diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e9ec0eb3..b37c8da7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ Note: this spamassassin setting needs `ENABLE_SPAMASSASSIN=1`
 
 Note: this spamassassin setting needs `ENABLE_SPAMASSASSIN=1`
 
+##### ONE_DIR
+
+  - **0** => state in default directories
+  - 1 => consolidate all states into a single directory (`/var/mail-state`) to allow persistence using docker volumes
+
 ##### ENABLE_POP3
 
   - **empty** => POP3 service disabled
diff --git a/target/start-mailserver.sh b/target/start-mailserver.sh
index bbe739a1..43556b5b 100644
--- a/target/start-mailserver.sh
+++ b/target/start-mailserver.sh
@@ -864,8 +864,7 @@ function misc() {
 }
 
 function _misc_save_states() {
-	# Consolidate all state that should be persisted across container restarts into one mounted
-	# directory
+	# consolidate all states into a single directory (`/var/mail-state`) to allow persistence using docker volumes
 	statedir=/var/mail-state
 	if [ "$ONE_DIR" = 1 -a -d $statedir ]; then
 		notify 'inf' "Consolidating all state onto $statedir"