diff --git a/doc/api/vm.md b/doc/api/vm.md
index a62923c2a1a317..8c49cfb7c31f24 100644
--- a/doc/api/vm.md
+++ b/doc/api/vm.md
@@ -212,8 +212,24 @@ that sandbox][contextified] so that it can be used in calls to
 [`vm.runInContext()`][] or [`script.runInContext()`][]. Inside such scripts,
 the `sandbox` object will be the global object, retaining all of its existing
 properties but also having the built-in objects and functions any standard
-[global object][] has. Outside of scripts run by the vm module, `sandbox` will
-remain unchanged.
+[global object][] has. Outside of scripts run by the vm module, global variables
+will remain unchanged.
+
+```js
+const util = require('util');
+const vm = require('vm');
+
+var globalVar = 3;
+
+const sandbox = { globalVar: 1 };
+vm.createContext(sandbox);
+
+vm.runInContext('globalVar *= 2;', sandbox);
+
+console.log(util.inspect(sandbox)); // 2
+
+console.log(util.inspect(globalVar)); // 3
+```
 
 If `sandbox` is omitted (or passed explicitly as `undefined`), a new, empty
 [contextified][] sandbox object will be returned.