diff --git a/reference/exec/functions/exec.xml b/reference/exec/functions/exec.xml
index c7250b6ff4..563dfd647f 100644
--- a/reference/exec/functions/exec.xml
+++ b/reference/exec/functions/exec.xml
@@ -86,10 +86,24 @@
 <?php
 // outputs the username that owns the running php/httpd process
 // (on a system with the "whoami" executable in the path)
-echo exec('whoami');
+$output=null;
+$retval=null;
+exec('whoami', $output, $retval);
+echo "Returned with status $retval and output:\n";
+print_r($output);
 ?>
 ]]>
     </programlisting>
+    &example.outputs.similar;
+    <screen>
+<![CDATA[
+Returned with status 0 and output:
+Array
+(
+    [0] => cmb
+)
+]]>
+    </screen>
    </example>
   </para>
  </refsect1>