diff --git a/doc/nano.texi b/doc/nano.texi
index 0ed709c7..a5f05f49 100644
--- a/doc/nano.texi
+++ b/doc/nano.texi
@@ -1577,6 +1577,9 @@ and characters in the current buffer (or in the marked region).
 @item execute
 Prompts for a program to execute.  The program's output will be inserted
 into the current buffer (or into a new buffer when @kbd{M-F} is toggled).
+When the program's name is preceded by a pipe symbol (@kbd{|}), then the
+current buffer (or the marked region) is piped to the program, and the
+output of the program replaces the buffer (or the marked region).
 
 @item speller
 Invokes a spell-checking program, either the default @command{hunspell}
diff --git a/doc/nanorc.5 b/doc/nanorc.5
index 249f298b..3b76aef9 100644
--- a/doc/nanorc.5
+++ b/doc/nanorc.5
@@ -720,6 +720,9 @@ and characters in the current buffer (or in the marked region).
 .B execute
 Prompts for a program to execute.  The program's output is inserted
 into the current buffer (or into a new buffer when \fBM\-F\fR is toggled).
+When the program's name is preceded by a pipe symbol (\fB|\fR), then the
+current buffer (or the marked region) is piped to the program, and the
+output of the program replaces the buffer (or the marked region).
 .TP
 .B speller
 Invokes a spell-checking program, either the default \fBhunspell\fR(1) or GNU