diff --git a/source/reference/configuration-options.txt b/source/reference/configuration-options.txt
index 8ab63c44fb3..04c87fdd694 100644
--- a/source/reference/configuration-options.txt
+++ b/source/reference/configuration-options.txt
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ Settings
    Set to false to prevent the overhead of journaling in situations
    where durability is not required.
 
+   You can use :setting:`smallfiles` to reduce the size of the data
+   and journal files.
+
 .. setting:: journalCommitInterval
 
    *Default:* 100
@@ -501,9 +504,12 @@ Settings
    *Default:* false
 
    Set to ``true`` to modify MongoDB to use a smaller default data
-   file size. Specifically, :setting:`smallfiles` quarters the initial
-   file size for data files and limits the maximum file size to 512
-   megabytes. Use :setting:`smallfiles` if you have a large number of
+   file size. Specifically, :setting:`smallfiles` reduces the initial
+   size for data files and limits them to 512
+   megabytes. Smallfiles will also reduce :term:`journal` files from
+   one gigabyte to 128 megabyte each.
+
+   Use :setting:`smallfiles` if you have a large number of
    databases that each holds a small quantity of data.
 
 .. setting:: syncdelay
diff --git a/source/reference/glossary.txt b/source/reference/glossary.txt
index df5884570f4..61eb2d7ba49 100644
--- a/source/reference/glossary.txt
+++ b/source/reference/glossary.txt
@@ -300,10 +300,15 @@ Glossary
       A sequential, binary transaction used to bring the database into
       a consistent state in the event of a hard shutdown. MongoDB
       enables journaling by default for 64-bit builds of MongoDB
-      version 2.0 and later. When enabled, MongoDB writes data first
-      to the journal and after to the core data files. MongoDB commits
-      to the Journal every 100ms, but this is configurable using the
-      :setting:`journalCommitInterval` runtime option.
+      version 2.0 and newer. Journal files are pre-allocated and will
+      exist as three 1GB file in the data directory. To make journal
+      files smaller, use :setting:`smallfiles`.
+
+      When enabled,
+      MongoDB writes data first to the journal and after to the core
+      data files. MongoDB commits to the journal every 100ms and this
+      is configurable using the :setting:`journalCommitInterval`
+      runtime option.
 
       .. seealso:: The :wiki:`Journaling` wiki page.