diff --git a/.changeset/witty-donuts-explain.md b/.changeset/witty-donuts-explain.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ee8f66da6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/witty-donuts-explain.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'svelte': patch
+---
+
+chore: clarify when `$effect.pre` runs relative to DOM updates
diff --git a/documentation/docs/02-runes/04-$effect.md b/documentation/docs/02-runes/04-$effect.md
index a13fc7bc46..de18add08f 100644
--- a/documentation/docs/02-runes/04-$effect.md
+++ b/documentation/docs/02-runes/04-$effect.md
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ In rare cases, you may need to run code _before_ the DOM updates. For this we ca
 </div>
 ```
 
+`$effect.pre` runs before DOM updates that are scheduled after it, not before every DOM mutation in the flush - DOM of parent components may already be updated. When using [await expressions](await-expressions), block updates like `{#if ...}` and `{#each ...}` in the same component also run before `$effect.pre`.
+
 Apart from the timing, `$effect.pre` works exactly like `$effect`.
 
 ## `$effect.tracking`
diff --git a/documentation/docs/06-runtime/03-lifecycle-hooks.md b/documentation/docs/06-runtime/03-lifecycle-hooks.md
index 95e1c260c1..c714dc2e52 100644
--- a/documentation/docs/06-runtime/03-lifecycle-hooks.md
+++ b/documentation/docs/06-runtime/03-lifecycle-hooks.md
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ To implement a chat window that autoscrolls to the bottom when new messages appe
 
 In Svelte 4, we do this with `beforeUpdate`, but this is a flawed approach — it fires before _every_ update, whether it's relevant or not. In the example below, we need to introduce checks like `updatingMessages` to make sure we don't mess with the scroll position when someone toggles dark mode.
 
-With runes, we can use `$effect.pre`, which behaves the same as `$effect` but runs before the DOM is updated. As long as we explicitly reference `messages` inside the effect body, it will run whenever `messages` changes, but _not_ when `theme` changes.
+With runes, we can use `$effect.pre`, which behaves the same as `$effect` but runs before DOM updates scheduled after it (see [$effect.pre]($effect#$effect.pre) for the exact ordering). As long as we explicitly reference `messages` inside the effect body, it will run whenever `messages` changes, but _not_ when `theme` changes.
 
 `beforeUpdate`, and its equally troublesome counterpart `afterUpdate`, are therefore deprecated in Svelte 5.
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/ambient.d.ts b/packages/svelte/src/ambient.d.ts
index ed0a004fa1..a9b2cebe1a 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/ambient.d.ts
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/ambient.d.ts
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ declare function $effect(fn: () => void | (() => void)): void;
 declare namespace $effect {
 	/**
 	 * Runs code right before a component is mounted to the DOM, and then whenever its dependencies change, i.e. `$state` or `$derived` values.
-	 * The timing of the execution is right before the DOM is updated.
+	 * The timing of the execution is right before the DOM that comes after it is updated; parent DOM may already have been updated by the time it runs.
 	 *
 	 * Example:
 	 * ```ts
diff --git a/packages/svelte/types/index.d.ts b/packages/svelte/types/index.d.ts
index 5fcae1b2e0..96be34ef9e 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/svelte/types/index.d.ts
@@ -3481,7 +3481,7 @@ declare function $effect(fn: () => void | (() => void)): void;
 declare namespace $effect {
 	/**
 	 * Runs code right before a component is mounted to the DOM, and then whenever its dependencies change, i.e. `$state` or `$derived` values.
-	 * The timing of the execution is right before the DOM is updated.
+	 * The timing of the execution is right before the DOM that comes after it is updated; parent DOM may already have been updated by the time it runs.
 	 *
 	 * Example:
 	 * ```ts