diff --git a/cli/src/description_util.rs b/cli/src/description_util.rs
index 4791bb95b..1c3663c9b 100644
--- a/cli/src/description_util.rs
+++ b/cli/src/description_util.rs
@@ -64,8 +64,11 @@ pub fn edit_multiple_descriptions(
     let mut bulk_message = String::new();
 
     bulk_message.push_str(indoc! {r#"
-    JJ: Enter or edit commit descriptions after the `JJ: describe` lines.
-    
+        JJ: Enter or edit commit descriptions after the `JJ: describe` lines.
+        JJ: Warning:
+        JJ: - The text you enter will be lost on a syntax error.
+        JJ: - The syntax of the separator lines may change in the future.
+
     "#});
     for (commit_id, temp_commit) in commits.iter() {
         let commit_hash = short_commit_hash(commit_id);
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_describe_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_describe_command.rs
index a61fdf5d0..9a0128776 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_describe_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_describe_command.rs
@@ -224,6 +224,9 @@ fn test_describe_multiple_commits() {
     insta::assert_snapshot!(
         std::fs::read_to_string(test_env.env_root().join("editor0")).unwrap(), @r###"
     JJ: Enter or edit commit descriptions after the `JJ: describe` lines.
+    JJ: Warning:
+    JJ: - The text you enter will be lost on a syntax error.
+    JJ: - The syntax of the separator lines may change in the future.
 
     JJ: describe 8d650510daad -------
 
@@ -238,6 +241,10 @@ fn test_describe_multiple_commits() {
         &edit_script,
         indoc! {"
             write
+            JJ: Enter or edit commit descriptions after the `JJ: describe` lines.
+
+            JJ: More header tests. Library tests verify parsing in other situations.
+
             JJ: describe 8d650510daad -------
             description from editor of @-