diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 18128b988..a1ad2563a 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ should be able to do **easy_install pymongo** to install
 PyMongo. Otherwise you can download the project source and do **python
 setup.py install** to install.
 
+Do **not** install the "bson" package. PyMongo comes with its own bson package;
+doing "easy_install bson" installs a third-party package that is incompatible
+with PyMongo.
+
 Dependencies
 ============
 
diff --git a/doc/installation.rst b/doc/installation.rst
index 436c8c79f..59e0ea2ba 100644
--- a/doc/installation.rst
+++ b/doc/installation.rst
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ Installing / Upgrading
 **PyMongo** is in the `Python Package Index
 <http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pymongo/>`_.
 
+.. warning:: **Do not install the "bson" package.** PyMongo comes with its own
+   bson package; doing "pip install bson" or "easy_install bson" installs a
+   third-party package that is incompatible with PyMongo.
+
 Microsoft Windows
 -----------------