diff --git a/doc/src/Build_settings.rst b/doc/src/Build_settings.rst
index 7717618f12..acb9aa7535 100644
--- a/doc/src/Build_settings.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Build_settings.rst
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ explains how to do this for building both with CMake and make.
 * `Size of LAMMPS integer types and size limits`_
 * `Read or write compressed files`_
 * `Output of JPEG, PNG, and movie files`_ via the :doc:`dump image <dump_image>` or :doc:`dump movie <dump_image>` commands
-* `Support for downloading files`_
+* `Support for downloading files from the input`_
+* `Prevent download of large potential files`_
 * `Memory allocation alignment`_
 * `Workaround for long long integers`_
 * `Exception handling when using LAMMPS as a library`_ to capture errors
@@ -509,8 +510,8 @@ during a run.
 
 .. _libcurl:
 
-Support for downloading files
------------------------------
+Support for downloading files from the input
+--------------------------------------------
 
 .. versionadded:: 29Aug2024
 
@@ -553,6 +554,25 @@ LAMMPS is compiled accordingly which needs the following settings:
 
 ----------
 
+.. _download_pot:
+
+Prevent download of large potential files
+-----------------------------------------
+
+.. versionadded:: 8Feb2023
+
+LAMMPS bundles a selection of potential files in the ``potentials``
+folder as examples of how those kinds of potential files look like and
+for use with the provided input examples in the ``examples`` tree.  To
+keep the size of the distributed LAMMPS source package small, very large
+potential files (> 5 MByte) are not bundled, but only downloaded on
+demand when the :doc:`corresponding package <Package_list>` is
+installed.  This automatic download can be prevented when :doc:`building
+LAMMPS with CMake <Build_cmake>` by adding the setting `-D
+DOWNLOAD_POTENTIALS=off` when configuring.
+
+----------
+
 .. _align:
 
 Memory allocation alignment
diff --git a/doc/src/Tools.rst b/doc/src/Tools.rst
index d13a6d384f..11468787f1 100644
--- a/doc/src/Tools.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Tools.rst
@@ -930,7 +930,7 @@ dependencies and redirects the download to the local cache.
 
    mkdir build
    cd build
-   cmake -D LAMMPS_DOWNLOADS_URL=${HTTP_CACHE_URL} -C "${LAMMPS_HTTP_CACHE_CONFIG}" -C ../cmake/presets/most.cmake ../cmake
+   cmake -D LAMMPS_DOWNLOADS_URL=${HTTP_CACHE_URL} -C "${LAMMPS_HTTP_CACHE_CONFIG}" -C ../cmake/presets/most.cmake -D DOWNLOAD_POTENTIALS=off ../cmake
    make -j 8
 
    deactivate_caches