diff --git a/docs/ref/settings.txt b/docs/ref/settings.txt
index d3fc66b8e19..4e3e033b68b 100644
--- a/docs/ref/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/settings.txt
@@ -955,7 +955,8 @@ DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL
 Default: ``'webmaster@localhost'``
 
 Default email address to use for various automated correspondence from the
-site manager(s).
+site manager(s). This doesn't include error messages sent to :setting:`ADMINS`
+and :setting:`MANAGERS`; for that, see :setting:`SERVER_EMAIL`.
 
 .. setting:: DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE
 
@@ -1727,6 +1728,12 @@ Default: ``'root@localhost'``
 The email address that error messages come from, such as those sent to
 :setting:`ADMINS` and :setting:`MANAGERS`.
 
+.. admonition:: Why are my emails sent from a different address?
+
+    This address is used only for error messages. It is *not* the address that
+    regular email messages sent with :meth:`~django.core.mail.send_mail()`
+    come from; for that, see :setting:`DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL`.
+
 .. setting:: SHORT_DATE_FORMAT
 
 SHORT_DATE_FORMAT