diff --git a/docs/howto/custom-management-commands.txt b/docs/howto/custom-management-commands.txt
index e49e2b632a..74b67b2ac2 100644
--- a/docs/howto/custom-management-commands.txt
+++ b/docs/howto/custom-management-commands.txt
@@ -243,6 +243,11 @@ the :meth:`~BaseCommand.handle` method must be implemented.
     :class:`CommandError`, intercept it and print it sensibly to
     stderr.
 
+.. admonition:: Calling a management command in your code
+
+    ``execute()`` should not be called directly from your code to execute a
+    command. Use :ref:`call_command <call-command>` instead.
+
 .. method:: BaseCommand.handle(*args, **options)
 
     The actual logic of the command. Subclasses must implement this method.
diff --git a/docs/ref/django-admin.txt b/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
index 40b5ee168f..bd99958fae 100644
--- a/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
@@ -1490,6 +1490,8 @@ See :doc:`/howto/custom-management-commands` for how to add customized actions.
 Running management commands from your code
 ==========================================
 
+.. _call-command:
+
 .. function:: django.core.management.call_command(name, *args, **options)
 
 To call a management command from code use ``call_command``.