diff --git a/Cabal-hooks/src/Distribution/Simple/SetupHooks.hs b/Cabal-hooks/src/Distribution/Simple/SetupHooks.hs
index da928ad82a9..683332715a0 100644
--- a/Cabal-hooks/src/Distribution/Simple/SetupHooks.hs
+++ b/Cabal-hooks/src/Distribution/Simple/SetupHooks.hs
@@ -432,8 +432,10 @@ Note that 'SetupHooks' can be monoidally combined, e.g.:
 
         * Per-component post-build hooks.
 
-            These can be thought of as "pre-linking hooks" and allow injecting
-            additional data into the final executable.
+            These run after a component has been built, i.e. after compilation
+            and linking, and allow post-processing of the resulting build
+            artifacts: injecting additional data into the final executable,
+            stripping or signing it, or running a freshly built executable.
 
   * The install phase, via 'InstallHooks'.
 
diff --git a/doc/how-to-use-setup-hooks.rst b/doc/how-to-use-setup-hooks.rst
index 6036509761a..d05a762baab 100644
--- a/doc/how-to-use-setup-hooks.rst
+++ b/doc/how-to-use-setup-hooks.rst
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ build system. The following hooks exist:
 
     * Pre-build rules. Used to define code generators or custom preprocessors,
       i.e. rules to generate source files.
-    * Post-build hook. Used before linking to inject data into build artifacts.
+    * Post-build hook. Runs once a component has been built, i.e. after
+      compilation and linking. Used to post-process the build artifacts, e.g.
+      to inject data into a freshly built executable, strip it, sign it, or
+      run it.
 
   * Hooks into the install phase (per component). These are used to copy over
     extra files when installing an executable.