diff --git a/Documentation/git-notes.txt b/Documentation/git-notes.txt
index a9a916f360..8de349968a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-notes.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-notes.txt
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ OPTIONS
 --ref <ref>::
 	Manipulate the notes tree in <ref>.  This overrides
 	'GIT_NOTES_REF' and the "core.notesRef" configuration.  The ref
-	is taken to be in `refs/notes/` if it is not qualified.
+	specifies the full refname when it begins with `refs/notes/`; when it
+	begins with `notes/`, `refs/` and otherwise `refs/notes/` is prefixed
+	to form a full name of the ref.
 
 --ignore-missing::
 	Do not consider it an error to request removing notes from an
diff --git a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
index 8d6c5cec4c..4b659ac1a6 100644
--- a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ By default, the notes shown are from the notes refs listed in the
 environment overrides). See linkgit:git-config[1] for more details.
 +
 With an optional '<ref>' argument, show this notes ref instead of the
-default notes ref(s). The ref is taken to be in `refs/notes/` if it
-is not qualified.
+default notes ref(s). The ref specifies the full refname when it begins
+with `refs/notes/`; when it begins with `notes/`, `refs/` and otherwise
+`refs/notes/` is prefixed to form a full name of the ref.
 +
 Multiple --notes options can be combined to control which notes are
 being displayed. Examples: "--notes=foo" will show only notes from
diff --git a/t/t3301-notes.sh b/t/t3301-notes.sh
index 8cffd35fb0..cd70274ea5 100755
--- a/t/t3301-notes.sh
+++ b/t/t3301-notes.sh
@@ -1122,6 +1122,12 @@ test_expect_success 'git notes copy diagnoses too many or too few parameters' '
 	test_must_fail git notes copy one two three
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git notes get-ref expands refs/heads/master to refs/notes/refs/heads/master' '
+	test_unconfig core.notesRef &&
+	sane_unset GIT_NOTES_REF &&
+	test "$(git notes --ref=refs/heads/master get-ref)" = "refs/notes/refs/heads/master"
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git notes get-ref (no overrides)' '
 	test_unconfig core.notesRef &&
 	sane_unset GIT_NOTES_REF &&