diff --git a/ledger/src/blockstore_db.rs b/ledger/src/blockstore_db.rs
index 426781a42..7801babc9 100644
--- a/ledger/src/blockstore_db.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/blockstore_db.rs
@@ -157,7 +157,16 @@ pub mod columns {
     pub struct Orphans;
 
     #[derive(Debug)]
-    /// The dead slots column
+    /// The dead slots column.
+    /// This column family tracks whether a slot is dead.
+    ///
+    /// A slot is marked as dead if the validator thinks it will never be able
+    /// to successfully replay this slot.  Example scenarios include errors
+    /// during the replay of a slot, or the validator believes it will never
+    /// receive all the shreds of a slot.
+    ///
+    /// If a slot has been mistakenly marked as dead, the ledger-tool's
+    /// --remove-dead-slot can unmark a dead slot.
     ///
     /// index type: u64 (see `SlotColumn`)
     /// value type: bool