diff --git a/docs/tutorial/recent-documents.md b/docs/tutorial/recent-documents.md
index e23df89834e0..c26f7964cc34 100644
--- a/docs/tutorial/recent-documents.md
+++ b/docs/tutorial/recent-documents.md
@@ -83,6 +83,22 @@ following code snippet to your menu template:
 }
 ```
 
+Make sure the application menu is added after the [`'ready'`](../api/app.md#event-ready)
+event and not before, or the menu item will be disabled:
+
+```javascript
+const { app, Menu } = require('electron')
+
+const template = [
+  // Menu template here
+]
+const menu = Menu.buildFromTemplate(template)
+
+app.whenReady().then(() => {
+  Menu.setApplicationMenu(menu)
+})
+```
+
 ![macOS Recent Documents menu item][menu-item-image]
 
 When a file is requested from the recent documents menu, the `open-file` event