diff --git a/Documentation/kobject.txt b/Documentation/kobject.txt
index fc9485d79061..ff4c25098119 100644
--- a/Documentation/kobject.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kobject.txt
@@ -279,10 +279,14 @@ such a method has a form like::
 One important point cannot be overstated: every kobject must have a
 release() method, and the kobject must persist (in a consistent state)
 until that method is called. If these constraints are not met, the code is
-flawed.  Note that the kernel will warn you if you forget to provide a
+flawed. Note that the kernel will warn you if you forget to provide a
 release() method.  Do not try to get rid of this warning by providing an
-"empty" release function; you will be mocked mercilessly by the kobject
-maintainer if you attempt this.
+"empty" release function.
+
+If all your cleanup function needs to do is call kfree(), then you must
+create a wrapper function which uses container_of() to upcast to the correct
+type (as shown in the example above) and then calls kfree() on the overall
+structure.
 
 Note, the name of the kobject is available in the release function, but it
 must NOT be changed within this callback.  Otherwise there will be a memory
diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index ed145fbfeddf..e2285059161d 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -897,8 +897,7 @@ static void device_release(struct kobject *kobj)
 	else if (dev->class && dev->class->dev_release)
 		dev->class->dev_release(dev);
 	else
-		WARN(1, KERN_ERR "Device '%s' does not have a release() "
-			"function, it is broken and must be fixed.\n",
+		WARN(1, KERN_ERR "Device '%s' does not have a release() function, it is broken and must be fixed. See Documentation/kobject.txt.\n",
 			dev_name(dev));
 	kfree(p);
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/kref.h b/include/linux/kref.h
index 29220724bf1c..cb00a0268061 100644
--- a/include/linux/kref.h
+++ b/include/linux/kref.h
@@ -53,10 +53,7 @@ static inline void kref_get(struct kref *kref)
  * @release: pointer to the function that will clean up the object when the
  *	     last reference to the object is released.
  *	     This pointer is required, and it is not acceptable to pass kfree
- *	     in as this function.  If the caller does pass kfree to this
- *	     function, you will be publicly mocked mercilessly by the kref
- *	     maintainer, and anyone else who happens to notice it.  You have
- *	     been warned.
+ *	     in as this function.
  *
  * Decrement the refcount, and if 0, call release().
  * Return 1 if the object was removed, otherwise return 0.  Beware, if this
diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index 97d86dc17c42..b72e00fd7d09 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ static void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject *kobj)
 		 kobject_name(kobj), kobj, __func__, kobj->parent);
 
 	if (t && !t->release)
-		pr_debug("kobject: '%s' (%p): does not have a release() function, it is broken and must be fixed.\n",
+		pr_debug("kobject: '%s' (%p): does not have a release() function, it is broken and must be fixed. See Documentation/kobject.txt.\n",
 			 kobject_name(kobj), kobj);
 
 	/* send "remove" if the caller did not do it but sent "add" */