diff --git a/plugins/host_agent/files/maint.py b/plugins/host_agent/files/maint.py
index 4a31b72..20bd07f 100644
--- a/plugins/host_agent/files/maint.py
+++ b/plugins/host_agent/files/maint.py
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ def upgraded_count(output: str) -> int | None:
     return sum(int(c) for c in counts) if counts else None
 
 
+# The same as the agent's: this helper runs as root on its own and imports
+# nothing of the agent's, so it keeps its own copy.
 def _os_release_id(path: str = "/etc/os-release") -> str:
     try:
         with open(path) as fh: