diff --git a/DOCUMENTATION.md b/DOCUMENTATION.md
index d0d39677f..c03003bf5 100644
--- a/DOCUMENTATION.md
+++ b/DOCUMENTATION.md
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ balena.models.application.membership.getAllByUser(123).then(function(memberships
###### membership.create(options) ⇒ Promise
-This method adds a user to an application by their username.
+This method adds a user to an application by their username if they are a member of the organization.
**Kind**: static method of [membership
](#balena.models.application.membership)
**Summary**: Creates a new membership for an application
diff --git a/src/models/application-membership.ts b/src/models/application-membership.ts
index 39eaeb9f0..8cc46aed6 100644
--- a/src/models/application-membership.ts
+++ b/src/models/application-membership.ts
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ const getApplicationMembershipModel = function (
* @function
* @memberof balena.models.application.membership
*
- * @description This method adds a user to an application by their username.
+ * @description This method adds a user to an application by their username if they are a member of the organization.
*
* @param {Object} options - membership creation parameters
* @param {String|Number} options.application - application handle (string), or id (number)