diff --git a/design/src/client/detailed_error_explanations.md b/design/src/client/detailed_error_explanations.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47b3da94c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/design/src/client/detailed_error_explanations.md
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Detailed Error Explanations
+
+This page collects detailed explanations for some errors. If you encounter an
+error and are interested in learning more about what it means and why it occurs,
+check here.
+
+**If you can't find the explanation on this page, please file an issue asking
+for it to be added.**
+
+## "Connection encountered an issue and should not be re-used. Marking it for closure"
+
+The SDK clients each maintain their own connection pool (_except when they share
+an `HttpClient`_). By the convention of some services, when a request fails due
+to a [transient error](#transient-errors), that connection should not be re-used
+for a retry. Instead, it should be dropped and a new connection created instead.
+This prevents clients from repeatedly sending requests over a failed connection.
+
+This feature is referred to as "connection poisoning" internally.
+
+## Transient Errors
+
+When requests to a service time out, or when a service responds with a 500, 502,
+503, or 504 error, it's considered a 'transient error'. Transient errors are
+often resolved by making another request.
+
+When retrying transient errors, the SDKs may avoid re-using connections to
+overloaded or otherwise unavailable service endpoints, choosing instead to
+establish a new connection. This behavior is referred to internally as
+"connection poisoning" and is configurable.
+
+To configure this behavior, set the [reconnect_mode][reconnect-mode] in an SDK
+client config's [RetryConfig].
+
+[file an issue]: https://github.com/smithy-lang/smithy-rs/issues/new?assignees=&labels=&projects=&template=blank_issue.md
+[RetryConfig]: https://docs.rs/aws-types/latest/aws_types/sdk_config/struct.RetryConfig.html
+[reconnect-mode]: https://docs.rs/aws-types/latest/aws_types/sdk_config/struct.RetryConfig.html#method.with_reconnect_mode
diff --git a/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime-api/src/client/connection.rs b/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime-api/src/client/connection.rs
index 63925ec882..114f7f7465 100644
--- a/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime-api/src/client/connection.rs
+++ b/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime-api/src/client/connection.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ pub struct ConnectionMetadata {
 impl ConnectionMetadata {
     /// Poison this connection, ensuring that it won't be reused.
     pub fn poison(&self) {
-        tracing::info!("smithy connection was poisoned");
+        tracing::info!(
+            see_for_more_info = "https://smithy-lang.github.io/smithy-rs/design/client/detailed_error_explanations.html",
+            "Connection encountered an issue and should not be re-used. Marking it for closure"
+        );
         (self.poison_fn)()
     }
 
diff --git a/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime/src/client/http/connection_poisoning.rs b/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime/src/client/http/connection_poisoning.rs
index a82d242ebe..13ea455a88 100644
--- a/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime/src/client/http/connection_poisoning.rs
+++ b/rust-runtime/aws-smithy-runtime/src/client/http/connection_poisoning.rs
@@ -81,14 +81,14 @@ impl Intercept for ConnectionPoisoningInterceptor {
             reconnect_mode == ReconnectMode::ReconnectOnTransientError;
 
         if error_is_transient && connection_poisoning_is_enabled {
-            debug!("received a transient error, poisoning the connection...");
+            debug!("received a transient error, marking the connection for closure...");
 
             if let Some(captured_connection) = captured_connection.and_then(|conn| conn.get()) {
                 captured_connection.poison();
-                debug!("the connection was poisoned")
+                debug!("the connection was marked for closure")
             } else {
                 error!(
-                    "unable to poison the connection because no connection was found! The underlying HTTP connector never set a connection."
+                    "unable to mark the connection for closure because no connection was found! The underlying HTTP connector never set a connection."
                 );
             }
         }