diff --git a/include/asm-generic/atomic.h b/include/asm-generic/atomic.h
index a8fad943d37ba405c7ddeb37c14ab578eb979200..90e23ea90d0d8de8ec62e830938b6b7bb30b882a 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/atomic.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/atomic.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /*
- * Generic C implementation of atomic counter operations
+ * Generic C implementation of atomic counter operations. Usable on
+ * UP systems only. Do not include in machine independent code.
+ *
  * Originally implemented for MN10300.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2007 Red Hat, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
diff --git a/include/linux/atomic.h b/include/linux/atomic.h
index 42e7f6372ce27620ad36945e8ddde332289b7b93..42b77b5446d2b44d983d68c0929de5dabac6afa2 100644
--- a/include/linux/atomic.h
+++ b/include/linux/atomic.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* Atomic operations usable in machine independent code */
 #ifndef _LINUX_ATOMIC_H
 #define _LINUX_ATOMIC_H
 #include <asm/atomic.h>