diff --git a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
index f3d33c37549db9c4a9d85562b2cd1da9e0bd278e..211e764c87b95310d5b68995677f0d958a8c9550 100644
--- a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
+++ b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
@@ -570,8 +570,9 @@ class Mesh(Record):
     """
     .. attribute:: vertices
 
-        An array of vertex coordinates with shape
-        *(ambient_dim, nvertices)*
+        *None* or an array of vertex coordinates with shape
+        *(ambient_dim, nvertices)*. If *None*, vertices are not
+        known for this mesh.
 
     .. attribute:: groups