diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
index b13e50cb17d..272f1b95fe6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
@@ -73,8 +73,45 @@ in
     boot.kernelPatches = mkOption {
       type = types.listOf types.attrs;
       default = [];
-      example = literalExpression "[ pkgs.kernelPatches.ubuntu_fan_4_4 ]";
-      description = lib.mdDoc "A list of additional patches to apply to the kernel.";
+      example = literalExpression ''
+        [
+          {
+            name = "foo";
+            patch = ./foo.patch;
+            structuredExtraConfig.FOO = lib.kernel.yes;
+            features.foo = true;
+          }
+        ]
+      '';
+      description = lib.mdDoc ''
+        A list of additional patches to apply to the kernel.
+
+        Every item should be an attribute set with the following attributes:
+
+        ```nix
+        {
+          name = "foo";                 # descriptive name, required
+
+          patch = ./foo.patch;          # path or derivation that contains the patch source
+                                        # (required, but can be null if only config changes
+                                        # are needed)
+
+          structuredExtraConfig = {     # attrset of extra configuration parameters
+            FOO = lib.kernel.yes;       # (without the CONFIG_ prefix, optional)
+          };                            # values should generally be lib.kernel.yes or lib.kernel.no
+
+          features = {                  # attrset of extra "features" the kernel is considered to have
+            foo = true;                 # (may be checked by other NixOS modules, optional)
+          };
+
+          extraConfig = "CONFIG_FOO y"; # extra configuration options in string form
+                                        # (deprecated, use structuredExtraConfig instead, optional)
+        }
+        ```
+
+        There's a small set of existing kernel patches in Nixpkgs, available as `pkgs.kernelPatches`,
+        that follow this format and can be used directly.
+      '';
     };
 
     boot.kernel.randstructSeed = mkOption {