diff --git a/chapter05/introduction.xml b/chapter05/introduction.xml
index 2a31498cd..d3fdea79d 100644
--- a/chapter05/introduction.xml
+++ b/chapter05/introduction.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ before the actual installation instructions. For a short description of
 each program in a package, please refer to the corresponding section in
 <xref linkend="appendixa"/>.</para>
 
+<para>The build instructions assume that you are using the bash shell. There
+is also a general expectation that you have already unpacked the sources for a
+package and have performed a <userinput>cd</userinput> into the source
+directory before issuing the build commands.</para>
+
 <para>Several of the packages are patched before compilation, but only when
 the patch is needed to circumvent a problem. Often the patch is needed in
 both this and the next chapter, but sometimes in only one of them. Therefore,