diff --git a/zip-guide.html b/zip-guide.html
index 3751c80a..4d4eaea2 100644
--- a/zip-guide.html
+++ b/zip-guide.html
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ License: {usually MIT}</pre>
         </section>
         <section id="abstract">
             <h2>Abstract</h2>
-            <p>{Describe what this proposal does, typically in a few paragraphs.}</p>
-            <p>{Use links where applicable, e.g. <a href="#protocol" id="id2" class="footnote_reference">2</a>.}</p>
+            <p>{Describe what this proposal does, typically in a few paragraphs.</p>
+            <p>The Abstract should only provide a summary of the ZIP; the ZIP should remain complete without the Abstract.</p>
+            <p>Use links where applicable, e.g. <a href="#protocol" id="id2" class="footnote_reference">2</a>.}</p>
         </section>
         <section id="motivation">
             <h2>Motivation</h2>
diff --git a/zip-guide.rst b/zip-guide.rst
index 4a936df1..9fe94f56 100644
--- a/zip-guide.rst
+++ b/zip-guide.rst
@@ -42,9 +42,12 @@ The terms below are to be interpreted as follows:
 Abstract
 ========
 
-{Describe what this proposal does, typically in a few paragraphs.}
+{Describe what this proposal does, typically in a few paragraphs.
 
-{Use links where applicable, e.g. [#protocol]_.}
+The Abstract should only provide a summary of the ZIP; the ZIP should remain
+complete without the Abstract.
+
+Use links where applicable, e.g. [#protocol]_.}
 
 
 Motivation