diff --git a/reference/url/functions/parse-url.xml b/reference/url/functions/parse-url.xml
index 89beeaccef..3274c1bcb4 100644
--- a/reference/url/functions/parse-url.xml
+++ b/reference/url/functions/parse-url.xml
@@ -61,8 +61,12 @@
   &reftitle.returnvalues;
   <para>
    On seriously malformed URLs, <function>parse_url</function> may return
-   &false;. Otherwise an associative array is returned, whose components may
-   be (at least one):
+   &false;.
+  </para>
+  <para>
+   If the <parameter>component</parameter> parameter is omitted, an
+   associative <type>array</type> is returned. At least one element will be
+   present within the array. Potential keys within this array are:
    <itemizedlist>
     <listitem>
      <simpara>
@@ -107,8 +111,10 @@
    </itemizedlist>
   </para>
   <para>
-   If the <parameter>component</parameter> parameter is specified a
-   <type>string</type> is returned instead of an <type>array</type>.
+   If the <parameter>component</parameter> parameter is specified,
+   <function>parse_url</function> returns a <type>string</type> instead of an
+   <type>array</type>. If the requested component doesn't exist within the
+   given URL, &null; will be returned.
   </para>
  </refsect1>