diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index f838b3518..6eccbd564 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ Usage guide:
    config
    remotes
    blame
+   settings
 
 
 Indices and tables
diff --git a/docs/settings.rst b/docs/settings.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f1d7a9871
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/settings.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+**********************************************************************
+Settings
+**********************************************************************
+
+.. contents::
+
+.. autoclass:: pygit2.Settings
+   :members:
diff --git a/pygit2/settings.py b/pygit2/settings.py
index d6e41998c..b5805637b 100644
--- a/pygit2/settings.py
+++ b/pygit2/settings.py
@@ -38,13 +38,25 @@ def __setitem__(self, key, value):
         option(GIT_OPT_SET_SEARCH_PATH, key, value)
 
 class Settings(object):
+    """Library-wide settings"""
 
-    __slots__ = ['mwindow_size', 'search_path']
+    __slots__ = []
 
-    search_path = SearchPathList()
+    _search_path = SearchPathList()
+
+    @property
+    def search_path(self):
+        """Configuration file search path.
+
+        This behaves like an array whose indices correspond to the
+        GIT_CONFIG_LEVEL_* values.  The local search path cannot be
+        changed.
+        """
+        return self._search_path
 
     @property
     def mwindow_size(self):
+        """Maximum mmap window size"""
         return option(GIT_OPT_GET_MWINDOW_SIZE)
 
     @mwindow_size.setter