diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
new file mode 100644
index d03ec40..323502b
*** a/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
--- b/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
*************** PGPing PQping(const char *conninfo);
*** 735,740 ****
--- 735,750 ----
     </variablelist>
    </para>
  
+   <note>
+     <para>
+       While is it not strictly necessary to supply a correct user name,
+       password, or database name values to obtain the server status
+       from <function>PQpingParams</> or <function>PQping</>, not
+       passing in valid user name and database name values may result in
+       gratuitous <literal>FATAL</> messages in the logs.
+     </para>
+   </note>
+ 
    <sect2 id="libpq-connstring">
     <title>Connection Strings</title>