diff --git a/doc/admin.rst b/doc/admin.rst
index 51a879462f6b024add94384fa5a9c45124879dbe..d0ed24ba2ba9337eae18cccfbff7117fb8ba212b 100644
--- a/doc/admin.rst
+++ b/doc/admin.rst
@@ -1058,6 +1058,20 @@ in the manpage.
 .. note:: this command only stores a local flag file, and if you
    failover the master, it will not have effect on the new master.
 
+Node auto-maintenance
++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+If the cluster parameter ``maintain_node_health`` is enabled (see the
+manpage for :command:`gnt-cluster`, the init and modify subcommands),
+then the following will happen automatically:
+
+- the watcher will shutdown any instances running on offline nodes
+- the watcher will deactivate any DRBD devices on offline nodes
+
+In the future, more actions are planned, so only enable this parameter
+if the nodes are completely dedicated to Ganeti; otherwise it might be
+possible to lose data due to auto-maintenance actions.
+
 Removing a cluster entirely
 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
diff --git a/man/ganeti-watcher.sgml b/man/ganeti-watcher.sgml
index b6e94658574d7ca12629fc592cdf790839c3da25..9048baa717c8c437196f8eea0b74f47fc20d2d55 100644
--- a/man/ganeti-watcher.sgml
+++ b/man/ganeti-watcher.sgml
@@ -48,31 +48,68 @@
     <para>
       The <command>&dhpackage;</command> is a periodically run script
       which is responsible for keeping the instances in the correct
-      status.
+      status. It has two separate functions, one for the master node
+      and another one that runs on every node.
     </para>
 
-    <para>
-      Its primary function is to try to keep running all instances
-      which are marked as <emphasis>up</emphasis> in the configuration
-      file, by trying to start them a limited number of times.
-    </para>
+    <refsect2>
+      <title>Master operations</title>
 
-    <para>
-      Its other function is to <quote>repair</quote> DRBD links by
-      reactivating the block devices of instances which have
-      secondaries on nodes that have been rebooted.
-    </para>
+      <para>
+        Its primary function is to try to keep running all instances
+        which are marked as <emphasis>up</emphasis> in the configuration
+        file, by trying to start them a limited number of times.
+      </para>
 
-    <para>
-      The watcher does synchronous queries but will submit jobs for
-      executing the changes. Due to locking, it could be that the jobs
-      execute much later than the watcher executes them.
-    </para>
+      <para>
+        Its other function is to <quote>repair</quote> DRBD links by
+        reactivating the block devices of instances which have
+        secondaries on nodes that have been rebooted.
+      </para>
+
+    </refsect2>
+
+    <refsect2>
+
+      <title>Node operations</title>
+
+      <para>
+        The watcher will restart any down daemons that are appropriate
+        for the current node.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        In addition, it will execute any scripts which exist under the
+        <quote>watcher</quote> directory in the ganeti hooks directory
+        (@SYSCONFDIR@/ganeti/hooks). This should be used for
+        lightweight actions, like starting any extra daemons.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        If the cluster
+        parameter <literal>maintain_node_health</literal> is enabled,
+        then the watcher will also shutdown instances and DRBD devices
+        if the node is declared as offline by known master candidates.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        The watcher does synchronous queries but will submit jobs for
+        executing the changes. Due to locking, it could be that the jobs
+        execute much later than the watcher executes them.
+      </para>
+
+    </refsect2>
+
+
+  </refsect1>
+
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>FILES</title>
 
     <para>
       The command has a state file located at
-      <filename>@LOCALSTATEDIR@/lib/ganeti/watcher.data</filename> and a log
-      file at
+      <filename>@LOCALSTATEDIR@/lib/ganeti/watcher.data</filename>
+      (only used on the master) and a log file at
       <filename>@LOCALSTATEDIR@/log/ganeti/watcher.log</filename>. Removal of
       either file will not affect correct operation; the removal of
       the state file will just cause the restart counters for the