diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a4382c8..3f275af 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ If these steps work, sops is configured correctly - on your machine ;-)
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -ueo pipefail
 # demo: create a file with a mock secret, src: https://bash-org-archive.com/?244321
+# PREREQUISITE: valid sops config, i.e. .sops.yaml
 yq -n '.demo.credentials.secret = "hunter2"' > secrets.yaml
 # encrypt
 sops -e -i secrets.yaml