diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index d9a3375ec25..3c0bdbc20c0 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2009-03-15  Glenn Morris  <rgm@gnu.org>
 
+	* calendar/cal-tex.el (cal-tex-preamble-extra): Add an example string
+	value to help people with the formatting.
+
 	* mail/sendmail.el (mail-yank-prefix): Doc fix.
 	(mail-mode-map): Only enable the "Cite Original" menu-item when
 	appropriate.  Standardize the text used for other headers re hyphens.
diff --git a/lisp/calendar/cal-tex.el b/lisp/calendar/cal-tex.el
index c89a295f333..829844b3ec1 100644
--- a/lisp/calendar/cal-tex.el
+++ b/lisp/calendar/cal-tex.el
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ At present, this only affects `cal-tex-cursor-day'"
   "A string giving extra LaTeX commands to insert in the calendar preamble.
 For example, to include extra packages:
 \"\\\\usepackage{foo}\\n\\\\usepackage{bar}\\n\"."
-  :type '(choice (const nil) string)
+  :type '(choice (const nil)
+                 ;; An example to help people format things in custom.
+                 (string :value "\\usepackage{foo}\n\\usepackage{bar}\n"))
   :group 'calendar-tex
   :version "22.1")