diff --git a/share/examples/etc/make.conf b/share/examples/etc/make.conf
index e52ece894eb..d0550942948 100644
--- a/share/examples/etc/make.conf
+++ b/share/examples/etc/make.conf
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@
 #
 #CXXFLAGS+= -fmemoize-lookups -fsave-memoized
 #
+# MAKE_SHELL controls the shell used internally by make(1) to process the
+# command scripts in makefiles.  Three shells are supported, sh, ksh, and
+# csh.  Using sh is most common, and advised.  Using ksh *may* work, but is
+# not guaranteed to.  Using csh is absurd.  The default is to use sh.
+#
+#MAKE_SHELL?=sh
+#
 # BDECFLAGS are a set of gcc warning settings that Bruce Evans has suggested
 # for use in developing FreeBSD and testing changes.  They can be used by
 # putting "CFLAGS+=${BDECFLAGS}" in /etc/make.conf.  -Wconversion is not