diff --git a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_change_the_size_of_your_server.rst b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_change_the_size_of_your_server.rst
index 63be90c63e..e8b9b40bf6 100644
--- a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_change_the_size_of_your_server.rst
+++ b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_change_the_size_of_your_server.rst
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ Change the size of a server by changing its flavor.
 
 #. List the available flavors with the following command::
 
-
     $ nova flavor-list
     +-----+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+------+-------+-------------+----------+
     | ID  | Name      | Memory_MB | Disk | Ephemeral | Swap | VCPUs | RXTX_Factor | Is_Public|
@@ -59,12 +58,30 @@ Change the size of a server by changing its flavor.
    ID or name and the new flavor. Include the ``--poll`` parameter to display
    the resize progress. For example::
 
-
     $ nova resize myCirrosServer 4 --poll
 
     Instance resizing... 100% complete
     Finished
 
+   .. note::
+
+      By default, the :command:`nova resize` command gives the guest operating
+      system a chance to perform a controlled shutdown before the instance
+      is powered off and the instance is resized.
+      The shutdown behavior is configured by the
+      ``shutdown_timeout`` parameter that can be set in the
+      :file:`nova.conf` file. Its value stands for the overall
+      period (in seconds) a guest operation system is allowed
+      to complete the shutdown. The default timeout is 60 seconds.
+      See `Description of Compute configuration options
+      <http://docs.openstack.org/kilo/config-reference/content/list-of-compute-config-options.html>`_
+      for details.
+
+      The timeout value can be overridden on a per image basis
+      by means of ``os_shutdown_timeout`` that is an image metadata
+      setting allowing different types of operating systems to specify
+      how much time they need to shut down cleanly.
+
 #. Show the status for your server::
 
     $ nova list
diff --git a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_reboot_an_instance.rst b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_reboot_an_instance.rst
index 77f154d3ca..640e751b3c 100644
--- a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_reboot_an_instance.rst
+++ b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_reboot_an_instance.rst
@@ -36,6 +36,26 @@ command::
 
   $ nova rescue SERVER
 
+.. note::
+
+   On running the :command:`nova rescue` command,
+   an instance performs a soft shutdown first. This means that
+   the guest operating system has a chance to perform
+   a controlled shutdown before the instance is powered off.
+   The shutdown behavior is configured by the ``shutdown_timeout``
+   parameter that can be set in the :file:`nova.conf` file.
+   Its value stands for the overall period (in seconds)
+   a guest operation system is allowed to complete the shutdown.
+   The default timeout is 60 seconds. See `Description of
+   Compute configuration options
+   <http://docs.openstack.org/kilo/config-reference/content/list-of-compute-config-options.html>`_
+   for details.
+
+   The timeout value can be overridden on a per image basis
+   by means of ``os_shutdown_timeout`` that is an image metadata
+   setting allowing different types of operating systems to specify
+   how much time they need to shut down cleanly.
+
 To restart the instance from the normal boot disk, run the following
 command::
 
diff --git a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_stop_and_start_an_instance.rst b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_stop_and_start_an_instance.rst
index 29b6260789..6ba693f928 100644
--- a/doc/user-guide/source/cli_stop_and_start_an_instance.rst
+++ b/doc/user-guide/source/cli_stop_and_start_an_instance.rst
@@ -50,6 +50,24 @@ You can run the following shelving tasks:
 
   $ nova shelve SERVERNAME
 
+.. note::
+
+   By default, the :command:`nova shelve` command gives the guest operating
+   system a chance to perform a controlled shutdown before the instance
+   is powered off. The shutdown behavior is configured by the
+   ``shutdown_timeout`` parameter that can be set in the
+   :file:`nova.conf` file. Its value stands for the overall
+   period (in seconds) a guest operation system is allowed
+   to complete the shutdown. The default timeout is 60 seconds.
+   See `Description of Compute configuration options
+   <http://docs.openstack.org/kilo/config-reference/content/list-of-compute-config-options.html>`_
+   for details.
+
+   The timeout value can be overridden on a per image basis
+   by means of ``os_shutdown_timeout`` that is an image metadata
+   setting allowing different types of operating systems to specify
+   how much time they need to shut down cleanly.
+
 - Unshelve an instance - Restores the instance.
 
 .. code::