diff --git a/share/man/man9/MODULE_DEPEND.9 b/share/man/man9/MODULE_DEPEND.9
index 753c653aa2d8..c0a8fdd44c94 100644
--- a/share/man/man9/MODULE_DEPEND.9
+++ b/share/man/man9/MODULE_DEPEND.9
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd January 7, 2005
+.Dd January 11, 2005
 .Dt MODULE_DEPEND 9
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@ which has registered
 its version with
 .Fn MODULE_VERSION .
 .Pp
+The
+.Fn MODULE_DEPEND
+macro provides hints to the kernel
+.Xr loader 8
+and to the kernel linker to ensure that the named dependency is loaded
+prior to the existing module.
+It does not change or dictate the order in which modules are
+initialized at runtime.
+.Pp
 Three versions must be specified for
 .Fa moddepend :
 .Bl -tag -width ".Fa prefversion"