diff --git a/src/fns.c b/src/fns.c
index 1041938531c..1158f100ea0 100644
--- a/src/fns.c
+++ b/src/fns.c
@@ -2804,7 +2804,8 @@ DEFUN ("equal", Fequal, Sequal, 2, 2, 0,
        doc: /* Return t if two Lisp objects have similar structure and contents.
 They must have the same data type.
 Conses are compared by comparing the cars and the cdrs.
-Vectors and strings are compared element by element.
+Vectors and strings are compared element by element (so text properties
+of strings are ignored).
 Numbers are compared via `eql', so integers do not equal floats.
 \(Use `=' if you want integers and floats to be able to be equal.)
 Symbols must match exactly.  */)