diff --git a/ghc/tests/README b/ghc/tests/README
index 67f1a34a31090dc6e2447cce2c6b3325ff2be32c..0054e5deb6a34bf0d06b17329caa33f1b1cc77db 100644
--- a/ghc/tests/README
+++ b/ghc/tests/README
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ the resulting output with that specified in the file reader001.stderr.
 
 "make all" run all tests.
 
+If you want to set compilation options globally from the commandline,
+use `make EXTRA_HC_OPTS="-foo-option -blah', for global runstdtest options
+use EXTRA_RUNTEST_OPTS.
+
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 			ADDING A NEW TEST
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