diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5beedc0..8400ace 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -247,6 +247,31 @@ custom:
 ```
 > Note that only relative path is supported at the moment.
 
+#### Runtime dependencies
+
+If a runtime dependency is detected that is found in the `devDependencies` section and
+so would not be packaged, the plugin will error until you explicitly exclude it (see `forceExclude` below) 
+or move it to the `dependencies` section.
+
+#### AWS-SDK
+
+An exception for the runtime dependency error is the AWS-SDK. All projects using the AWS-SDK normally
+have it listed in `devDependencies` because AWS provides it already in their Lambda environment. In this case 
+the aws-sdk is automatically excluded and only an informational message is printed (in `--verbose` mode).
+
+The main reason for the warning is, that silently ignoring anything contradicts the declarative nature
+of Serverless' service definition. So the correct way to define the handling for the aws-sdk is, as 
+you would do for all other excluded modules (see `forceExclude` below).
+
+```yaml
+# serverless.yml
+custom:
+  webpack:
+    includeModules:
+      forceExclude:
+        - aws-sdk
+```
+
 #### Packagers
 
 You can select the packager that will be used to package your external modules.
diff --git a/lib/packExternalModules.js b/lib/packExternalModules.js
index 35487c4..6b1fc9e 100644
--- a/lib/packExternalModules.js
+++ b/lib/packExternalModules.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ function getProdModules(externalModules, packagePath, dependencyGraph, forceExcl
           throw new this.serverless.classes.Error(`Serverless-webpack dependency error: ${module.external}.`);
         }
 
-        this.serverless.cli.log(`WARNING: Runtime dependency '${module.external}' found in devDependencies. You should use forceExclude to explicitly exclude it.`);
+        this.options.verbose && this.serverless.cli.log(`INFO: Runtime dependency '${module.external}' found in devDependencies. It has been excluded automatically.`);
       }
     }
   });
diff --git a/tests/packExternalModules.test.js b/tests/packExternalModules.test.js
index c872514..7eebd55 100644
--- a/tests/packExternalModules.test.js
+++ b/tests/packExternalModules.test.js
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ describe('packExternalModules', () => {
       mockery.registerMock(path.join(process.cwd(), 'ignoreDevDeps', 'package.json'), packageIgnoredDevDepsMock);
       return expect(module.packExternalModules()).to.be.fulfilled
       .then(() => BbPromise.all([
-        expect(module.serverless.cli.log).to.have.been.calledWith(sinon.match(/WARNING: Runtime dependency 'aws-sdk' found in devDependencies/)),
+        expect(module.serverless.cli.log).to.have.been.calledWith(sinon.match(/INFO: Runtime dependency 'aws-sdk' found in devDependencies/)),
         // npm ls and npm install should have been called
         expect(packagerMock.getProdDependencies).to.have.been.calledOnce,
         expect(packagerMock.install).to.have.been.calledOnce,