diff --git a/docs/en/authentication-component.md b/docs/en/authentication-component.md
index 909026ab..2f8142dd 100644
--- a/docs/en/authentication-component.md
+++ b/docs/en/authentication-component.md
@@ -102,6 +102,24 @@ The result returned will contain an array like this:
 > context you're working in you'll have to use these instances from now on if you
 > want to continue to work with the modified response and request objects.
 
+## Replacing the current identity
+
+Use `setIdentity()` to change which user is logged in (e.g. after registration
+or social-login first-touch). It clears all persisted identity data and writes
+the new identity through every persisting authenticator:
+
+```php
+$this->Authentication->setIdentity($user);
+```
+
+> [!WARNING]
+> `setIdentity()` ends an active impersonation session because it goes through
+> `clearIdentity()` first, which calls `stopImpersonating()` on
+> impersonation-aware authenticators. If you only need to refresh the active
+> identity object on the current request (for example, to eager-load
+> associations), set the `identity` request attribute directly instead - see
+> [User Impersonation](impersonation.md) for an example.
+
 ## Configure Automatic Identity Checks
 
 By default `AuthenticationComponent` will automatically enforce an identity to
diff --git a/docs/en/impersonation.md b/docs/en/impersonation.md
index 2ed83075..f0389e8f 100644
--- a/docs/en/impersonation.md
+++ b/docs/en/impersonation.md
@@ -67,3 +67,25 @@ There are a few limitations to impersonation.
 1. Your application must be using the `Session` authenticator.
 2. You cannot impersonate another user while impersonation is active. Instead
     you must `stopImpersonating()` and then start it again.
+3. Calling `setIdentity()` or `clearIdentity()` (and therefore `logout()`)
+    ends impersonation. The service's `clearIdentity()` actively calls
+    `stopImpersonating()` on impersonation-aware authenticators, so any code
+    path that swaps the persisted identity will revert you to the original
+    user. To refresh the in-request identity object without disturbing
+    impersonation - for example, to eager-load associations on the active
+    user in `beforeFilter()` - write to the request attribute directly:
+
+    ```php
+    use Authentication\Identity;
+
+    $identity = $this->Authentication->getIdentity();
+    $reloaded = $this->fetchTable('Users')
+        ->get($identity->getIdentifier(), finder: 'fullProfile');
+
+    $this->setRequest(
+        $this->getRequest()->withAttribute('identity', new Identity($reloaded))
+    );
+    ```
+
+    This updates the identity for the remainder of the current request only
+    and leaves the session - and any active impersonation - untouched.