diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 07bd1485a74..d57f076c7be 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ release.
   ([#4002](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/4002))
 - Add end to end examples for file configuration
   ([#4018](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/4018))
+- Clarify the schema for YAML configuration files
+  ([#3973](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/3973))
 
 ### Common
 
diff --git a/specification/configuration/file-configuration.md b/specification/configuration/file-configuration.md
index 4a7d11b4829..c88b2da817f 100644
--- a/specification/configuration/file-configuration.md
+++ b/specification/configuration/file-configuration.md
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ Configuration files SHOULD use one the following serialization formats:
 [YAML](https://yaml.org/spec/1.2.2/) configuration files SHOULD follow YAML spec
 revision >= 1.2.
 
+YAML configuration files SHOULD be parsed using [v1.2 YAML core schema](https://yaml.org/spec/1.2.2/#103-core-schema).
+
 YAML configuration files MUST use file extensions `.yaml` or `.yml`.
 
 ### Environment variable substitution