diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2505.section.md b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2505.section.md
index 772f7daa8d79..eb15f1c4b8e9 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2505.section.md
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2505.section.md
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@
   access or want to access home directory via `killHook`, hardening setting can
   be changed via, e.g. `systemd.services.earlyoom.serviceConfig.ProtectSystem`.
 
+  `services.earlyoom.extraArgs` is now shell-escaped for each element without
+  word-breaking. So you want to write `extraArgs = [ "--prefer" "spaced pat" ]`
+  rather than previous `extraArgs = [ "--prefer 'spaced pat'" ]`.
+
 - `nodePackages.vls` has been deprecated, as the upstream consumer of it, vetur, has been deprecated by upstream. Upstream suggests migrating to Volar for Vue LSP tooling instead.
 
 - `nodePackages.create-react-native-app` has been removed, as it is deprecated. Upstream suggests using a framework for React Native apps instead.
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/system/earlyoom.nix b/nixos/modules/services/system/earlyoom.nix
index 616dea3eb236..532c8c75076f 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/system/earlyoom.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/system/earlyoom.nix
@@ -139,9 +139,14 @@ in
       default = [ ];
       example = [
         "-g"
-        "--prefer '(^|/)(java|chromium)$'"
+        "--prefer"
+        "(^|/)(java|chromium)$"
       ];
-      description = "Extra command-line arguments to be passed to earlyoom.";
+      description = ''
+        Extra command-line arguments to be passed to earlyoom. Each element in
+        the value list will be escaped as an argument without further
+        word-breaking.
+      '';
     };
   };