diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 12b82dc..0edcdac 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@
 
 If you haven't already, configure your git user email and name:
 
-```shell
-$ git config --global user.email "<your-email>@example.com"
-$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
+```
+git config --global user.email "<your-email>@example.com"
+git config --global user.name "Your Name"
 ```
 
 ### Checkout
 
 With your git configured, you can now checkout the source with:
 
-```shell
-$ git clone https://cos.googlesource.com/cos/tools && (cd tools && f=`git rev-parse --git-dir`/hooks/commit-msg ; mkdir -p $(dirname $f) ; curl -Lo $f https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/tools/hooks/commit-msg ; chmod +x $f)
+```
+git clone https://cos.googlesource.com/cos/tools && (cd tools && f=`git rev-parse --git-dir`/hooks/commit-msg ; mkdir -p $(dirname $f) ; curl -Lo $f https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/tools/hooks/commit-msg ; chmod +x $f)
 ```
 
 The last command not only clones the repository but also adds a git pre-commit
@@ -61,10 +61,25 @@
 can do that by going to <https://cos-review.googlesource.com> and clicking "Sign
 in" at the top right corner.
 
+### Set up git cookies
+
+You will also need to generate and configure your git cookies in order to push
+changes to Gerrit. The following steps help you with that:
+
+1.  Go to https://cos-review.googlesource.com/new-password
+1.  Log in with your google account
+1.  Follow the on-screen directions page to set up/append to your
+    `~/.gitcookies` file
+1.  Verify that your cookies are correctly setup:
+
+    ```
+    git ls-remote https://cos.googlesource.com/cos/tools.git
+    ```
+
 ### Upload a CL
 
-```shell
-$ git push origin HEAD:refs/for/master
+```
+git push origin HEAD:refs/for/master
 ```
 
 The command will print a URL to the CL that has just been uploaded. You can