diff --git a/doc_src/tutorial.rst b/doc_src/tutorial.rst
index 396dfea6d..05a15e55c 100644
--- a/doc_src/tutorial.rst
+++ b/doc_src/tutorial.rst
@@ -409,6 +409,8 @@ Unlike other shells, ``fish`` stores the exit status of the last command in ``$s
     1
 
 
+This indicates how the command fared - 0 usually means success, while the others signify kinds of failure. For instance fish's ``set --query`` returns the number of variables it queried that weren't set - ``set --query PATH`` usually returns 0, ``set --query arglbargl boogagoogoo`` usually returns 2.
+
 There is also a ``$pipestatus`` list variable for the exit statuses [#]_ of processes in a pipe.
 
 .. [#] or "stati" if you prefer, or "statūs" if you've time-travelled from ancient Rome or work as a latin teacher