diff --git a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/ensureindex.xml b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/ensureindex.xml
index d84416b1d0..c3e737f079 100644
--- a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/ensureindex.xml
+++ b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/ensureindex.xml
@@ -169,8 +169,9 @@
   </para>
   <para>
    Throws <classname>MongoCursorTimeoutException</classname> if the "safe" 
-   option is set to a value greater than one and the database cannot replicate 
-   the operation in <literal>MongoCollection::$wtimeout</literal> milliseconds.
+   option is set and the operation takes longer than 
+   <varname>MongoCursor::$timeout</varname> milliseconds to complete.  This does
+   not kill the operation on the server, it is a client-side timeout.
   </para>
  </refsect1>
 
diff --git a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/insert.xml b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/insert.xml
index bbd7a9eae9..038f7a49ac 100644
--- a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/insert.xml
+++ b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/insert.xml
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@
   </para>
   <para>
    Throws <classname>MongoCursorTimeoutException</classname> if the "safe" 
-   option is set to a value greater than one and the database cannot replicate 
-   the operation in <literal>MongoCollection::$wtimeout</literal> milliseconds.
+   option is set and the operation takes longer than 
+   <varname>MongoCursor::$timeout</varname> milliseconds to complete.  This does
+   not kill the operation on the server, it is a client-side timeout.
   </para>
  </refsect1>
 
diff --git a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/remove.xml b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/remove.xml
index 12a3681d7a..d5a8a1429f 100644
--- a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/remove.xml
+++ b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/remove.xml
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@
   </para>
   <para>
    Throws <classname>MongoCursorTimeoutException</classname> if the "safe" 
-   option is set to a value greater than one and the database cannot replicate 
-   the operation in <literal>MongoCollection::$wtimeout</literal> milliseconds.
+   option is set and the operation takes longer than 
+   <varname>MongoCursor::$timeout</varname> milliseconds to complete.  This does
+   not kill the operation on the server, it is a client-side timeout.
   </para>
  </refsect1>
 
diff --git a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/save.xml b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/save.xml
index fb48ed6123..da46bc73bb 100644
--- a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/save.xml
+++ b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/save.xml
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@
   </para>
   <para>
    Throws <classname>MongoCursorTimeoutException</classname> if the "safe" 
-   option is set to a value greater than one and the database cannot replicate 
-   the operation in <literal>MongoCollection::$wtimeout</literal> milliseconds.
+   option is set and the operation takes longer than 
+   <varname>MongoCursor::$timeout</varname> milliseconds to complete.  This does
+   not kill the operation on the server, it is a client-side timeout.
   </para>
  </refsect1>
 
diff --git a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/update.xml b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/update.xml
index f575938e00..bbd90af92e 100644
--- a/reference/mongo/mongocollection/update.xml
+++ b/reference/mongo/mongocollection/update.xml
@@ -137,8 +137,9 @@
   </para>
   <para>
    Throws <classname>MongoCursorTimeoutException</classname> if the "safe" 
-   option is set to a value greater than one and the database cannot replicate 
-   the operation in <literal>MongoCollection::$wtimeout</literal> milliseconds.
+   option is set and the operation takes longer than 
+   <varname>MongoCursor::$timeout</varname> milliseconds to complete.  This does
+   not kill the operation on the server, it is a client-side timeout.
   </para>
  </refsect1>