diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
index 4a5dcb905..98709dd92 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
@@ -1081,7 +1081,6 @@ Status DBImpl::SetOptions(
   MutableCFOptions new_options;
   Status s;
   Status persist_options_status;
-  persist_options_status.PermitUncheckedError();  // Allow uninitialized access
   SuperVersionContext sv_context(/* create_superversion */ true);
   {
     auto db_options = GetDBOptions();
@@ -1117,9 +1116,11 @@ Status DBImpl::SetOptions(
                    "[%s] SetOptions() succeeded", cfd->GetName().c_str());
     new_options.Dump(immutable_db_options_.info_log.get());
     if (!persist_options_status.ok()) {
+      // NOTE: WriteOptionsFile already logs on failure
       s = persist_options_status;
     }
   } else {
+    persist_options_status.PermitUncheckedError();  // less important
     ROCKS_LOG_WARN(immutable_db_options_.info_log, "[%s] SetOptions() failed",
                    cfd->GetName().c_str());
   }
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/db.h b/include/rocksdb/db.h
index 2c5217a41..778d64f08 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/db.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/db.h
@@ -1201,20 +1201,44 @@ class DB {
     return CompactRange(options, DefaultColumnFamily(), begin, end);
   }
 
-  // TODO: documentation needed
-  // NOTE: SetOptions is intended only for expert users, and does not apply the
-  // same sanitization to options as the standard DB::Open code path does. Use
-  // with caution.
+  // Dynamically change column family options or table factory options in a
+  // running DB, for the specified column family. Only options internally
+  // marked as "mutable" can be changed. Options not listed in `opts_map` will
+  // keep their current values. See GetColumnFamilyOptionsFromMap() in
+  // convenience.h for the details of `opts_map`. Not supported in LITE mode.
+  //
+  // USABILITY NOTE: SetOptions is intended only for expert users, and does
+  // not apply the same sanitization to options as the standard DB::Open code
+  // path does. Use with caution.
+  //
+  // RELIABILITY & PERFORMANCE NOTE: SetOptions is not fully stress-tested for
+  // reliability, and this is a slow call because a new OPTIONS file is
+  // serialized and persisted for each call. Use only infrequently.
+  //
+  // EXAMPLES:
+  //  s = db->SetOptions(cfh, {{"ttl", "36000"}});
+  //  s = db->SetOptions(cfh, {{"block_based_table_factory",
+  //                            "{prepopulate_block_cache=kDisable;}"}});
   virtual Status SetOptions(
       ColumnFamilyHandle* /*column_family*/,
-      const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& /*new_options*/) {
+      const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& /*opts_map*/) {
     return Status::NotSupported("Not implemented");
   }
+  // Shortcut for SetOptions on the default column family handle.
   virtual Status SetOptions(
       const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& new_options) {
     return SetOptions(DefaultColumnFamily(), new_options);
   }
 
+  // Like SetOptions but for DBOptions, including the same caveats for
+  // usability, reliability, and performance. See GetDBOptionsFromMap() (and
+  // GetColumnFamilyOptionsFromMap()) in convenience.h for details on
+  // `opts_map`. Note supported in LITE mode.
+  //
+  // EXAMPLES:
+  //  s = db->SetDBOptions({{"max_subcompactions", "2"}});
+  //  s = db->SetDBOptions({{"stats_dump_period_sec", "0"},
+  //                        {"stats_persist_period_sec", "0"}});
   virtual Status SetDBOptions(
       const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& new_options) = 0;
 
@@ -1299,6 +1323,8 @@ class DB {
   // Get Env object from the DB
   virtual Env* GetEnv() const = 0;
 
+  // A shortcut for GetEnv()->->GetFileSystem().get(), possibly cached for
+  // efficiency.
   virtual FileSystem* GetFileSystem() const;
 
   // Get DB Options that we use.  During the process of opening the
diff --git a/options/db_options.cc b/options/db_options.cc
index e6fca527d..2d3902dd8 100644
--- a/options/db_options.cc
+++ b/options/db_options.cc
@@ -738,11 +738,7 @@ ImmutableDBOptions::ImmutableDBOptions(const DBOptions& options)
       lowest_used_cache_tier(options.lowest_used_cache_tier),
       compaction_service(options.compaction_service) {
   fs = env->GetFileSystem();
-  if (env != nullptr) {
-    clock = env->GetSystemClock().get();
-  } else {
-    clock = SystemClock::Default().get();
-  }
+  clock = env->GetSystemClock().get();
   logger = info_log.get();
   stats = statistics.get();
 }