diff --git a/add-on/_locales/en/messages.json b/add-on/_locales/en/messages.json
index 22cc7699f..26b1c55a2 100644
--- a/add-on/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/add-on/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -396,9 +396,13 @@
     "description": "An option title on the Preferences screen (option_automaticMode_title)"
   },
   "option_automaticMode_description": {
-    "message": "Automatically switch from your local gateway to your default public gateway if the Kubo RPC is unavailable.",
+    "message": "Automatically redirect to your local gateway when the Kubo RPC endpoint is available.",
     "description": "An option description on the Preferences screen (option_automaticMode_description)"
   },
+  "option_automaticMode_description_subtext": {
+    "message": "Disabling this still triggers redirects even if the Kubo RPC endpoint is unavailable. The automatic mode only validates the availability of a local gateway based on Kubo RPC endpoint availability and automatically redirects to the local gateway when available.",
+    "description": "An automatic mode option description on the Preferences screen (option_automaticMode_description_subtext)"
+  },
   "option_header_dnslink": {
     "message": "DNSLink",
     "description": "A section header on the Preferences screen (option_header_dnslink)"
diff --git a/add-on/src/options/forms/api-form.js b/add-on/src/options/forms/api-form.js
index 94928fc86..8d99c6168 100644
--- a/add-on/src/options/forms/api-form.js
+++ b/add-on/src/options/forms/api-form.js
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ export default function apiForm ({ ipfsNodeType, ipfsApiUrl, ipfsApiPollMs, auto
             <dl>
               <dt>${browser.i18n.getMessage('option_automaticMode_title')}</dt>
               <dd>${browser.i18n.getMessage('option_automaticMode_description')}</dd>
+              <p class="red i">${browser.i18n.getMessage('option_automaticMode_description_subtext')}</p>
             </dl>
           </label>
           <div class="self-center-ns">${switchToggle({ id: 'automaticMode', checked: automaticMode, onchange: onAutomaticModeChange })}</div>