.  But it does take rcu_read_lock(): so
+ * that even when page table is racily removed, it remains a valid though empty
+ * and disconnected table.  Until pte_unmap(pte) unmaps and rcu_read_unlock()s
+ * afterwards.
+ *
+ * pte_offset_map_nolock(mm, pmd, addr, ptlp), above, is like pte_offset_map();
+ * but when successful, it also outputs a pointer to the spinlock in ptlp - as
+ * pte_offset_map_lock() does, but in this case without locking it.  This helps
+ * the caller to avoid a later pte_lockptr(mm, *pmd), which might by that time
+ * act on a changed *pmd: pte_offset_map_nolock() provides the correct spinlock
+ * pointer for the page table that it returns.  In principle, the caller should
+ * recheck *pmd once the lock is taken; in practice, no callsite needs that -
+ * either the mmap_lock for write, or pte_same() check on contents, is enough.
+ *
+ * Note that free_pgtables(), used after unmapping detached vmas, or when
+ * exiting the whole mm, does not take page table lock before freeing a page
+ * table, and may not use RCU at all: "outsiders" like khugepaged should avoid
+ * pte_offset_map() and co once the vma is detached from mm or mm_users is zero.
+ */
 pte_t *__pte_offset_map_lock(struct mm_struct *mm, pmd_t *pmd,
 			     unsigned long addr, spinlock_t **ptlp)
 {