diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/table/cell/AppIdFormatter.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/table/cell/AppIdFormatter.java
index 0e1c248..f7947a7 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/table/cell/AppIdFormatter.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/table/cell/AppIdFormatter.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     // non-instantiable
     private AppIdFormatter() { }
 
+    // NOTE: do not change this format; we parse it on the client side.
     @Override
     protected String nonNullFormat(Object value) {
         ApplicationId appId = (ApplicationId) value;