diff --git a/doc/fix_spring.html b/doc/fix_spring.html
index c734d65ce2..ebfcf6fddc 100644
--- a/doc/fix_spring.html
+++ b/doc/fix_spring.html
@@ -94,8 +94,15 @@ last example holds the ion a distance 5 away from the pore axis
 <P><B>Restart, fix_modify, output, run start/stop, minimize info:</B>
 </P>
 <P>No information about this fix is written to <A HREF = "restart.html">binary restart
-files</A>.  None of the <A HREF = "fix_modify.html">fix_modify</A> options
-are relevant to this fix.
+files</A>. 
+</P>
+<P>The <A HREF = "fix_modify.html">fix_modify</A> <I>energy</I> option is supported by this
+fix to add the energy stored in the spring to the system's potential
+energy as part of <A HREF = "thermo_style.html">thermodynamic output</A>.
+</P>
+<P>This fix computes a scalar energy which can be accessed by various
+<A HREF = "Section_howto.html#4_15">output commands</A>.  This energy is spring
+energy = 0.5 * K * r^2.
 </P>
 <P>This fix computes a 3-vector of forces, which can be accessed by
 various <A HREF = "Section_howto.html#4_15">output commands</A>.  This is the total
@@ -104,8 +111,15 @@ force on the group of atoms by the spring.  In the case of the
 negative of the force on the 2nd group (group-ID2).
 </P>
 <P>No parameter of this fix can be used with the <I>start/stop</I> keywords of
-the <A HREF = "run.html">run</A> command.  This fix is not invoked during <A HREF = "minimize.html">energy
-minimization</A>.
+the <A HREF = "run.html">run</A> command.
+</P>
+<P>The forces due to this fix are imposed during an energy minimization,
+invoked by the <A HREF = "minimize.html">minimize</A> command.
+</P>
+<P>IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want the spring energy to be included in the
+total potential energy of the system (the quantity being minimized),
+you MUST enable the <A HREF = "fix_modify.html">fix_modify</A> <I>energy</I> option for
+this fix.
 </P>
 <P><B>Restrictions:</B> none
 </P>
diff --git a/doc/fix_spring.txt b/doc/fix_spring.txt
index f51338b0ec..7820298825 100644
--- a/doc/fix_spring.txt
+++ b/doc/fix_spring.txt
@@ -87,8 +87,15 @@ last example holds the ion a distance 5 away from the pore axis
 [Restart, fix_modify, output, run start/stop, minimize info:]
 
 No information about this fix is written to "binary restart
-files"_restart.html.  None of the "fix_modify"_fix_modify.html options
-are relevant to this fix.
+files"_restart.html. 
+
+The "fix_modify"_fix_modify.html {energy} option is supported by this
+fix to add the energy stored in the spring to the system's potential
+energy as part of "thermodynamic output"_thermo_style.html.
+
+This fix computes a scalar energy which can be accessed by various
+"output commands"_Section_howto.html#4_15.  This energy is spring
+energy = 0.5 * K * r^2.
 
 This fix computes a 3-vector of forces, which can be accessed by
 various "output commands"_Section_howto.html#4_15.  This is the total
@@ -97,8 +104,15 @@ force on the group of atoms by the spring.  In the case of the
 negative of the force on the 2nd group (group-ID2).
 
 No parameter of this fix can be used with the {start/stop} keywords of
-the "run"_run.html command.  This fix is not invoked during "energy
-minimization"_minimize.html.
+the "run"_run.html command.
+
+The forces due to this fix are imposed during an energy minimization,
+invoked by the "minimize"_minimize.html command.
+
+IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want the spring energy to be included in the
+total potential energy of the system (the quantity being minimized),
+you MUST enable the "fix_modify"_fix_modify.html {energy} option for
+this fix.
 
 [Restrictions:] none
 
@@ -107,5 +121,4 @@ minimization"_minimize.html.
 "fix drag"_fix_drag.html, "fix spring/self"_fix_spring_self.html, 
 "fix spring/rg"_fix_spring_rg.html, "fix smd"_fix_smd.html
 
-
 [Default:] none