diff --git a/doc/thrift-sasl-spec.txt b/doc/thrift-sasl-spec.txt
index 59bfcf9..02cf79e 100644
--- a/doc/thrift-sasl-spec.txt
+++ b/doc/thrift-sasl-spec.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-A Thrift SASL message shall be a byte array of one of the following forms:
+A Thrift SASL message shall be a byte array of the following form:
 
-| 1-byte START status code | 1-byte mechanism name length | variable length mechanism name | 4-byte payload length | variable-length payload |
 | 1-byte status code | 4-byte payload length | variable-length payload |
 
 The length fields shall be interpreted as integers, with the high byte sent
@@ -24,15 +23,10 @@
 name -> mechanism options.
 
 3. At connection time, the client will initiate communication by sending the
-server a START byte, followed by a 1-byte field indicating the length in bytes
-of the underlying security mechanism name that the client would like to use.
+server a START message. The payload of this message will be the name of the
+underlying security mechanism that the client would like to use.
 This mechanism name shall be 1-20 characters in length, and follow the
-specifications for SASL mechanism names specified in RFC 2222. This mechanism
-name shall be followed by a 4-byte, potentially zero-value message length word,
-followed by a potentially zero-length payload. The payload is determined by the
-output byte array of the underlying actual security mechanism, and will be
-empty except for those underlying security protocols which implement the
-optional SASL initial response.
+specifications for SASL mechanism names specified in RFC 2222.
 
 4. The server receives this message and, if the mechanism name provided is
 among the set of mechanisms this server transport is configured to accept,
@@ -44,18 +38,25 @@
 place via this transport. If the mechanism name is one which the server
 supports, then proceed to step 5.
 
-5. The server then provides the byte array of the payload received to its
+5. Following the START message, the client must send another message containing
+the "initial response" of the chosen SASL implementation. The client may send
+this message piggy-backed on the "START" message of step 3. The message type
+of this message must be either "OK" or "COMPLETE", depending on whether the
+SASL implementation indicates that this side of the authentication has been
+satisfied.
+
+6. The server then provides the byte array of the payload received to its
 underlying security mechanism. A challenge is generated by the underlying
 security mechanism on the server, and this is used as the payload for a message
 sent to the client. This message shall consist of an OK byte, followed by the
 non-zero message length word, followed by the payload.
 
-6. The client receives this message from the server and passes the payload to
+7. The client receives this message from the server and passes the payload to
 its underlying security mechanism to generate a response. The client then sends
 the server an OK byte, followed by the non-zero-value length of the response,
 followed by the bytes of the response as the payload.
 
-7. Steps 5 and 6 are repeated until both security mechanisms are satisfied with
+8. Steps 6 and 7 are repeated until both security mechanisms are satisfied with
 the challenge/response exchange. When either side has completed its security
 protocol, its next message shall be the COMPLETE byte, followed by a 4-byte
 potentially zero-value length word, followed by a potentially zero-length
@@ -78,10 +79,10 @@
 appropriate and idiomatic for the particular language these thrift bindings are
 for.
 
-If step 7 completes successfully, then the communication is considered
+If step 8 completes successfully, then the communication is considered
 authenticated and subsequent communication may commence.
 
-If step 7 fails to complete successfully, then no further communication may
+If step 8 fails to complete successfully, then no further communication may
 take place via this transport.
 
 8. All writes to the underlying transport must be prefixed by the 4-byte length
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@
 should read the 4-byte length word, then read the full quantity of bytes
 specified by this length word.
 
-If no SASL QOP (quality of protection) is negotiated during steps 5 and 6, then
+If no SASL QOP (quality of protection) is negotiated during steps 6 and 7, then
 all subsequent writes to/reads from this transport are written/read unaltered,
 save for the length prefix, to the underlying transport.