1 files changed, 26 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index ee5cbc2d65..eed3c47e1a 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -3337,6 +3337,32 @@
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TOOLS'><glossterm>EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TOOLS</glossterm>
+            <info>
+                EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TOOLS[doc] = "Indicates kernel tools are external to the source tree."
+            </info>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para role="glossdeffirst">
+<!--                <para role="glossdeffirst"><imagedata fileref="figures/define-generic.png" /> -->
+                    When set, the <filename>EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TOOLS</filename>
+                    variable indicates that these tools are not in the
+                    source tree.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    When kernel tools are available in the tree, they are
+                    preferred over any externally installed tools.
+                    Setting the <filename>EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TOOLS</filename>
+                    variable tells the OpenEmbedded build system to prefer
+                    the installed external tools.
+                    See the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-kernel-yocto'><filename>kernel-yocto</filename></link>
+                    class in <filename>meta/classes</filename> to see how
+                    the variable is used.
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-EXTERNALSRC'><glossterm>EXTERNALSRC</glossterm>
             <info>
                 EXTERNALSRC[doc] = "If externalsrc.bbclass is inherited, this variable points to the source tree, which is outside of the OpenEmbedded build system."