diff --git a/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md b/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
index 007f96110..bf0b33fde 100644
--- a/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
+++ b/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
@@ -41,16 +41,28 @@ connection failover| When a connection currently being used between MariaDB MaxS
 
 ## Configuration
 
-The MariaDB MaxScale configuration is read from a file that MariaDB MaxScale will look for
-in a number of places.
+The MariaDB MaxScale configuration is read from a file that MariaDB MaxScale
+will look for in the following places:
 
-1. Location given with the --configdir=<path> command line argument
+1. By default, the file `maxscale.cnf` in the directory `/etc`
+1. The location given with the `--configdir=<path>` command line argument.
 
-2. MariaDB MaxScale will look for a configuration file called `maxscale.cnf` in the directory `/etc/maxscale.cnf`
+MariaDB MaxScale will further look for a directory with the same name as the
+configuration file, followed by `.d` (for instance `/etc/maxscale.cnf.d`) and
+recursively read all files, having a `.cnf` suffix, it finds in the directory
+hierarchy. All other files will be ignored.
 
-An explicit path to a configuration file can be passed by using the `-f` option to MariaDB MaxScale.
+There are no restrictions on how different configuration sections are arranged,
+but the strong suggestion is to place global settings into the configuration
+file MariaDB MaxScale is invoked with, and then, if deemed necessary, create
+separate configuration files for _servers_, _filters_, etc.
 
-The configuration file itself is based on the ".ini" file format and consists of various sections that are used to build the configuration; these sections define services, servers, listeners, monitors and global settings. Parameters, which expect a comma-separated list of values can be defined on multiple lines. The following is an example of a multi-line definition.
+The configuration file itself is based on the [.ini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INI_file)
+file format and consists of various sections that are used to build the
+configuration; these sections define services, servers, listeners, monitors and
+global settings. Parameters, which expect a comma-separated list of values can
+be defined on multiple lines. The following is an example of a multi-line
+definition.
 
 ```
 [MyService]
diff --git a/Documentation/Release-Notes/MaxScale-2.1.0-Release-Notes.md b/Documentation/Release-Notes/MaxScale-2.1.0-Release-Notes.md
index ddd62b464..7ffdace44 100644
--- a/Documentation/Release-Notes/MaxScale-2.1.0-Release-Notes.md
+++ b/Documentation/Release-Notes/MaxScale-2.1.0-Release-Notes.md
@@ -8,7 +8,19 @@ release 2.0.X.
 For any problems you encounter, please consider submitting a bug
 report at [Jira](https://jira.mariadb.org).
 
-## Changes Features
+## Changed Features
+
+### Configuration Files
+
+From 2.1.0 onwards MariaDB MaxScale supports hierarchical configuration
+files. When invoked with a configuration file, e.g. `maxscale.cnf`, MariaDB
+MaxScale looks for a directory `maxscale.cnf.d` in the same directory as the
+configuration file, and reads all `.cnf` files it finds in that directory
+hierarchy. All other files will be ignored.
+
+Please see the
+[Configuration Guide](../Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md#configuration)
+for details.
 
 ### Logging