diff --git a/reference/pdo/pdo/prepare.xml b/reference/pdo/pdo/prepare.xml
index b599c8b94d..6835de16ee 100644
--- a/reference/pdo/pdo/prepare.xml
+++ b/reference/pdo/pdo/prepare.xml
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@
    <function>PDO::prepare</function> returns a
    <classname>PDOStatement</classname> object.
    If the database server cannot successfully prepare the statement,
-   <function>PDO::prepare</function> emits <classname>PDOException</classname>.
+   <function>PDO::prepare</function> returns &false; or emits
+   <classname>PDOException</classname> (depending on <link
+   linkend="pdo.error-handling">error handling</link>).
   </para>
   <note>
    <para>