diff --git a/PATCHES b/PATCHES
index 5606e241e..7fc2b9922 100644
--- a/PATCHES
+++ b/PATCHES
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ Please mail patches to:
 
 openocd-development@lists.berlios.de
 
+Note that you can't send patches to that list unless
+you're a member, despite what the list info page says.
+
 The patch should be against svn trunk using an SVN
 diff. 
 
@@ -9,6 +12,10 @@ Attach the patch to the email as a .txt file and
 also write a short change log entry that maintainers
 can copy and paste into the commit message
 
+(However, don't expect the maintainers to actually
+include such entries in their commit messages if
+they're longer than a single $SUBJECT line.)
+
 Add yourself to the GPL copyright for non-trivial changes.
 
 To create a patch from the command line: