diff --git a/man/vgexport.8_des b/man/vgexport.8_des
index 66d3af39b..9f276afa7 100644
--- a/man/vgexport.8_des
+++ b/man/vgexport.8_des
@@ -1,8 +1,19 @@
-vgexport makes inactive VGs unknown to the system. In this state, all the
-PVs in the VG can be moved to a different system, from which
-\fBvgimport\fP(8) can then be run.
+vgexport changes a VG into the exported state, which ensures that the VG
+and its disks are not being used, and cannot be used until the VG is
+imported by \fBvgimport\fP(8).  Putting a VG into an unusable, offline
+state can be useful when doing things like moving a VG's disks to another
+system.  Exporting a VG provides some protection from its LVs being
+accidentally used, or being used by an automated system before it's ready.
 
-Most LVM tools ignore exported VGs.
+A VG cannot be exported until all of its LVs are inactive.
+
+LVM commands will ignore an exported VG or report an error if a command
+tries to use it.
+
+For an exported VG, the vgs command will display \"x\" in the third VG
+attribute, and the pvs command will display \"x\" in the second PV
+attribute.  Both vgs and pvs will display \"exported\" from the export
+report field.
 
 vgexport clears the VG system ID, and vgimport sets the VG system ID to
 match the host running vgimport (if the host has a system ID).