diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index 60d4b6e59244c5c5d88831ca272b7134895410d2..3a54a491f55bbd42ecc9b6a5ec1e890261ea9329 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ function variable_initialize($conf = array()) {
  *   The default value to use if this variable has never been set.
  *
  * @return
- *   The value of the variable.
+ *   The value of the variable. Unserialization is taken care of as necessary.
  *
  * @see variable_del()
  * @see variable_set()