diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_network_linux.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_network_linux.go
index 8f767817a0f..9d03adf1499 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_network_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_network_linux.go
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) syncIPTablesRules(iptClient utiliptables.Interface) bool {
 	if !iptClient.IsIPv6() { // ipv6 doesn't have this issue
 		// Set up the KUBE-FIREWALL chain and martian packet protection rule.
 		// (See below.)
+
+		// NOTE: kube-proxy (in iptables mode) creates an identical copy of this
+		// rule. If you want to change this rule in the future, you MUST do so in
+		// a way that will interoperate correctly with skewed versions of the rule
+		// created by kube-proxy.
+
 		if _, err := iptClient.EnsureChain(utiliptables.TableFilter, KubeFirewallChain); err != nil {
 			klog.ErrorS(err, "Failed to ensure that filter table KUBE-FIREWALL chain exists")
 			return false
@@ -178,8 +184,12 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) syncIPTablesRulesDeprecated(iptClient utiliptables.Interface)
 	}
 
 	// Set up KUBE-POSTROUTING to unmark and masquerade marked packets
-	// NB: THIS MUST MATCH the corresponding code in the iptables and ipvs
-	// modes of kube-proxy
+
+	// NOTE: kube-proxy (in iptables and ipvs modes) creates identical copies of these
+	// rules. If you want to change these rules in the future, you MUST do so in a way
+	// that will interoperate correctly with skewed versions of the rules created by
+	// kube-proxy.
+
 	if _, err := iptClient.EnsureRule(utiliptables.Append, utiliptables.TableNAT, KubePostroutingChain,
 		"-m", "mark", "!", "--mark", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", masqueradeMark, masqueradeMark),
 		"-j", "RETURN"); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/iptables/proxier.go b/pkg/proxy/iptables/proxier.go
index 937441ecaac..4e5b7cb0791 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/iptables/proxier.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/iptables/proxier.go
@@ -922,7 +922,12 @@ func (proxier *Proxier) syncProxyRules() {
 	// Install the kubernetes-specific postrouting rules. We use a whole chain for
 	// this so that it is easier to flush and change, for example if the mark
 	// value should ever change.
-	// NB: THIS MUST MATCH the corresponding code in the kubelet
+
+	// NOTE: kubelet creates identical copies of these rules. If you want to change
+	// these rules in the future, you MUST do so in a way that will interoperate
+	// correctly with skewed versions of the rules created by kubelet. (Remove this
+	// comment once IPTablesOwnershipCleanup is GA.)
+
 	proxier.natRules.Write(
 		"-A", string(kubePostroutingChain),
 		"-m", "mark", "!", "--mark", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", proxier.masqueradeMark, proxier.masqueradeMark),
@@ -956,9 +961,13 @@ func (proxier *Proxier) syncProxyRules() {
 		// Kube-proxy's use of `route_localnet` to enable NodePorts on localhost
 		// creates a security hole (https://issue.k8s.io/90259) which this
 		// iptables rule mitigates.
-		// NB: THIS MUST MATCH the corresponding code in the kubelet. (Actually,
-		// kubelet uses "--dst"/"--src" rather than "-d"/"-s" but that's just a
-		// command-line thing and results in the same rule being created.)
+
+		// NOTE: kubelet creates an identical copy of this rule. If you want to
+		// change this rule in the future, you MUST do so in a way that will
+		// interoperate correctly with skewed versions of the rule created by
+		// kubelet. (Actually, kubelet uses "--dst"/"--src" rather than "-d"/"-s"
+		// but that's just a command-line thing and results in the same rule being
+		// created in the kernel.)
 		proxier.filterChains.Write(utiliptables.MakeChainLine(kubeletFirewallChain))
 		proxier.filterRules.Write(
 			"-A", string(kubeletFirewallChain),
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/ipvs/proxier.go b/pkg/proxy/ipvs/proxier.go
index cf52b2fcdce..7d40b4c91d7 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/ipvs/proxier.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/ipvs/proxier.go
@@ -1734,7 +1734,12 @@ func (proxier *Proxier) writeIptablesRules() {
 	// Install the kubernetes-specific postrouting rules. We use a whole chain for
 	// this so that it is easier to flush and change, for example if the mark
 	// value should ever change.
-	// NB: THIS MUST MATCH the corresponding code in the kubelet
+
+	// NOTE: kubelet creates identical copies of these rules. If you want to change
+	// these rules in the future, you MUST do so in a way that will interoperate
+	// correctly with skewed versions of the rules created by kubelet. (Remove this
+	// comment once IPTablesOwnershipCleanup is GA.)
+
 	proxier.natRules.Write(
 		"-A", string(kubePostroutingChain),
 		"-m", "mark", "!", "--mark", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", proxier.masqueradeMark, proxier.masqueradeMark),