diff --git a/include/polarssl/aes.h b/include/polarssl/aes.h
index bb5d161ba..0910479ba 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/aes.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/aes.h
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@ int aes_crypt_ecb( aes_context *ctx,
  *                 Length should be a multiple of the block
  *                 size (16 bytes)
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      AES context
  * \param mode     AES_ENCRYPT or AES_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
@@ -154,6 +162,14 @@ int aes_crypt_cbc( aes_context *ctx,
  * both encryption and decryption. So a context initialized with
  * aes_setkey_enc() for both AES_ENCRYPT and AES_DECRYPT.
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      AES context
  * \param mode     AES_ENCRYPT or AES_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
@@ -179,6 +195,14 @@ int aes_crypt_cfb128( aes_context *ctx,
  * both encryption and decryption. So a context initialized with
  * aes_setkey_enc() for both AES_ENCRYPT and AES_DECRYPT.
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      AES context
  * \param mode     AES_ENCRYPT or AES_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
diff --git a/include/polarssl/blowfish.h b/include/polarssl/blowfish.h
index e1d25cfa8..f91b38da6 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/blowfish.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/blowfish.h
@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ int blowfish_crypt_ecb( blowfish_context *ctx,
  *                 Length should be a multiple of the block
  *                 size (8 bytes)
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      Blowfish context
  * \param mode     BLOWFISH_ENCRYPT or BLOWFISH_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
@@ -136,6 +144,14 @@ int blowfish_crypt_cbc( blowfish_context *ctx,
 /**
  * \brief          Blowfish CFB buffer encryption/decryption.
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      Blowfish context
  * \param mode     BLOWFISH_ENCRYPT or BLOWFISH_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
diff --git a/include/polarssl/camellia.h b/include/polarssl/camellia.h
index 2023775d2..47e9f8192 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/camellia.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/camellia.h
@@ -122,6 +122,14 @@ int camellia_crypt_ecb( camellia_context *ctx,
  *                 Length should be a multiple of the block
  *                 size (16 bytes)
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      CAMELLIA context
  * \param mode     CAMELLIA_ENCRYPT or CAMELLIA_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
@@ -148,6 +156,14 @@ int camellia_crypt_cbc( camellia_context *ctx,
  * both encryption and decryption. So a context initialized with
  * camellia_setkey_enc() for both CAMELLIA_ENCRYPT and CAMELLIE_DECRYPT.
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      CAMELLIA context
  * \param mode     CAMELLIA_ENCRYPT or CAMELLIA_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
diff --git a/include/polarssl/des.h b/include/polarssl/des.h
index 86e6b1de9..998ae4603 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/des.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/des.h
@@ -214,6 +214,14 @@ int des_crypt_ecb( des_context *ctx,
 /**
  * \brief          DES-CBC buffer encryption/decryption
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      DES context
  * \param mode     DES_ENCRYPT or DES_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data
@@ -246,6 +254,14 @@ int des3_crypt_ecb( des3_context *ctx,
 /**
  * \brief          3DES-CBC buffer encryption/decryption
  *
+ * \note           Upon exit, the content of the IV is updated so that you can
+ *                 call the function same function again on the following
+ *                 block(s) of data and get the same result as if it was
+ *                 encrypted in one call. This allows a "streaming" usage.
+ *                 If on the other hand you need to retain the contents of the
+ *                 IV, you should either save it manually or use the cipher
+ *                 module instead.
+ *
  * \param ctx      3DES context
  * \param mode     DES_ENCRYPT or DES_DECRYPT
  * \param length   length of the input data