diff --git a/docs/cmdline-opts/netrc.md b/docs/cmdline-opts/netrc.md
index 3e9fcb1963..261dc196d6 100644
--- a/docs/cmdline-opts/netrc.md
+++ b/docs/cmdline-opts/netrc.md
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ file format. curl does not complain if that file does not have the right
 permissions (it should be neither world- nor group-readable). The environment
 variable "HOME" is used to find the home directory.
 
+The netrc file provides credentials for a hostname independent of which
+protocol and port number that are used.
+
 On Windows two filenames in the home directory are checked: *.netrc* and
 *_netrc*, preferring the former. Older versions on Windows checked for *_netrc*
 only.
diff --git a/docs/libcurl/opts/CURLOPT_NETRC.md b/docs/libcurl/opts/CURLOPT_NETRC.md
index 019d6ffaa1..fa41236873 100644
--- a/docs/libcurl/opts/CURLOPT_NETRC.md
+++ b/docs/libcurl/opts/CURLOPT_NETRC.md
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ the options controlled by this parameter.
 Only machine name, username and password are taken into account (init macros
 and similar things are not supported).
 
+The netrc file provides credentials for a hostname independent of which
+protocol and port number that are used.
+
 libcurl does not verify that the file has the correct properties set (as the
 standard Unix ftp client does). It should only be readable by user.