diff --git a/doc/guide/files/buildlink.xml b/doc/guide/files/buildlink.xml
index 1aa3d93705b3..617a4832b37c 100644
--- a/doc/guide/files/buildlink.xml
+++ b/doc/guide/files/buildlink.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- $NetBSD: buildlink.xml,v 1.7 2005/09/02 19:12:37 rillig Exp $ -->
+<!-- $NetBSD: buildlink.xml,v 1.8 2005/09/14 15:55:35 reed Exp $ -->
 
 <chapter id="buildlink">
   <title>Buildlink methodology</title>
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@
 
     <programlisting>.include "../../category/foo/buildlink3.mk"</programlisting>
 
+    <para>The buildlink3.mk files usually define the required dependencies.
+    If you need a newer version of the dependency when using buildlink3.mk
+    files, then you can define it in your Makefile; for example:
+    </para>
+
+    <programlisting>BUILDLINK_DEPENDS.foo+=   foo>=1.1.0
+    .include "../../category/foo/buildlink3.mk"</programlisting>
+
     <para>There are several <filename>buildlink3.mk</filename>
       files in <filename>pkgsrc/mk</filename>
       that handle special package issues:</para>