diff --git a/libdm/libdevmapper.h b/libdm/libdevmapper.h
index a240d0ecd..2c3900bb1 100644
--- a/libdm/libdevmapper.h
+++ b/libdm/libdevmapper.h
@@ -1849,6 +1849,52 @@ void *dm_hash_get_data(struct dm_hash_table *t, struct dm_hash_node *n);
 struct dm_hash_node *dm_hash_get_first(struct dm_hash_table *t);
 struct dm_hash_node *dm_hash_get_next(struct dm_hash_table *t, struct dm_hash_node *n);
 
+/*
+ * dm_hash_insert() replaces the value of an existing
+ * entry with a matching key if one exists.  Otherwise
+ * it adds a new entry.
+ *
+ * dm_hash_insert_withval() inserts a new entry if
+ * another entry with the same key already exists.
+ * val_len is the size of the data being inserted.
+ *
+ * If two entries with the same key exist,
+ * (added using dm_hash_insert_multival), then:
+ * . dm_hash_lookup() returns the first one it finds, and
+ *   dm_hash_lookup_withval() returns the one with a matching
+ *   val_len/val.
+ * . dm_hash_remove() removes the first one it finds, and
+ *   dm_hash_remove_withval() removes the one with a matching
+ *   val_len/val.
+ *
+ * If a single entry with a given key exists, and it has
+ * zero val_len, then:
+ * . dm_hash_lookup() returns it
+ * . dm_hash_lookup_withval(val_len=0) returns it
+ * . dm_hash_remove() removes it
+ * . dm_hash_remove_withval(val_len=0) removes it
+ *
+ * dm_hash_lookup_multival() is a single call that will
+ * both lookup a key's value and check if there is more
+ * than one entry with the given key.
+ *
+ * (It is not meant to retrieve all the entries with the
+ * given key.  In the common case where a single entry exists
+ * for the key, it is useful to have a single call that will
+ * both look up the value and indicate if multiple values
+ * exist for the key.)
+ *
+ * dm_hash_lookup_multival:
+ * . If no entries exist, the function returns NULL, and
+ *   the val2 arg is set to NULL.
+ * . If only one entry exists, the value of that entry is
+ *   returned and the val2 arg is set to NULL.
+ * . If more than one entry exists, the value of one entry
+ *   is returned and the val2 arg is set to the value of a
+ *   second entry.  Testing that the val2 arg is not NULL
+ *   indicates that more than one entry exists.
+ */
+
 void *dm_hash_lookup_withval(struct dm_hash_table *t, const char *key,
                              const void *val, uint32_t val_len);
 void dm_hash_remove_withval(struct dm_hash_table *t, const char *key,