diff --git a/functions/classobj.xml b/functions/classobj.xml
index 02a1ad29fe..bd4a6c7ce7 100644
--- a/functions/classobj.xml
+++ b/functions/classobj.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
-<!-- $Revision: 1.30 $ -->
+<!-- $Revision: 1.31 $ -->
  <reference id="ref.classobj">
   <title>Class/Object Functions</title>
   <titleabbrev>Classes/Objects</titleabbrev>
@@ -616,23 +616,28 @@ print_r(get_object_vars($p1));
   <refentry id="function.get-parent-class">
    <refnamediv>
     <refname>get_parent_class</refname>
-    <refpurpose>Returns the name of the parent class of an object</refpurpose>
+    <refpurpose>Retrieves the parent class name for object or class</refpurpose>
    </refnamediv>
    <refsect1>
     <title>Description</title>
     <funcsynopsis>
      <funcprototype>
       <funcdef>string <function>get_parent_class</function></funcdef>
-      <paramdef>object <parameter>obj</parameter></paramdef>
+      <paramdef>mixed <parameter>obj</parameter></paramdef>
      </funcprototype>
     </funcsynopsis>
     <para>
-     This function returns the name of the parent class to
-     the class of which the object <parameter>obj</parameter> 
-     is an instance.
+     If <parameter>obj</parameter> is an object, returns the name of the
+     parent class of the class of which <parameter>obj</parameter> is an
+     instance.
+    </para>
+    <para>
+     If <parameter>obj</parameter> is a string, returns the name of the parent
+     class of the class with that name. This functionality was added in PHP
+     4.0.5.
     </para>
     <simpara>
-     See also <function>get_class</function>,
+     See also <function>get_class</function> and
      <function>is_subclass_of</function>
     </simpara>
    </refsect1>