diff --git a/docs/architecture/tls13-support.md b/docs/architecture/tls13-support.md
index 2cf2a4852..6f766c930 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/tls13-support.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/tls13-support.md
@@ -409,3 +409,101 @@ General coding rules:
                                      buf_len );
     ```
     even if it fits.
+
+
+Overview of handshake code organization
+---------------------------------------
+
+The TLS 1.3 handshake protocol is implemented as a state machine. The
+functions `mbedtls_ssl_tls13_handshake_client/server_step` are the top level
+functions of that implementation. They are implemented as a switch over all the
+possible states of the state machine.
+
+Most of the states are either dedicated to the processing or writing of an
+handshake message.
+
+The implementation does not go systematically through all states as this would
+result in too many checks of whether something needs to be done or not in a
+given state to be duplicated across several state handlers. For example, on
+client side, the states related to certificate parsing and validation are
+bypassed if the handshake is based on a pre-shared key and thus does not
+involve certificates.
+
+On the contrary, the implementation goes systematically though some states
+even if they could be bypassed if it helps in minimizing when and where inbound
+and outbound keys are updated. The `MBEDTLS_SSL_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE` state on
+client side is a example of that.
+
+The names of the handlers processing/writing an handshake message are
+prefixed with `(mbedtls_)ssl_tls13_process/write`. To ease the maintenance and
+reduce the risk of bugs, the code of the message processing and writing
+handlers is split into a sequence of stages.
+
+The sending of data to the peer only occurs in `mbedtls_ssl_handshake_step`
+between the calls to the handlers and as a consequence handlers do not have to
+care about the MBEDTLS_ERR_SSL_WANT_WRITE error code. Furthermore, all pending
+data are flushed before to call the next handler. That way, handlers do not
+have to worry about pending data when changing outbound keys.
+
+### Message processing handlers
+For message processing handlers, the stages are:
+
+* coordination stage: check if the state should be bypassed. This stage is
+optional. The check is either purely based on the reading of the value of some
+fields of the SSL context or based on the reading of the type of the next
+message. The latter occurs when it is not known what the next handshake message
+will be, an example of that on client side being if we are going to receive a
+CertificateRequest message or not. The intent is, apart from the next record
+reading to not modify the SSL context as this stage may be repeated if the
+next handshake message has not been received yet.
+
+* fetching stage: at this stage we are sure of the type of the handshake
+message we must receive next and we try to fetch it. If we did not go through
+a coordination stage involving the next record type reading, the next
+handshake message may not have been received yet, the handler returns with
+`MBEDTLS_ERR_SSL_WANT_READ` without changing the current state and it will be
+called again later.
+
+* pre-processing stage: prepare the SSL context for the message parsing. This
+stage is optional. Any processing that must be done before the parsing of the
+message or that can be done to simplify the parsing code. Some simple and
+partial parsing of the handshake message may append at that stage like in the
+ServerHello message pre-processing.
+
+* parsing stage: parse the message and restrict as much as possible any
+update of the SSL context. The idea of the pre-processing/parsing/post-processing
+organization is to concentrate solely on the parsing in the parsing function to
+reduce the size of its code and to simplify it.
+
+* post-processing stage: following the parsing, further update of the SSL
+context to prepare for the next incoming and outpoing messages. This stage is
+optional. For example, secret and key computations occur at this stage, as well
+as handshake messages checksum update.
+
+* state change: the state change is done in the main state handler to ease the
+navigation of the state machine transitions.
+
+
+### Message writing handlers
+For message writing handlers, the stages are:
+
+* coordination stage: check if the state should be bypassed. This stage is
+optional. The check is based on the value of some fields of the SSL context.
+
+* preparation stage: prepare for the message writing. This stage is optional.
+Any processing that must be done before the writing of the message or that can
+be done to simplify the writing code.
+
+* writing stage: write the message and restrict as much as possible any update
+of the SSL context. The idea of the preparation/writing/finalization
+organization is to concentrate solely on the writing in the writing function to
+reduce the size of its code and simplify it.
+
+* finalization stage: following the writing, further update of the SSL
+context to prepare for the next incoming and outgoing messages. This stage is
+optional. For example, handshake secret and key computation occur at that
+stage (ServerHello writing finalization), switching to handshake keys for
+outbound message on server side as well.
+
+* state change: the state change is done in the main state handler to ease
+the navigation of the state machine transitions.