1 files changed, 2 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index f48254142e1..d056ce7dc48 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -5607,7 +5607,8 @@ its hooks should not expect certain variables such as
   DEFVAR_PER_BUFFER ("mode-name", &current_buffer->mode_name,
                      Qnil,
                      doc: /* Pretty name of current buffer's major mode.
-Usually a string.  See `mode-line-format' for other possible forms.  */);
+Usually a string.  See `mode-line-format' for other possible forms.
+Use the function `format-mode-line' to get the value as a string.  */);
 
   DEFVAR_PER_BUFFER ("local-abbrev-table", &current_buffer->abbrev_table, Qnil,
                      doc: /* Local (mode-specific) abbrev table of current buffer.  */);