diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/QueryByExampleExecutor.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/QueryByExampleExecutor.java
index 64b95c730..99e3bce26 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/QueryByExampleExecutor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/QueryByExampleExecutor.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
 public interface QueryByExampleExecutor<T> {
 
 	/**
-	 * Returns a single entity matching the given {@link Example} or {@literal null} if none was found.
+	 * Returns a single entity matching the given {@link Example} or {@link Optional#empty()} if none was found.
 	 *
 	 * @param example must not be {@literal null}.
 	 * @return a single entity matching the given {@link Example} or {@link Optional#empty()} if none was found.