diff --git i/extension/inplace.3am w/extension/inplace.3am
index 66047442..54a91e03 100644
--- i/extension/inplace.3am
+++ w/extension/inplace.3am
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ is.
 By default, each named file on the command line is
 replaced with a new file of the same name whose contents
 are the results of running the AWK program.
+Since a new file is created, if the file is a link (whether hard
+or symbolic), the link will be broken.
+This behavior is consistent with
+.I GNU sed
+which also breaks links when the
+.B -i
+or
+.B --in-place
+flag is used.
 If the user supplies an AWK variable named
 .B inplace::suffix
 in a