diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index 7f9e9f5bbcb..20690742d3b 100644
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -1564,6 +1564,7 @@ This implementation works on magic file names."
 
 (defun make-nearby-temp-file (prefix &optional dir-flag suffix)
   "Create a temporary file as close as possible to `default-directory'.
+Return the absolute file name of the created file.
 If PREFIX is a relative file name, and `default-directory' is a
 remote file name or located on a mounted file systems, the
 temporary file is created in the directory returned by the