diff --git a/gdb/exec.c b/gdb/exec.c
index 07759725711..a1396c2aa3d 100644
--- a/gdb/exec.c
+++ b/gdb/exec.c
@@ -501,7 +501,16 @@ exec_file_attach (const char *filename, int from_tty)
     }
 
   bfd_cache_close_all ();
-  gdb::observers::executable_changed.notify ();
+
+  /* Are are loading the same executable?  */
+  bfd *prev_bfd = exec_bfd_holder.get ();
+  bfd *curr_bfd = current_program_space->exec_bfd ();
+  bool reload_p = (((prev_bfd != nullptr) == (curr_bfd != nullptr))
+		   && (prev_bfd == nullptr
+		       || (strcmp (bfd_get_filename (prev_bfd),
+				   bfd_get_filename (curr_bfd)) == 0)));
+
+  gdb::observers::executable_changed.notify (current_program_space, reload_p);
 }
 
 /*  Process the first arg in ARGS as the new exec file.
diff --git a/gdb/observable.h b/gdb/observable.h
index c0bafc51f14..e5305fa081e 100644
--- a/gdb/observable.h
+++ b/gdb/observable.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ struct inferior;
 struct process_stratum_target;
 struct target_ops;
 struct trace_state_variable;
+struct program_space;
 
 namespace gdb
 {
@@ -60,11 +61,18 @@ extern observable<enum gdb_signal /* siggnal */> signal_received;
 /* The target's register contents have changed.  */
 extern observable<struct target_ops */* target */> target_changed;
 
-/* The executable being debugged by GDB has changed: The user
-   decided to debug a different program, or the program he was
-   debugging has been modified since being loaded by the debugger
-   (by being recompiled, for instance).  */
-extern observable<> executable_changed;
+/* The executable being debugged by GDB in PSPACE has changed: The user
+   decided to debug a different program, or the program he was debugging
+   has been modified since being loaded by the debugger (by being
+   recompiled, for instance).  The path to the new executable can be found
+   by examining PSPACE->exec_filename.
+
+   When RELOAD is true the path to the executable hasn't changed, but the
+   file does appear to have changed, so GDB reloaded it, e.g. if the user
+   recompiled the executable.  when RELOAD is false then the path to the
+   executable has not changed.  */
+extern observable<struct program_space */* pspace */,
+		  bool /*reload */> executable_changed;
 
 /* gdb has just connected to an inferior.  For 'run', gdb calls this
    observer while the inferior is still stopped at the entry-point