diff --git a/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/adding_a_recipe.rst b/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/adding_a_recipe.rst
index da05811bd9..0c21062ef5 100644
--- a/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/adding_a_recipe.rst
+++ b/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/adding_a_recipe.rst
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ How to add a recipe to the |RTW|
    ``esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/recipe_test_workflow/site/``
    directory.
 
-#. Open an issue on GitHub and create a branch.
+#. Open an [ESMValTool issue](https://github.com/ESMValGroup/ESMValTool/issues/new)
+   on GitHub, assign yourself to the issue, and add the `Recipe Test Workflow (RTW)`
+   label to the issue, see
+   [ESMValTool: Issue #3663](https://github.com/ESMValGroup/ESMValTool/issues/3663)
+   for an example.
+
+#. Create a branch.
 
 #. Obtain the duration and memory usage of the recipe from the messages printed
    to screen, or at the end of the ``run/main_log.txt`` file in the output
diff --git a/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/common.txt b/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/common.txt
index 4d59a44b0a..2794dfe3ce 100644
--- a/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/common.txt
+++ b/esmvaltool/utils/recipe_test_workflow/doc/source/common.txt
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@
 .. _Cylc Review: https://cylc.github.io/cylc-doc/7.9.3/html/tutorial.html#viewing-suite-logs-in-a-web-browser-cylc-review
 .. _Ensclus: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_ensclus.html
 .. _ESMValTool Documentation: https://esmvaltool.org/
+.. _ESMValTool example issue: https://github.com/ESMValGroup/ESMValTool/issues/3663
 .. _Examples python: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_examples.html
 .. _Heatwaves coldwaves: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_heatwaves_coldwaves.html
 .. _Landcover - Albedo: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_albedolandcover.html#landcover-albedo
+.. _New ESMValTool issue: https://github.com/ESMValGroup/ESMValTool/issues/new
 .. _Ocean multimap: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_oceans.html#recipe-ocean-multimap-yml
 .. _Radiation budget: https://docs.esmvaltool.org/en/latest/recipes/recipe_radiation_budget.html
 .. _Rose Documentation: https://metomi.github.io/rose/doc/html/index.html