diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 849f878d0ab..b881150f29c 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ exports.execFile = function (file, args /*, options, callback */) {
       if (callback) callback(e, stdout, stderr);
     }
   });
+
+  return child;
 };