diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bfb225b..7c05a77 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ For update instructions, see [the update guide](doc/update.md).
 
 ### Start/stop GitLab
 
+After omnibus-gitlab is installed and configured, your server will have a Runit
+service directory (`runsvdir`) process running that gets started at boot via
+`/etc/inittab` or the `gitlab-runsvdir` Upstart resource. Do not touch the
+`runsvdir` process; to manage GitLab processes you should use `gitlab-ctl`
+instead.
+
 You can start, stop or restart GitLab and all of its components with the
 following commands.
 
--
libgit2 0.21.2