diff --git a/doc/ci/services/mysql.md b/doc/ci/services/mysql.md
index 2185af0141d4aa25568755b866b7df732534071e..1e0762ca010b6aee5972736e90891e6dfd44c4c7 100644
--- a/doc/ci/services/mysql.md
+++ b/doc/ci/services/mysql.md
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ need it for your tests to run.
 
 If you want to use a MySQL container, you can use [GitLab Runner](../runners/README.md) with the Docker executor.
 
+This example shows you how to set a username and password that GitLab uses to access the MySQL container. If you do not set a username and password, you must use `root`.
+
 1. [Create CI/CD variables](../variables/README.md#custom-cicd-variables) for your
    MySQL database and password by going to **Settings > CI/CD**, expanding **Variables**,
    and clicking **Add Variable**.
@@ -54,6 +56,9 @@ If you want to use a MySQL container, you can use [GitLab Runner](../runners/REA
    Database: <your_mysql_database>
    ```
 
+   In this example, the user is `runner`. You should use a user that has permission to
+   access your database.
+
 ## Use MySQL with the Shell executor
 
 You can also use MySQL on manually-configured servers that use