diff --git a/gdb/remote.c b/gdb/remote.c
index dc5dd24797e..6a61a0e41ac 100644
--- a/gdb/remote.c
+++ b/gdb/remote.c
@@ -1705,7 +1705,12 @@ static void
 show_remote_exec_file (struct ui_file *file, int from_tty,
 		       struct cmd_list_element *cmd, const char *value)
 {
-  gdb_printf (file, "%s\n", get_remote_exec_file ().c_str ());
+  const std::string &filename = get_remote_exec_file ();
+  if (filename.empty ())
+    gdb_printf (file, _("The remote exec-file is unset, the default remote "
+			"executable will be used.\n"));
+  else
+    gdb_printf (file, "The remote exec-file is \"%s\".\n", filename.c_str ());
 }
 
 static int
@@ -15475,8 +15480,12 @@ Transfer files to and from the remote target system."),
 
   add_setshow_string_noescape_cmd ("exec-file", class_files,
 				   _("\
-Set the remote pathname for \"run\"."), _("\
-Show the remote pathname for \"run\"."), NULL,
+Set the remote pathname for starting inferiors."), _("\
+Show the remote pathname for starting inferiors."), _("\
+This is the path, on the remote target, used when starting an inferior,\n\
+for example with the \"run\", \"start\", or \"starti\" commands.\n\
+This setting is only useful when debugging a remote target, otherwise,\n\
+this setting is not used."),
 				   set_remote_exec_file_cb,
 				   get_remote_exec_file_cb,
 				   show_remote_exec_file,
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/remote-exec-file.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/remote-exec-file.exp
index 0b198630a07..1411f9636be 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/remote-exec-file.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/remote-exec-file.exp
@@ -37,10 +37,13 @@ with_test_prefix "set inf 2" {
 
 with_test_prefix "show inf 1" {
     gdb_test "inferior 1" "Switching to inferior 1.*"
-    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" "prog1"
+    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" \
+	"The remote exec-file is \"prog1\"\\."
+
 }
 
 with_test_prefix "show inf 2" {
     gdb_test "inferior 2" "Switching to inferior 2.*"
-    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" "prog2"
+    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" \
+	"The remote exec-file is \"prog2\"\\."
 }
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.multi/gdb-settings.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.multi/gdb-settings.exp
index e5922221d47..2432192ca9a 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.multi/gdb-settings.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.multi/gdb-settings.exp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ foreach_with_prefix inf $inferiors {
     gdb_test "show inferior-tty" "/inf${inf}-tty.*"
 
     gdb_test "with remote exec-file tmp-value -- print 1" " = 1"
-    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" "/inf${inf}-remote-exec"
+    gdb_test "show remote exec-file" "/inf${inf}-remote-exec.*"
 
     # If the inferiors are running check $_gdb_setting_str and
     # $_gdb_setting return the correct values.