diff --git a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.asciidoc b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.asciidoc
index 410e80e1c..d0fa243e9 100644
--- a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.asciidoc
+++ b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.asciidoc
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+IMPORTANT: *Currently, bigger changes are going on in qutebrowser, as
+part of a
+https://lists.schokokeks.org/pipermail/qutebrowser-announce/2018-September/000051.html[student research project]
+about adding a plugin API to qutebrowser and moving a lot of code from the code
+into plugins.* Due to that, bandwidth for pull request review is currently
+very limited, and contributions might lead to merge conflicts due to
+ongoing refactorings.
+
 - Before you start to work on something, please leave a comment on the relevant
   issue (or open one). This makes sure there is no duplicate work done.
 
diff --git a/doc/contributing.asciidoc b/doc/contributing.asciidoc
index bef345c0c..1a2369516 100644
--- a/doc/contributing.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/contributing.asciidoc
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ The Compiler <mail@qutebrowser.org>
 :data-uri:
 :toc:
 
+IMPORTANT: *Currently, bigger changes are going on in qutebrowser, as
+part of a
+https://lists.schokokeks.org/pipermail/qutebrowser-announce/2018-September/000051.html[student research project]
+about adding a plugin API to qutebrowser and moving a lot of code from the code
+into plugins.* Due to that, bandwidth for pull request review is currently
+very limited, and contributions might lead to merge conflicts due to
+ongoing refactorings.
+
 I `&lt;3` footnote:[Of course, that says `<3` in HTML.] contributors!
 
 This document contains guidelines for contributing to qutebrowser, as well as