diff --git a/reference/session/reference.xml b/reference/session/reference.xml
index 323be30ac1..5cff6f98b5 100644
--- a/reference/session/reference.xml
+++ b/reference/session/reference.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
-<!-- $Revision: 1.27 $ -->
+<!-- $Revision: 1.28 $ -->
  <reference id="ref.session">
   <title>Session handling functions</title>
   <titleabbrev>Sessions</titleabbrev>
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
     &reftitle.examples;
     <note>
      <para>
-      As of PHP 4.1.0, <varname>$_SESSION</varname> is available as
+      As of PHP 4.1.0, <varname>$_SESSION</varname> is available as a 
       global variable just like <varname>$_POST</varname>,
       <varname>$_GET</varname>, <varname>$_REQUEST</varname> and so on.
       Unlike <varname>$HTTP_SESSION_VARS</varname>,
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@
       documentation has been changed to use
       <varname>$_SESSION</varname> everywhere. You can substitute
       <varname>$HTTP_SESSION_VARS</varname> for
-      <varname>$_SESSION</varname>, if you prefer the former.
+      <varname>$_SESSION</varname>, if you prefer the former.  Also note
+      that you must start your session using <function>session_start</function> 
+      before use of <varname>$_SESSION</varname> becomes available.
      </para>
      <para>
       The keys in the <varname>$_SESSION</varname> associative