diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.cc b/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.cc
index 55fd72acd..6dd34c49b 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.cc
@@ -682,12 +682,6 @@ Status DB::OpenAsSecondary(
     const std::vector<ColumnFamilyDescriptor>& column_families,
     std::vector<ColumnFamilyHandle*>* handles, DB** dbptr) {
   *dbptr = nullptr;
-  if (db_options.max_open_files != -1) {
-    // TODO (yanqin) maybe support max_open_files != -1 by creating hard links
-    // on SST files so that db secondary can still have access to old SSTs
-    // while primary instance may delete original.
-    return Status::InvalidArgument("require max_open_files to be -1");
-  }
 
   DBOptions tmp_opts(db_options);
   Status s;
@@ -699,6 +693,27 @@ Status DB::OpenAsSecondary(
     }
   }
 
+  assert(tmp_opts.info_log != nullptr);
+  if (db_options.max_open_files != -1) {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    oss << "The primary instance may delete all types of files after they "
+           "become obsolete. The application can coordinate the primary and "
+           "secondary so that primary does not delete/rename files that are "
+           "currently being used by the secondary. Alternatively, a custom "
+           "Env/FS can be provided such that files become inaccessible only "
+           "after all primary and secondaries indicate that they are obsolete "
+           "and deleted. If the above two are not possible, you can open the "
+           "secondary instance with `max_open_files==-1` so that secondary "
+           "will eagerly keep all table files open. Even if a file is deleted, "
+           "its content can still be accessed via a prior open file "
+           "descriptor. This is a hacky workaround for only table files. If "
+           "none of the above is done, then point lookup or "
+           "range scan via the secondary instance can result in IOError: file "
+           "not found. This can be resolved by retrying "
+           "TryCatchUpWithPrimary().";
+    ROCKS_LOG_WARN(tmp_opts.info_log, "%s", oss.str().c_str());
+  }
+
   handles->clear();
   DBImplSecondary* impl = new DBImplSecondary(tmp_opts, dbname, secondary_path);
   impl->versions_.reset(new ReactiveVersionSet(
diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.h b/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.h
index d03b76f03..867786ed3 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.h
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl_secondary.h
@@ -84,8 +84,17 @@ class DBImplSecondary : public DBImpl {
                  bool error_if_data_exists_in_wals, uint64_t* = nullptr,
                  RecoveryContext* recovery_ctx = nullptr) override;
 
-  // Implementations of the DB interface
+  // Implementations of the DB interface.
   using DB::Get;
+  // Can return IOError due to files being deleted by the primary. To avoid
+  // IOError in this case, application can coordinate between primary and
+  // secondaries so that primary will not delete files that are currently being
+  // used by the secondaries. The application can also provide a custom FS/Env
+  // implementation so that files will remain present until all primary and
+  // secondaries indicate that they can be deleted. As a partial hacky
+  // workaround, the secondaries can be opened with `max_open_files=-1` so that
+  // it eagerly keeps all talbe files open and is able to access the contents of
+  // deleted files via prior open fd.
   Status Get(const ReadOptions& options, ColumnFamilyHandle* column_family,
              const Slice& key, PinnableSlice* value) override;
 
@@ -98,6 +107,15 @@ class DBImplSecondary : public DBImpl {
                  std::string* timestamp);
 
   using DBImpl::NewIterator;
+  // Operations on the created iterators can return IOError due to files being
+  // deleted by the primary. To avoid IOError in this case, application can
+  // coordinate between primary and secondaries so that primary will not delete
+  // files that are currently being used by the secondaries. The application can
+  // also provide a custom FS/Env implementation so that files will remain
+  // present until all primary and secondaries indicate that they can be
+  // deleted. As a partial hacky workaround, the secondaries can be opened with
+  // `max_open_files=-1` so that it eagerly keeps all talbe files open and is
+  // able to access the contents of deleted files via prior open fd.
   Iterator* NewIterator(const ReadOptions&,
                         ColumnFamilyHandle* column_family) override;