diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3d1f32c..4c5422c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Here's a sample configuration with `use-package`:
       :hook
       (after-init . org-roam-mode)
       :custom
-      (org-roam-directory "/path/to/org-files/")
+      (org-roam-directory (file-truename "/path/to/org-files/"))
       :bind (:map org-roam-mode-map
               (("C-c n l" . org-roam)
                ("C-c n f" . org-roam-find-file)
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ Here's a sample configuration with `use-package`:
               (("C-c n I" . org-roam-insert-immediate))))
 ```
 
+The `file-truename` function is only necessary when you use symbolic links
+inside `org-roam-directory`: Org-roam does not resolve symbolic links.
+
 Org-roam requires sqlite to function. Org-roam optionally uses Graphviz for
 graph-related functionality. It is recommended to install PCRE-enabled ripgrep
 for better performance and extended functionality.
diff --git a/doc/org-roam.org b/doc/org-roam.org
index 6b94b55..109abfa 100644
--- a/doc/org-roam.org
+++ b/doc/org-roam.org
@@ -331,9 +331,12 @@ create an empty directory, and set ~org-roam-directory~:
 
 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
 (make-directory "~/org-roam")
-(setq org-roam-directory "~/org-roam")
+(setq org-roam-directory (file-truename "~/org-roam"))
 #+END_SRC
 
+The ~file-truename~ function is only necessary when you use symbolic links
+inside ~org-roam-directory~: Org-roam does not resolve symbolic links.
+
 We encourage using a flat hierarchy for storing notes, but some prefer using
 folders for storing specific kinds of notes (e.g. websites, papers). This is
 fine; Org-roam searches recursively within ~org-roam-directory~ for notes.