diff --git a/compiler/rustc_lint/messages.ftl b/compiler/rustc_lint/messages.ftl
index ad6c381a58135..060cc77c70ddb 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_lint/messages.ftl
+++ b/compiler/rustc_lint/messages.ftl
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ lint_array_into_iter =
     .use_explicit_into_iter_suggestion =
         or use `IntoIterator::into_iter(..)` instead of `.into_iter()` to explicitly iterate by value
 
-lint_async_fn_in_trait = usage of `async fn` in trait is discouraged because they do not automatically have auto trait bounds
-    .note = you can suppress this lint if you plan to use the trait locally, for concrete types, or do not care about auto traits like `Send` on the future
-    .suggestion = you can alternatively desugar the `async fn` and any add additional traits such as `Send` to the signature
+lint_async_fn_in_trait = use of `async fn` in public traits is discouraged as auto trait bounds cannot be specified
+    .note = you can suppress this lint if you plan to use the trait locally, for concrete types, or do not care about auto traits like `Send` on the `Future`
+    .suggestion = you can alternatively desugar to a normal `fn` that returns `impl Future` and add any desired bounds such as `Send`
 
 lint_atomic_ordering_fence = memory fences cannot have `Relaxed` ordering
     .help = consider using ordering modes `Acquire`, `Release`, `AcqRel` or `SeqCst`
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_lint/src/async_fn_in_trait.rs b/compiler/rustc_lint/src/async_fn_in_trait.rs
index 0ad129d43cd7a..2ef9627eac54a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_lint/src/async_fn_in_trait.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_lint/src/async_fn_in_trait.rs
@@ -5,26 +5,85 @@ use rustc_hir as hir;
 use rustc_trait_selection::traits::error_reporting::suggestions::suggest_desugaring_async_fn_to_impl_future_in_trait;
 
 declare_lint! {
-    /// TODO
+    /// The `async_fn_in_trait` lint detects use of `async fn` in the
+    /// definition of a publicly-reachable trait.
     ///
     /// ### Example
     ///
     /// ```rust
-    /// fn foo<T: Drop>() {}
+    /// # #![feature(async_fn_in_trait)]
+    /// pub trait Trait {
+    ///     async fn method(&self);
+    /// }
     /// ```
     ///
     /// {{produces}}
     ///
     /// ### Explanation
     ///
-    /// TODO
+    /// When `async fn` is used in a trait definition, the trait does not
+    /// promise that the opaque [`Future`] returned by the associated function
+    /// or method will implement any [auto traits] such as [`Send`]. This may
+    /// be surprising and may make the associated functions or methods on the
+    /// trait less useful than intended. On traits exposed publicly from a
+    /// crate, this may affect downstream crates whose authors cannot alter
+    /// the trait definition.
+    ///
+    /// For example, this code is invalid:
+    ///
+    /// ```rust,compile_fail
+    /// # #![feature(async_fn_in_trait)]
+    /// pub trait Trait {
+    ///     async fn method(&self) {}
+    /// }
+    ///
+    /// fn test<T: Trait>(x: T) {
+    ///     fn is_send<T: Send>(_: T) {}
+    ///     is_send(x.method()); // Not OK.
+    /// }
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// This lint exists to warn authors of publicly-reachable traits that
+    /// they may want to consider desugaring the `async fn` to a normal `fn`
+    /// that returns an opaque `impl Future<..> + Send` type.
+    ///
+    /// For example, instead of:
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// # #![feature(async_fn_in_trait)]
+    /// pub trait Trait {
+    ///     async fn method(&self) {}
+    /// }
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// The author of the trait may want to write:
+    ///
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// # #![feature(return_position_impl_trait_in_trait)]
+    /// use core::future::Future;
+    /// pub trait Trait {
+    ///     fn method(&self) -> impl Future<Output = ()> + Send { async {} }
+    /// }
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// Conversely, if the trait is used only locally, if only concrete types
+    /// that implement the trait are used, or if the trait author otherwise
+    /// does not care that the trait will not promise that the returned
+    /// [`Future`] implements any [auto traits] such as [`Send`], then the
+    /// lint may be suppressed.
+    ///
+    /// [`Future`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/core/future/trait.Future.html
+    /// [`Send`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/core/marker/trait.Send.html
+    /// [auto traits]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/reference/special-types-and-traits.html#auto-traits
     pub ASYNC_FN_IN_TRAIT,
     Warn,
-    "TODO"
+    "use of `async fn` in definition of a publicly-reachable trait"
 }
 
 declare_lint_pass!(
-    // TODO:
+    /// Lint for use of `async fn` in the definition of a publicly-reachable
+    /// trait.
     AsyncFnInTrait => [ASYNC_FN_IN_TRAIT]
 );