diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index c8519e4..7c04ce0 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
      MBEDTLS_SSL_VERIFY_OPTIONAL and to reflect bad EC curves
      within verification result.
 
+Changes
+   * Clarify ECDSA documentation and improve the sample code to avoid
+     misunderstandings and potentially dangerous use of the API. Pointed out
+     by Jean-Philippe Aumasson.
+
 = mbed TLS 2.1.7 branch released 2017-03-08
 
 Security
diff --git a/include/mbedtls/ecdsa.h b/include/mbedtls/ecdsa.h
index 52827d8..a277715 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/ecdsa.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/ecdsa.h
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@
  * \param f_rng     RNG function
  * \param p_rng     RNG parameter
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.3 step 5.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  or a MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_XXX or MBEDTLS_MPI_XXX error code
  */
@@ -89,6 +93,10 @@
  * \param blen      Length of buf
  * \param md_alg    MD algorithm used to hash the message
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.3 step 5.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  or a MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_XXX or MBEDTLS_MPI_XXX error code
  */
@@ -107,6 +115,10 @@
  * \param r         First integer of the signature
  * \param s         Second integer of the signature
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.4 step 3.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_BAD_INPUT_DATA if signature is invalid
  *                  or a MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_XXX or MBEDTLS_MPI_XXX error code
@@ -120,7 +132,7 @@
  *                  serialized as defined in RFC 4492 page 20.
  *                  (Not thread-safe to use same context in multiple threads)
  *
- * \note            The deterministice version (RFC 6979) is used if
+ * \note            The deterministic version (RFC 6979) is used if
  *                  MBEDTLS_ECDSA_DETERMINISTIC is defined.
  *
  * \param ctx       ECDSA context
@@ -136,6 +148,10 @@
  *                  size of the curve used, plus 9 (eg. 73 bytes if a 256-bit
  *                  curve is used). MBEDTLS_ECDSA_MAX_LEN is always safe.
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.3 step 5.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  or a MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_XXX, MBEDTLS_ERR_MPI_XXX or
  *                  MBEDTLS_ERR_ASN1_XXX error code
@@ -172,6 +188,10 @@
  *                  size of the curve used, plus 9 (eg. 73 bytes if a 256-bit
  *                  curve is used). MBEDTLS_ECDSA_MAX_LEN is always safe.
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.3 step 5.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  or a MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_XXX, MBEDTLS_ERR_MPI_XXX or
  *                  MBEDTLS_ERR_ASN1_XXX error code
@@ -193,6 +213,10 @@
  * \param sig       Signature to read and verify
  * \param slen      Size of sig
  *
+ * \note            If the bitlength of the message hash is larger than the
+ *                  bitlength of the group order, then the hash is truncated as
+ *                  prescribed by SEC1 4.1.4 step 3.
+ *
  * \return          0 if successful,
  *                  MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_BAD_INPUT_DATA if signature is invalid,
  *                  MBEDTLS_ERR_ECP_SIG_LEN_MISMATCH if the signature is
diff --git a/programs/pkey/ecdsa.c b/programs/pkey/ecdsa.c
index 069d312..c3ce56a 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/ecdsa.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/ecdsa.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "mbedtls/entropy.h"
 #include "mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h"
 #include "mbedtls/ecdsa.h"
+#include "mbedtls/sha256.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
 #endif
@@ -101,8 +102,10 @@
     mbedtls_ecdsa_context ctx_sign, ctx_verify;
     mbedtls_entropy_context entropy;
     mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context ctr_drbg;
-    unsigned char hash[] = "This should be the hash of a message.";
-    unsigned char sig[512];
+    mbedtls_sha256_context sha256_ctx;
+    unsigned char message[100];
+    unsigned char hash[32];
+    unsigned char sig[MBEDTLS_ECDSA_MAX_LEN];
     size_t sig_len;
     const char *pers = "ecdsa";
     ((void) argv);
@@ -110,8 +113,10 @@
     mbedtls_ecdsa_init( &ctx_sign );
     mbedtls_ecdsa_init( &ctx_verify );
     mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init( &ctr_drbg );
+    mbedtls_sha256_init( &sha256_ctx );
 
-    memset(sig, 0, sizeof( sig ) );
+    memset( sig, 0, sizeof( sig ) );
+    memset( message, 0x25, sizeof( message ) );
     ret = 1;
 
     if( argc != 1 )
@@ -155,9 +160,23 @@
     dump_pubkey( "  + Public key: ", &ctx_sign );
 
     /*
-     * Sign some message hash
+     * Compute message hash
      */
-    mbedtls_printf( "  . Signing message..." );
+    mbedtls_printf( "  . Computing message hash..." );
+    fflush( stdout );
+
+    mbedtls_sha256_starts( &sha256_ctx, 0 );
+    mbedtls_sha256_update( &sha256_ctx, message, sizeof( message ) );
+    mbedtls_sha256_finish( &sha256_ctx, hash );
+
+    mbedtls_printf( " ok\n" );
+
+    dump_buf( "  + Hash: ", hash, sizeof( hash ) );
+
+    /*
+     * Sign message hash
+     */
+    mbedtls_printf( "  . Signing message hash..." );
     fflush( stdout );
 
     if( ( ret = mbedtls_ecdsa_write_signature( &ctx_sign, MBEDTLS_MD_SHA256,
@@ -170,7 +189,6 @@
     }
     mbedtls_printf( " ok (signature length = %u)\n", (unsigned int) sig_len );
 
-    dump_buf( "  + Hash: ", hash, sizeof hash );
     dump_buf( "  + Signature: ", sig, sig_len );
 
     /*
@@ -224,6 +242,7 @@
     mbedtls_ecdsa_free( &ctx_sign );
     mbedtls_ctr_drbg_free( &ctr_drbg );
     mbedtls_entropy_free( &entropy );
+    mbedtls_sha256_free( &sha256_ctx );
 
     return( ret );
 }