diff --git a/doc/src/pair_hybrid.rst b/doc/src/pair_hybrid.rst
index 68acd99e45..f7de713c94 100644
--- a/doc/src/pair_hybrid.rst
+++ b/doc/src/pair_hybrid.rst
@@ -417,7 +417,11 @@ assigned automatically to the sub-style defined for both I,I and J,J and
 its coefficients generated by the mixing rule used by that sub-style.
 For the *hybrid/overlay* and *hybrid/scaled* style, there is an
 additional requirement that both the I,I and J,J pairs are assigned to a
-single sub-style.  See the :doc:`pair_modify <pair_modify>` command for
+single sub-style.  If this requirement is not met, no I,J coeffs will be
+generated, even if the sub-styles support mixing, and I,J pair
+coefficients must be explicitly defined.
+
+See the :doc:`pair_modify <pair_modify>` command for
 details of mixing rules.  See the See the doc page for the sub-style to
 see if allows for mixing.