diff --git a/doc/source/admin/galaxy_options.rst b/doc/source/admin/galaxy_options.rst
index 833afcd1133..87dc96bb544 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/galaxy_options.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/galaxy_options.rst
@@ -427,10 +427,10 @@
 :Description:
     SQLAlchemy connection string for storing pre-parsed tool sources.
     The store is a rebuildable cache that lives outside Galaxy's
-    database. Defining this URI does not make Galaxy's eager toolbox
-    startup use the store; it is opened by code paths that explicitly
-    use tool source storage, such as the population script and lazy
-    toolbox consumers.
+    database. This URI is used by tool source storage code paths,
+    including the population script and lazy toolbox consumers.
+    Runtime use also requires a populated store and a toolbox consumer
+    configured to read from tool source storage.
     By default, Galaxy uses a SQLite database at
     ``<data_dir>/tool_sources.sqlite``. Multi-host deployments should
     point every process at the same SQLAlchemy URI, such as a SQLite
diff --git a/doc/source/admin/tool_source_storage.rst b/doc/source/admin/tool_source_storage.rst
index 4ccf6243715..42d6b3bce39 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/tool_source_storage.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/tool_source_storage.rst
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ Default Store
       tool_source_database_connection: sqlite:////srv/galaxy/tool_sources.sqlite
 
 The store lives in a standalone database - a SQLite file under
-``<data_dir>/tool_sources.sqlite`` by default - never in Galaxy's own database. It is
-a rebuildable cache: deleting it costs one populator run. Defining this URI
-does not make Galaxy's eager toolbox startup use the store; it is opened by
-code paths that explicitly use tool source storage, such as the population
-script and lazy toolbox consumers.
+``<data_dir>/tool_sources.sqlite`` by default - separate from Galaxy's main
+database. It is a rebuildable cache: deleting it costs one populator run.
+This URI is used by tool source storage code paths, including the population
+script and lazy toolbox consumers. Runtime use also requires a populated store
+and a toolbox consumer configured to read from tool source storage.
 
 .. code-block:: yaml
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/config/sample/galaxy.yml.sample b/lib/galaxy/config/sample/galaxy.yml.sample
index 6e5a8d2613b..7182ed4dda6 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/config/sample/galaxy.yml.sample
+++ b/lib/galaxy/config/sample/galaxy.yml.sample
@@ -590,10 +590,10 @@ galaxy:
 
   # SQLAlchemy connection string for storing pre-parsed tool sources.
   # The store is a rebuildable cache that lives outside Galaxy's
-  # database. Defining this URI does not make Galaxy's eager toolbox
-  # startup use the store; it is opened by code paths that explicitly
-  # use tool source storage, such as the population script and lazy
-  # toolbox consumers.
+  # database. This URI is used by tool source storage code paths,
+  # including the population script and lazy toolbox consumers. Runtime
+  # use also requires a populated store and a toolbox consumer
+  # configured to read from tool source storage.
   # By default, Galaxy uses a SQLite database at
   # ``<data_dir>/tool_sources.sqlite``. Multi-host deployments should
   # point every process at the same SQLAlchemy URI, such as a SQLite
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/config/schemas/config_schema.yml b/lib/galaxy/config/schemas/config_schema.yml
index 66ebc74c75b..ada54a56150 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/config/schemas/config_schema.yml
+++ b/lib/galaxy/config/schemas/config_schema.yml
@@ -328,10 +328,10 @@ mapping:
         desc: |
           SQLAlchemy connection string for storing pre-parsed tool sources.
           The store is a rebuildable cache that lives outside Galaxy's
-          database. Defining this URI does not make Galaxy's eager toolbox
-          startup use the store; it is opened by code paths that explicitly
-          use tool source storage, such as the population script and lazy
-          toolbox consumers.
+          database. This URI is used by tool source storage code paths,
+          including the population script and lazy toolbox consumers. Runtime
+          use also requires a populated store and a toolbox consumer configured
+          to read from tool source storage.
 
           By default, Galaxy uses a SQLite database at
           ``<data_dir>/tool_sources.sqlite``. Multi-host deployments should point