diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d8c4428..a3751bf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -124,6 +124,22 @@ For example let's say an `app` needs a connection above. No problem:
 
 where `above` is an arbitrary namespace that defines the above state / connection.
 
+### Documentation String
+
+As in any definition (i.e. `def`, `defn`) a documentation string can be added to better describe a state:
+
+```clojure
+(defstate answer
+  "answer to the ultimate question of life universe and everything"
+  :start (+ 1 41))
+```
+```clojure
+(doc answer)
+-------------------------
+dev/answer
+  answer to the ultimate question of life universe and everything
+```
+
 ## Dependencies
 
 If the whole app is one big application context (or `system`), cross dependencies with a solid dependency graph
diff --git a/src/mount/core.cljc b/src/mount/core.cljc
index 929eda2..62fd557 100644
--- a/src/mount/core.cljc
+++ b/src/mount/core.cljc
@@ -164,9 +164,10 @@
 (deftime
 
 (defmacro defstate
-  "Defines a state. Restarts on recompilation.
-   Pass ^{:on-reload :noop} to prevent auto-restart
-   on ns recompilation, or :stop to stop on recompilation."
+  "defines a state (a.k.a. a stateful component).
+  restarts on recompilation.
+  pass ^{:on-reload :noop} to prevent auto-restart on ns recompilation,
+    or ^{:on-reload :stop} to stop on recompilation."
   [state & body]
   (let [[state params] (mount.tools.macro/name-with-attributes state body)
         {:keys [start stop] :as lifecycle} (apply hash-map params)