diff --git a/doc/src/pair_meam_spline.rst b/doc/src/pair_meam_spline.rst
index b5c94385fa..6bedb9b4fb 100644
--- a/doc/src/pair_meam_spline.rst
+++ b/doc/src/pair_meam_spline.rst
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Examples
 
    pair_style meam/spline
    pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti
-   pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti Ti Ti
+   pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti O
 
 Description
 """""""""""
@@ -84,23 +84,22 @@ where N is the number of LAMMPS atom types:
 See the :doc:`pair_coeff <pair_coeff>` doc page for alternate ways
 to specify the path for the potential file.
 
-As an example, imagine the Ti.meam.spline file has values for Ti (old style).  If
-your LAMMPS simulation has 3 atoms types and they are all to be
-treated with this potentials, you would use the following pair_coeff
-command:
+As an example, imagine the Ti.meam.spline file has values for Ti (old style).
+In that case your LAMMPS simulation may only have one atom type which has
+to be mapped to the Ti element as follows:
 
 .. code-block:: LAMMPS
 
-   pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti Ti Ti
+   pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti
 
-The first 2 arguments must be \* \* so as to span all LAMMPS atom types.
-The three Ti arguments map LAMMPS atom types 1,2,3 to the Ti element
-in the potential file.  If a mapping value is specified as NULL, the
-mapping is not performed.  This can be used when a *meam/spline*
-potential is used as part of the *hybrid* pair style.  The NULL values
-are placeholders for atom types that will be used with other
-potentials. The old-style potential maps any non-NULL species named
-on the command line to that single type.
+The first 2 arguments must be \* \* and there may be only one element
+following or NULL. Systems where there would be multiple atom types
+assigned to the same element are **not** supported by this pair style
+due to limitations in its implementation.  If a mapping value is
+specified as NULL, the mapping is not performed.  This can be used when
+a *meam/spline* potential is used as part of the *hybrid* pair style.
+The NULL values are placeholders for atom types that will be used with
+other potentials.
 
 An example with a two component spline (new style) is TiO.meam.spline, where
 the command
@@ -143,6 +142,8 @@ Restrictions
 This pair style requires the :doc:`newton <newton>` setting to be "on"
 for pair interactions.
 
+This pair style does not support mapping multiple atom types to the same element.
+
 This pair style is only enabled if LAMMPS was built with the USER-MISC
 package.  See the :doc:`Build package <Build_package>` doc page for more
 info.