diff --git a/R/run-examples.r b/R/run-examples.r
index 51ee18864..592a5fe88 100644
--- a/R/run-examples.r
+++ b/R/run-examples.r
@@ -24,25 +24,27 @@
 #'   won't work.
 #' @keywords programming
 #' @export
-run_examples <- function(pkg = ".", start = NULL, show = TRUE, test = FALSE,
+run_examples <- function(pkg = ".", start = NULL, show, test = FALSE,
                          run = TRUE, fresh = FALSE) {
   pkg <- as.package(pkg)
-  document(pkg)
-
   if (!missing(show)) {
     warning("`show` is deprecated", call. = FALSE)
   }
 
-  files <- rd_files(pkg$path, start = start)
-  if (length(files) == 0)
-    return()
-
-  rule("Running ", length(files), " example files in ", pkg$package)
-
   if (fresh) {
-    to_run <- eval(substitute(function() devtools::run_examples(path), list(path = pkg$path)))
-    callr::r(to_run, show = TRUE)
+    to_run <- eval(substitute(
+      function() devtools::run_examples(path, start, test, run)
+      , list(path = pkg$path, start = start, test = test, run = run)))
+    callr::r(to_run, show = TRUE, spinner = FALSE)
   } else {
+    document(pkg)
+
+    files <- rd_files(pkg$path, start = start)
+    if (length(files) == 0)
+      return()
+
+    rule("Running ", length(files), " example files in ", pkg$package)
+
     load_all(pkg$path, reset = TRUE, export_all = FALSE)
     on.exit(load_all(pkg$path, reset = TRUE))
 
diff --git a/man/run_examples.Rd b/man/run_examples.Rd
index 7cf7f10a7..2d63b4eb9 100644
--- a/man/run_examples.Rd
+++ b/man/run_examples.Rd
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 \alias{run_examples}
 \title{Run all examples in a package.}
 \usage{
-run_examples(pkg = ".", start = NULL, show = TRUE, test = FALSE,
-  run = TRUE, fresh = FALSE)
+run_examples(pkg = ".", start = NULL, show, test = FALSE, run = TRUE,
+  fresh = FALSE)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{pkg}{package description, can be path or package name.  See