diff --git a/content/operate/rs/7.22/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md b/content/operate/rs/7.22/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
index 67ee0d7cb2..2439a86599 100644
--- a/content/operate/rs/7.22/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
+++ b/content/operate/rs/7.22/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
@@ -96,18 +96,32 @@ Before you can connect to a database using certificate-based authentication, you
 
 ### Create certificate auth_method users {#create-cert-users}
 
-When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/7.22/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body :
+When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/7.22/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body:
 
 ```sh
 POST /v1/users
 {
   "auth_method": "certificate",
-  "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>, OU=<Organization Unit>, O=<Organization>, L=<Locality>, ST=<State/Province>, C=<Country>"
+  "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>,OU=<Organizational Unit>,O=<Organization>,L=<Locality>,ST=<State/Province>,C=<Country>"
 }
 ```
 
 Replace the placeholder values `<>` with your client certificate's subject values.
 
+{{<note>}}
+The `certificate_subject_line` must:
+
+- Follow [RFC 2253](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2253) format.
+
+- List the attributes in reverse order, starting with the Common Name (`CN`).
+
+- Not contain spaces after the commas that separate attributes.
+
+- Exactly match the certificate's RFC 2253 subject.
+
+- Contain only one Organizational Unit (`OU`) value.
+{{</note>}}
+
 ## Authenticate REST API requests
 
 To use the REST API with certificate-based authentication, you must provide a client certificate, signed by the trusted CA `mtls_trusted_ca`, and a private key.
diff --git a/content/operate/rs/7.8/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md b/content/operate/rs/7.8/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
index 2710fb0ddc..b52e9b901c 100644
--- a/content/operate/rs/7.8/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
+++ b/content/operate/rs/7.8/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
@@ -80,18 +80,32 @@ Before you can connect to a database using certificate-based authentication, you
 
 ### Create certificate auth_method users {#create-cert-users}
 
-When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/7.8/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body :
+When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/7.8/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body:
 
 ```sh
 POST /v1/users
 {
   "auth_method": "certificate",
-  "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>, OU=<Organization Unit>, O=<Organization>, L=<Locality>, ST=<State/Province>, C=<Country>"
+  "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>,OU=<Organizational Unit>,O=<Organization>,L=<Locality>,ST=<State/Province>,C=<Country>"
 }
 ```
 
 Replace the placeholder values `<>` with your client certificate's subject values.
 
+{{<note>}}
+The `certificate_subject_line` must:
+
+- Follow [RFC 2253](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2253) format.
+
+- List the attributes in reverse order, starting with the Common Name (`CN`).
+
+- Not contain spaces after the commas that separate attributes.
+
+- Exactly match the certificate's RFC 2253 subject.
+
+- Contain only one Organizational Unit (`OU`) value.
+{{</note>}}
+
 ## Authenticate REST API requests
 
 To use the REST API with certificate-based authentication, you must provide a client certificate, signed by the trusted CA `mtls_trusted_ca`, and a private key.
diff --git a/content/operate/rs/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md b/content/operate/rs/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
index ba6aa7b27b..931e310ef0 100644
--- a/content/operate/rs/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
+++ b/content/operate/rs/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication.md
@@ -162,12 +162,26 @@ PUT /v1/cluster
     POST /v1/users
     {
       "auth_method": "certificate",
-      "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>, OU=<Organization Unit>, O=<Organization>, L=<Locality>, ST=<State/Province>, C=<Country>"
+      "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>,OU=<Organizational Unit>,O=<Organization>,L=<Locality>,ST=<State/Province>,C=<Country>"
     }
     ```
 
     Replace the placeholder values `<>` with your client certificate's subject values.
 
+    {{<note>}}
+The `certificate_subject_line` must:
+
+- Follow [RFC 2253](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2253) format.
+
+- List the attributes in reverse order, starting with the Common Name (`CN`).
+
+- Not contain spaces after the commas that separate attributes.
+
+- Exactly match the certificate's RFC 2253 subject.
+
+- Contain only one Organizational Unit (`OU`) value.
+    {{</note>}}
+
 ### Authenticate REST API requests
 
 To use the REST API with certificate-based authentication, you must provide a client certificate, signed by the trusted CA `mtls_trusted_ca`, and a private key.
@@ -186,18 +200,32 @@ To set up certificate-based authentication for databases:
 
 1. Enable mutual TLS for the relevant databases. See [Enable TLS]({{<relref "/operate/rs/security/encryption/tls/enable-tls">}}) for detailed instructions.
 
-1. When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body :
+1. When you [create new users]({{<relref "/operate/rs/references/rest-api/requests/users#post-user">}}), include `"auth_method": "certificate"` and `certificate_subject_line` in the request body:
 
     ```sh
     POST /v1/users
     {
       "auth_method": "certificate",
-      "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>, OU=<Organization Unit>, O=<Organization>, L=<Locality>, ST=<State/Province>, C=<Country>"
+      "certificate_subject_line": "CN=<Common Name>,OU=<Organizational Unit>,O=<Organization>,L=<Locality>,ST=<State/Province>,C=<Country>"
     }
     ```
 
     Replace the placeholder values `<>` with your client certificate's subject values.
 
+    {{<note>}}
+The `certificate_subject_line` must:
+
+- Follow [RFC 2253](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2253) format.
+
+- List the attributes in reverse order, starting with the Common Name (`CN`).
+
+- Not contain spaces after the commas that separate attributes.
+
+- Exactly match the certificate's RFC 2253 subject.
+
+- Contain only one Organizational Unit (`OU`) value.
+    {{</note>}}
+
 ### Authenticate database connections
 
 To connect to a database with certificate-based authentication, you must provide a client certificate, signed by a trusted CA, and a private key. The client certificate must either be one you previously added to the database to [enable mutual TLS]({{<relref "/operate/rs/security/encryption/tls/enable-tls#enable-mutual-tls">}}) (`authentication_ssl_client_certs` in the REST API), or be signed by one of these certificates.