diff --git a/mysql/README.md b/mysql/README.md
index 0b792ecb5..2844fdca0 100644
--- a/mysql/README.md
+++ b/mysql/README.md
@@ -124,7 +124,13 @@ $ docker logs some-mysql
 
 ## Using a custom MySQL configuration file
 
-The default configuration for MySQL can be found in `/etc/mysql/my.cnf`, which may `!includedir` additional directories such as `/etc/mysql/conf.d` or `/etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d`. Please inspect the relevant files and directories within the `mysql` image itself for more details.
+The default configuration for MySQL varies depending on the base image:
+
+**Oracle-based images (default):** The default configuration is located at `/etc/my.cnf`, which may `!includedir` additional directories such as `/etc/mysql/conf.d`.
+
+**Debian-based MySQL 8 images:** The default configuration can be found in `/etc/mysql/my.cnf`, which may `!includedir` additional directories such as `/etc/mysql/conf.d`.
+
+Please inspect the relevant files and directories within the `mysql` image itself for more details.
 
 If `/my/custom/config-file.cnf` is the path and name of your custom configuration file, you can start your `mysql` container like this (note that only the directory path of the custom config file is used in this command):
 
@@ -132,7 +138,7 @@ If `/my/custom/config-file.cnf` is the path and name of your custom configuratio
 $ docker run --name some-mysql -v /my/custom:/etc/mysql/conf.d -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw -d mysql:tag
 ```
 
-This will start a new container `some-mysql` where the MySQL instance uses the combined startup settings from `/etc/mysql/my.cnf` and `/etc/mysql/conf.d/config-file.cnf`, with settings from the latter taking precedence.
+This will start a new container `some-mysql` where the MySQL instance uses the combined startup settings from the default configuration file and `/etc/mysql/conf.d/config-file.cnf`, with settings from the latter taking precedence.
 
 ### Configuration without a `cnf` file