diff --git a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client.go b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client.go
index 1cf21f2..65f9425 100644
--- a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client.go
+++ b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client.go
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ func InstrumentRoundTripperCounter(counter *prometheus.CounterVec, next http.Rou
 //
 // If the wrapped RoundTripper panics or returns a non-nil error, no values are
 // reported.
+//
+// Note that this method is only guaranteed to never observe negative durations
+// if used with Go1.9+.
 func InstrumentRoundTripperDuration(obs prometheus.ObserverVec, next http.RoundTripper) RoundTripperFunc {
 	code, method := checkLabels(obs)
 
diff --git a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client_1_8.go b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client_1_8.go
index b51d910..0bd80c3 100644
--- a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client_1_8.go
+++ b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_client_1_8.go
@@ -48,8 +48,10 @@ type InstrumentTrace struct {
 // RoundTripper and reports times to hook functions provided in the
 // InstrumentTrace struct. Hook functions that are not present in the provided
 // InstrumentTrace struct are ignored. Times reported to the hook functions are
-// time since the start of the request. Note that partitioning of Histograms
-// is expensive and should be used judiciously.
+// time since the start of the request. Only with Go1.9+, those times are
+// guaranteed to never be negative. (Earlier Go versions are not using a
+// monotonic clock.) Note that partitioning of Histograms is expensive and
+// should be used judiciously.
 //
 // For hook functions that receive an error as an argument, no observations are
 // made in the event of a non-nil error value.
diff --git a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_server.go b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_server.go
index a9b9649..3d145ad 100644
--- a/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_server.go
+++ b/prometheus/promhttp/instrument_server.go
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ func InstrumentHandlerInFlight(g prometheus.Gauge, next http.Handler) http.Handl
 // If the wrapped Handler does not set a status code, a status code of 200 is assumed.
 //
 // If the wrapped Handler panics, no values are reported.
+//
+// Note that this method is only guaranteed to never observe negative durations
+// if used with Go1.9+.
 func InstrumentHandlerDuration(obs prometheus.ObserverVec, next http.Handler) http.HandlerFunc {
 	code, method := checkLabels(obs)
 
@@ -120,6 +123,9 @@ func InstrumentHandlerCounter(counter *prometheus.CounterVec, next http.Handler)
 // If the wrapped Handler panics before calling WriteHeader, no value is
 // reported.
 //
+// Note that this method is only guaranteed to never observe negative durations
+// if used with Go1.9+.
+//
 // See the example for InstrumentHandlerDuration for example usage.
 func InstrumentHandlerTimeToWriteHeader(obs prometheus.ObserverVec, next http.Handler) http.HandlerFunc {
 	code, method := checkLabels(obs)
diff --git a/prometheus/push/example_add_from_gatherer_test.go b/prometheus/push/example_add_from_gatherer_test.go
index dd5c10a..5180c07 100644
--- a/prometheus/push/example_add_from_gatherer_test.go
+++ b/prometheus/push/example_add_from_gatherer_test.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func ExampleAddFromGatherer() {
 	start := time.Now()
 	n, err := performBackup()
 	records.Set(float64(n))
+	// Note that time.Since only uses a monotonic clock in Go1.9+.
 	duration.Set(time.Since(start).Seconds())
 	completionTime.SetToCurrentTime()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/prometheus/timer.go b/prometheus/timer.go
index 12b6569..b8fc5f1 100644
--- a/prometheus/timer.go
+++ b/prometheus/timer.go
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ func NewTimer(o Observer) *Timer {
 // NewTimer. It calls the Observe method of the Observer provided during
 // construction with the duration in seconds as an argument. ObserveDuration is
 // usually called with a defer statement.
+//
+// Note that this method is only guaranteed to never observe negative durations
+// if used with Go1.9+.
 func (t *Timer) ObserveDuration() {
 	if t.observer != nil {
 		t.observer.Observe(time.Since(t.begin).Seconds())