diff --git a/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 685147569..2f45b84bc 100644
--- a/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -188,6 +188,14 @@ function(run_test test_path namespace escaped_content)
         set(DOC_BLOCK_PREFIX "@usage")
     endif()
 
+    # Does the text generate text output?
+    if(tmp_content MATCHES "--DOC_GEN_OUTPUT")
+        # The expected output is next to the .lua file in a .output.txt file
+        string(REPLACE ".lua" ".output.txt" expected_output_path ${test_path})
+    else()
+        set(expected_output_path "/dev/null")
+    endif()
+
     # Get the file name without the extension.
     get_filename_component(${test_path} TEST_FILE_NAME NAME)
     set(IMAGE_PATH "${IMAGE_DIR}/AUTOGEN${namespace}_${TEST_FILE_NAME}")
@@ -197,12 +205,12 @@ function(run_test test_path namespace escaped_content)
     message(STATUS "Running ${rel_test_path}…")
 
     execute_process(
-        COMMAND ${LUA_COV_RUNNER} ${template} ${test_path} ${IMAGE_PATH}
+        COMMAND "${TOP_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/examples/runner.sh" "${expected_output_path}" ${LUA_COV_RUNNER} ${template} ${test_path} ${IMAGE_PATH}
         RESULT_VARIABLE TEST_RESULT
         OUTPUT_VARIABLE TEST_OUTPUT
         ERROR_VARIABLE  TEST_ERROR
     )
-    if (TEST_RESULT OR NOT TEST_ERROR STREQUAL "")
+    if (TEST_RESULT OR NOT TEST_OUTPUT STREQUAL "" OR NOT TEST_ERROR STREQUAL "")
         message("Result: ${TEST_RESULT}")
         if (NOT TEST_OUTPUT STREQUAL "")
             message("Output: ${TEST_OUTPUT}")
@@ -232,19 +240,19 @@ function(run_test test_path namespace escaped_content)
         set(OUTPUT_IMAGE_PATH "")
     endif()
 
+    # Does the text generate text output?
     # If there is an output, assume it is relevant and add it to the
     # documentation under the image.
-    if(NOT ${TEST_OUTPUT} STREQUAL "")
-        if(NOT tmp_content MATCHES "--DOC_GEN_OUTPUT")
-            message(FATAL_ERROR "Unexpected output from ${test_path}: ${TEST_OUTPUT}")
-        endif()
+    if(tmp_content MATCHES "--DOC_GEN_OUTPUT")
+        file(READ "${expected_output_path}" expected_output)
+
         set(TEST_DOC_CONTENT
             "${TEST_DOC_CONTENT}\n${DOC_LINE_PREFIX}\n${DOC_LINE_PREFIX}**Usage example output**:\n${DOC_LINE_PREFIX}"
         )
 
         # Markdown requires an empty line before and after, and 4 spaces.
         escape_string(
-            "\n${TEST_OUTPUT}"
+            "\n${expected_output}"
             "${TEST_DOC_CONTENT}" TEST_DOC_CONTENT "    "
         )
         set(TEST_DOC_CONTENT "${TEST_DOC_CONTENT}\n${DOC_LINE_PREFIX}")
diff --git a/tests/examples/awful/mouse/coords.output.txt b/tests/examples/awful/mouse/coords.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8c9d43a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/awful/mouse/coords.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+235
diff --git a/tests/examples/awful/placement/closest_mouse.output.txt b/tests/examples/awful/placement/closest_mouse.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff6126c6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/awful/placement/closest_mouse.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Closest corner:	top_left
diff --git a/tests/examples/awful/placement/no_offscreen.output.txt b/tests/examples/awful/placement/no_offscreen.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6857e61c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/awful/placement/no_offscreen.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Before:	x=-30, y=-30, width=100, height=100
+After:	x=10, y=10, width=100, height=100
diff --git a/tests/examples/runner.sh b/tests/examples/runner.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d3eb820c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/runner.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Todo: Give this shell script a sane calling convention. Right now it has a
+# file containing the expected output as first argument and just executes
+# everything else.
+
+set -ue
+
+# Cleanup on errors / aborting
+cleanup() {
+    rm -rf "$file_stderr" "$file_stdout" || true
+}
+trap "cleanup" 0 2 3 15
+
+file_stdout=$(mktemp)
+file_stderr=$(mktemp)
+
+expected_output=$1
+shift
+
+# Run the command that we were given
+exit_code=0
+"$@" > ${file_stdout} 2> ${file_stderr} || exit_code=$?
+
+# If exit code is not zero or anything was produced on stderr...
+if [ $exit_code -ne 0 -o -s "${file_stderr}" ]
+then
+    echo "Result: ${exit_code}"
+    if [ -s "${file_stdout}" ]
+    then
+        echo "Output:"
+        cat "${file_stdout}"
+    fi
+    if [ -s "${file_stderr}" ]
+    then
+        echo "Error:"
+        cat "${file_stderr}"
+    fi
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check if we got the output we wanted
+if ! cmp --silent "${file_stdout}" "${expected_output}"
+then
+    echo "Expected text from ${expected_output}, but got:"
+    diff -u "${expected_output}" "${file_stdout}" || true
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0
+
+# vim: filetype=sh:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.lua b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.lua
index ffb05ddca..09b82bf32 100644
--- a/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.lua
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function class:set_foo(value)
 end
 
 function class:method(a, b, c)
-    print("In a mathod", a, b, c)
+    print("In a method", a, b, c)
 end
 
 local o = gears.object {
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.output.txt b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16f4a60dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/properties.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+In get foo	bar
+bar
+In set foo	42
+In get foo	42
+42
+In a method	1	2	3
+nil
+In the connection handler!	a cow
+a cow
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/object/signal.output.txt b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/signal.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c73dae3ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/object/signal.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+In slot	[obj]	nil	nil	nil
+In slot	[obj]	foo	bar	42
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/sort/topological.output.txt b/tests/examples/text/gears/sort/topological.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c2c033b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/sort/topological.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+The position #1 is: a
+The position #2 is: b
+The position #3 is: c
+The position #4 is: d
+The position #5 is: e
+The position #6 is: f
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa38c48a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+l:add_widget_at(new, 1, 4, 1, 1)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/extend_column.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/extend_column.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ac9b51d8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/extend_column.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+l:extend_column(2)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/insert_column.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/insert_column.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c10daf8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/insert_column.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+l:insert_column(2)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.lua
index 8a36679e1..d0274925b 100644
--- a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.lua
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ print([[l = wibox.layout {
     layout = wibox.layout.grid
 }
 l:set_orientation("vertical") -- change to "horizontal"
-l:add(...)
-]]) --DOC_HIDE
+l:add(...)]]) --DOC_HIDE
 
 return --DOC_HIDE
 wibox.widget {
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb19909a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/orientation.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+l = wibox.layout {
+    forced_num_cols = 2,
+    forced_num_rows = 2,
+    homogeneous     = true,
+    layout = wibox.layout.grid
+}
+l:set_orientation("vertical") -- change to "horizontal"
+l:add(...)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4d239e87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+l:remove_widgets_at(1,1)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove_column.output.txt b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove_column.output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8e5d85e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/remove_column.output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+l:remove_column(2)