diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/Reference.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/Reference.java
index 655cc6b73761f..ae5d9a7661377 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/Reference.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/Reference.java
@@ -481,8 +481,12 @@ public boolean isEnqueued() {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Clears this reference object and adds it to the queue with which
-     * it is registered, if any.
+     * Clears this reference object, then attempts to add it to the queue with
+     * which it is registered, if any.
+     *
+     * <p>If this reference was already enqueued (by the garbage collector, or a
+     * previous call to {@code enqueue}), this method is <b><i>not successful</i></b>,
+     * and returns false.
      *
      * <p>Memory consistency effects: Actions in a thread prior to calling
      * {@code enqueue} <b><i>successfully</i></b>
@@ -490,24 +494,15 @@ public boolean isEnqueued() {
      * the reference is removed from the queue by {@link ReferenceQueue#poll}
      * or {@link ReferenceQueue#remove}.
      *
-     * There is a potential race condition with the garbage collector.
-     * When this method is called, the garbage collector
-     * may already be in the process of (or already completed)
-     * enqueueing this reference.
-     *
-     * This can result in an
-     * <b><i></i></b>unsuccessful</i></b> {@code enqueue()}.
-     *
-     *
-     * Avoid this race by ensuring the referent remains strongly-reachable until after the call to clear(), using {@link #reachabilityFence(Object)} if necessary.
-     *
-     *
-     * <p> This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector
+     * <p>This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector
      * enqueues references it does so directly, without invoking this method.
      *
      * @apiNote
-     * Unexpected behavior can result if this method is called while the
-     * referent is still in use.
+     * Use of this method allows the registered queue's
+     * {@link ReferenceQueue#poll} and {@link ReferenceQueue#remove} methods
+     * to return this reference even though the referent is still strongly
+     * reachable. That is, before the referent has reached the expected
+     * reachability level.
      *
      * @return   {@code true} if this reference object was successfully
      *           enqueued; {@code false} if it was already enqueued or if
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/ReferenceQueue.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/ReferenceQueue.java
index de49b9a5e9736..e2484dea0f138 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/ReferenceQueue.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/ReferenceQueue.java
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ boolean enqueue(Reference<? extends T> r) { /* Called only by Reference class */
      * available without further delay then it is removed from the queue and
      * returned.  Otherwise this method immediately returns {@code null}.
      *
+     * @apiNote
+     * If the returned reference was added to this queue by a call to
+     * {@link Reference#enqueue()} instead of by the garbage collector, its
+     * former referent (which has since been cleared) could still be strongly
+     * reachable.
+     *
      * @return  A reference object, if one was immediately available,
      *          otherwise {@code null}
      */
@@ -201,6 +207,12 @@ public Reference<? extends T> poll() {
      * <p> This method does not offer real-time guarantees: It schedules the
      * timeout as if by invoking the {@link Object#wait(long)} method.
      *
+     * @apiNote
+     * If the returned reference was added to this queue by a call to
+     * {@link Reference#enqueue()} instead of by the garbage collector, its
+     * former referent (which has since been cleared) could still be strongly
+     * reachable.
+     *
      * @param  timeout  If positive, block for up to {@code timeout}
      *                  milliseconds while waiting for a reference to be
      *                  added to this queue.  If zero, block indefinitely.
@@ -232,6 +244,12 @@ public Reference<? extends T> remove(long timeout) throws InterruptedException {
      * Removes the next reference object in this queue, blocking until one
      * becomes available.
      *
+     * @apiNote
+     * If the returned reference was added to this queue by a call to
+     * {@link Reference#enqueue()} instead of by the garbage collector, its
+     * former referent (which has since been cleared) could still be strongly
+     * reachable.
+     *
      * @return A reference object, blocking until one becomes available
      * @throws  InterruptedException  If the wait is interrupted
      */