diff --git a/man/machinectl.xml b/man/machinectl.xml
index 59a6e14d47..50cbb1bc98 100644
--- a/man/machinectl.xml
+++ b/man/machinectl.xml
@@ -487,7 +487,13 @@
         images are cloned into subvolume images with this command.
         Note that cloning a container or VM image is optimized for
         btrfs file systems, and might not be efficient on others, due
-        to file system limitations.</para></listitem>
+        to file system limitations.</para>
+
+        <para>Note that this command leaves host name, machine ID and
+        all other settings that could identify the instance
+        unmodified. The original image and the cloned copy will hence
+        share these credentials, and it might be necessary to manually
+        change them in the copy.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
diff --git a/man/systemd-nspawn.xml b/man/systemd-nspawn.xml
index cb96661317..fec51df9e9 100644
--- a/man/systemd-nspawn.xml
+++ b/man/systemd-nspawn.xml
@@ -187,7 +187,11 @@
         system, so that the <literal>btrfs</literal> subvolume may be
         created. May not be specified together with
         <option>--image=</option> or
-        <option>--ephemeral</option>.</para></listitem>
+        <option>--ephemeral</option>.</para>
+
+        <para>Note that this switch leaves host name, machine ID and
+        all other settings that could identify the instance
+        unmodified.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -201,7 +205,10 @@
         This option is only supported if the root file system is
         <literal>btrfs</literal>. May not be specified together with
         <option>--image=</option> or
-        <option>--template=</option>.</para></listitem>
+        <option>--template=</option>.</para>
+        <para>Note that this switch leaves host name, machine ID and
+        all other settings that could identify the instance
+        unmodified.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>