diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a75b3c08..f8a6cd5b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ matters.
   <img width="400" height="400" alt="OCF Logo" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ac8162e7-5963-4284-a590-5a9215090103" />
 </p>
 
+> [!NOTE]
+>
+> This framework is not a replacement for [controller-runtime](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/controller-runtime).
+> It is a library you use inside controller-runtime reconcilers, such as in Kubebuilder-generated projects, to manage
+> the layers between the reconciler and the Kubernetes resources it manages.
+
 ---
 
 ## Mental Model