diff --git a/src/hb-shape.cc b/src/hb-shape.cc
index 52047877d..89d354fc0 100644
--- a/src/hb-shape.cc
+++ b/src/hb-shape.cc
@@ -246,6 +246,9 @@ reset_buffer (hb_buffer_t *buffer,
  * In addition, justify the shaping results such that the shaping results reach
  * the target advance width/height, depending on the buffer direction.
  *
+ * If the advance of the buffer shaped with hb_shape_full() is already known,
+ * put that in *advance. Otherwise set *advance to zero.
+ *
  * This API is currently experimental and will probably change in the future.
  *
  * Return value: false if all shapers failed, true otherwise
@@ -266,6 +269,7 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
 {
   // TODO Negative font scales?
 
+  /* If default advance already matches target, nothing to do. Shape and return. */
   if (min_target_advance <= *advance && *advance <= max_target_advance)
     return hb_shape_full (font, buffer,
 			  features, num_features,
@@ -273,6 +277,8 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
 
   hb_face_t *face = font->face;
 
+  /* Choose variation tag to use for justification. */
+
   hb_tag_t tag = HB_TAG_NONE;
   hb_ot_var_axis_info_t axis_info;
 
@@ -288,6 +294,7 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
       break;
     }
 
+  /* If no suitable variation axis found, can't justify.  Just shape and return. */
   if (!tag)
   {
     if (hb_shape_full (font, buffer,
@@ -301,6 +308,7 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
       return false;
   }
 
+  /* Copy buffer text as we need it so we can shape multiple times. */
   unsigned text_len = buffer->len;
   auto *text_info = (hb_glyph_info_t *) hb_malloc (text_len * sizeof (buffer->info[0]));
   if (unlikely (text_len && !text_info))
@@ -308,6 +316,7 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
   hb_memcpy (text_info, buffer->info, text_len * sizeof (buffer->info[0]));
   auto text = hb_array<const hb_glyph_info_t> (text_info, text_len);
 
+  /* If default advance was not provided to us, calculate it. */
   if (!*advance)
   {
     hb_font_set_variation (font, tag, axis_info.default_value);
@@ -318,16 +327,23 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
     *advance = buffer_advance (buffer);
   }
 
+  /* If default advance already matches target, nothing to do. Shape and return.
+   * Do this again, in case advance was just calculated.
+   */
   if (min_target_advance <= *advance && *advance <= max_target_advance)
     return true;
 
+  /* Prepare for running the solver. */
   double a, b, ya, yb;
   if (*advance < min_target_advance)
   {
+    /* Need to expand. */
     ya = (double) *advance;
     a = (double) axis_info.default_value;
     b = (double) axis_info.max_value;
 
+    /* Shape buffer for maximum expansion to use as other
+     * starting point for the solver. */
     hb_font_set_variation (font, tag, (float) b);
     reset_buffer (buffer, text);
     if (!hb_shape_full (font, buffer,
@@ -335,6 +351,8 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
 			shaper_list))
       return false;
     yb = (double) buffer_advance (buffer);
+    /* If the maximum expansion is less than max target,
+     * there's nothing to solve for. Just return it. */
     if (yb <= (double) max_target_advance)
     {
       *advance = (float) yb;
@@ -343,10 +361,13 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
   }
   else
   {
+    /* Need to shrink. */
     yb = (double) *advance;
     a = (double) axis_info.min_value;
     b = (double) axis_info.default_value;
 
+    /* Shape buffer for maximum shrinkate to use as other
+     * starting point for the solver. */
     hb_font_set_variation (font, tag, (float) a);
     reset_buffer (buffer, text);
     if (!hb_shape_full (font, buffer,
@@ -354,6 +375,8 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
 			shaper_list))
       return false;
     ya = (double) buffer_advance (buffer);
+    /* If the maximum shrinkate is more than min target,
+     * there's nothing to solve for. Just return it. */
     if (ya >= (double) min_target_advance)
     {
       *advance = (float) ya;
@@ -361,6 +384,9 @@ hb_shape_justify (hb_font_t          *font,
     }
   }
 
+  /* Run the solver to find a var axis value that hits
+   * the desired width. */
+
   double epsilon = (b - a) / (1<<14);
   bool failed = false;