diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IHostFilePermissions.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IHostFilePermissions.java
index 77cf187d503..31de1fee3bf 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IHostFilePermissions.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IHostFilePermissions.java
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ public interface IHostFilePermissions {
 	 * Each implementer of the IHostFilePermission API must properly implement
 	 * this method and implement the {@link Cloneable} interface.
 	 * @return the cloned object
-	 * @throws CloneNotSupportedException
+	 * @throws CloneNotSupportedException if an instance cannot be cloned for
+	 *    any reason, e.g. because its state contains complex objects that
+	 *    cannot be cloned.
 	 * @see Object#clone()
 	 */
 	public Object clone() throws CloneNotSupportedException;