diff --git a/docs/sources/reference/commandline/cli.md b/docs/sources/reference/commandline/cli.md
index 006e75d0f8..88ac4a0c6c 100644
--- a/docs/sources/reference/commandline/cli.md
+++ b/docs/sources/reference/commandline/cli.md
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ Creates a new container.
       --cpuset=""                CPUs in which to allow execution (0-3, 0,1)
       --device=[]                Add a host device to the container (e.g. --device=/dev/sdc:/dev/xvdc:rwm)
       --dns=[]                   Set custom DNS servers
-      --dns-search=[]            Set custom DNS search domains
+      --dns-search=[]            Set custom DNS search domains (Use --dns-search=. if you don't wish to set the search domain)
       -e, --env=[]               Set environment variables
       --entrypoint=""            Overwrite the default ENTRYPOINT of the image
       --env-file=[]              Read in a line delimited file of environment variables
diff --git a/runconfig/parse.go b/runconfig/parse.go
index 3a8cdd3350..f1258e5b7f 100644
--- a/runconfig/parse.go
+++ b/runconfig/parse.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func Parse(cmd *flag.FlagSet, args []string, sysInfo *sysinfo.SysInfo) (*Config,
 	cmd.Var(&flPublish, []string{"p", "-publish"}, fmt.Sprintf("Publish a container's port to the host\nformat: %s\n(use 'docker port' to see the actual mapping)", nat.PortSpecTemplateFormat))
 	cmd.Var(&flExpose, []string{"#expose", "-expose"}, "Expose a port from the container without publishing it to your host")
 	cmd.Var(&flDns, []string{"#dns", "-dns"}, "Set custom DNS servers")
-	cmd.Var(&flDnsSearch, []string{"-dns-search"}, "Set custom DNS search domains")
+	cmd.Var(&flDnsSearch, []string{"-dns-search"}, "Set custom DNS search domains (Use --dns-search=. if you don't wish to set the search domain)")
 	cmd.Var(&flExtraHosts, []string{"-add-host"}, "Add a custom host-to-IP mapping (host:ip)")
 	cmd.Var(&flVolumesFrom, []string{"#volumes-from", "-volumes-from"}, "Mount volumes from the specified container(s)")
 	cmd.Var(&flLxcOpts, []string{"#lxc-conf", "-lxc-conf"}, "(lxc exec-driver only) Add custom lxc options --lxc-conf=\"lxc.cgroup.cpuset.cpus = 0,1\"")