diff --git a/changelog.d/16531.doc b/changelog.d/16531.doc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0932d1abf1b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16531.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add a sentence to the opentracing docs on how you can have jaeger in a different place than synapse.
diff --git a/docs/opentracing.md b/docs/opentracing.md
index abb94b565f21..bf4887416033 100644
--- a/docs/opentracing.md
+++ b/docs/opentracing.md
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ docker run -d --name jaeger \
   jaegertracing/all-in-one:1
 ```
 
+By default, Synapse will publish traces to Jaeger on localhost.
+If Jaeger is hosted elsewhere, point Synapse to the correct host by setting
+`opentracing.jaeger_config.local_agent.reporting_host` [in the Synapse configuration](usage/configuration/config_documentation.md#opentracing-1)
+or by setting the `JAEGER_AGENT_HOST` environment variable to the desired address.
+
 Latest documentation is probably at
 https://www.jaegertracing.io/docs/latest/getting-started.