diff --git a/data/etc/profile b/data/etc/profile
index 4ea4aa8385..2452a1f0bf 100644
--- a/data/etc/profile
+++ b/data/etc/profile
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ whence()
 		return 1
 	fi
 
+	returnValue=0
+
 	for cmd
 	do
 		if [ "$vflag" ]	 ; then
@@ -70,12 +72,15 @@ whence()
 				echo $path
 			else
 				case "$cmd" in
-					/*) if [ -x "$cmd" ]; then
-						echo "$cmd"
+					*/*) if [ -x "$cmd" ]; then
+							echo "$cmd"
+						else
+							returnValue=1
 					    fi
 					    ;;
 					 *) case "$(builtin type -type $cmd)" in
-						"") ;;
+						"") returnValue=1
+							;;
 						 *) echo "$cmd"
 						    ;;
 					    esac
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ whence()
 			fi
 		fi
 	done
-	return 0
+	return $returnValue
 }
 
 alias which='whence'