diff --git a/library/files/copy b/library/files/copy
index dbf9c71b4f6..bbf277837a8 100644
--- a/library/files/copy
+++ b/library/files/copy
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ options:
     description:
       - The validation command to run before copying into place.  The path to the file to
         validate is passed in via '%s' which must be present as in the visudo example below.
+        The command is passed securely so shell features like expansion and pipes won't work.
     required: false
     default: ""
     version_added: "1.2"
diff --git a/library/files/lineinfile b/library/files/lineinfile
index bdc7b51ed90..bad0cf093ce 100644
--- a/library/files/lineinfile
+++ b/library/files/lineinfile
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ options:
   validate:
      required: false
      description:
-       - validation to run before copying into place
+       - validation to run before copying into place. The command is passed 
+         securely so shell features like expansion and pipes won't work.
      required: false
      default: None
      version_added: "1.4"
diff --git a/library/files/template b/library/files/template
index 3f2ea5bbf5e..8ffa6252516 100644
--- a/library/files/template
+++ b/library/files/template
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ options:
     default: "no"
   validate:
     description:
-      - The validation command to run before copying into place. The path to the file to validate is passed in via '%s' which must be present as in the visudo example below. (added in Ansible 1.2)
+      - The validation command to run before copying into place. 
+      - The path to the file to validate is passed in via '%s' which must be present as in the visudo example below.
+      - validation to run before copying into place. The command is passed 
+        securely so shell features like expansion and pipes won't work.
     required: false
     default: ""
     version_added: "1.2"