diff --git a/src/System.Management.Automation/engine/InitialSessionState.cs b/src/System.Management.Automation/engine/InitialSessionState.cs
index e75ca018f8e..32969ecde28 100644
--- a/src/System.Management.Automation/engine/InitialSessionState.cs
+++ b/src/System.Management.Automation/engine/InitialSessionState.cs
@@ -4072,6 +4072,15 @@ internal static string GetClearHostFunctionText()
             }
         }
 
+#if UNIX
+        internal static string GetExecFunctionText()
+        {
+            return @"
+Switch-Process -WithCommand $args
+";
+        }
+#endif
+
         /// <summary>
         /// This is the default function to use for man/help. It uses
         /// splatting to pass in the parameters.
@@ -4677,10 +4686,6 @@ internal static SessionStateAliasEntry[] BuiltInAliases
                     new SessionStateAliasEntry("sls", "Select-String"),
                 };
 
-#if UNIX
-                builtInAliases.Add(new SessionStateAliasEntry("exec", "Switch-Process"));
-#endif
-
                 return builtInAliases.ToArray();
             }
         }
@@ -4709,6 +4714,10 @@ internal static SessionStateAliasEntry[] BuiltInAliases
             SessionStateFunctionEntry.GetDelayParsedFunctionEntry("help", GetHelpPagingFunctionText(), isProductCode: true, languageMode: systemLanguageMode),
             SessionStateFunctionEntry.GetDelayParsedFunctionEntry("prompt", DefaultPromptFunctionText, isProductCode: true, languageMode: systemLanguageMode),
 
+#if UNIX
+            SessionStateFunctionEntry.GetDelayParsedFunctionEntry("exec", GetExecFunctionText(), isProductCode: true, languageMode: systemLanguageMode),
+#endif
+
             // Functions that require full language mode and are trusted
             SessionStateFunctionEntry.GetDelayParsedFunctionEntry("Clear-Host", GetClearHostFunctionText(), isProductCode: true, languageMode: PSLanguageMode.FullLanguage),
             SessionStateFunctionEntry.GetDelayParsedFunctionEntry("TabExpansion2", s_tabExpansionFunctionText, isProductCode: true, languageMode: PSLanguageMode.FullLanguage),
diff --git a/test/powershell/Modules/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Exec.Tests.ps1 b/test/powershell/Modules/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Exec.Tests.ps1
index 1a1023f0ea4..ad89c847811 100644
--- a/test/powershell/Modules/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Exec.Tests.ps1
+++ b/test/powershell/Modules/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Exec.Tests.ps1
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ Describe 'Switch-Process tests for Unix' -Tags 'CI' {
         $global:PSDefaultParameterValues = $originalDefaultParameterValues
     }
 
-    It 'Exec alias should map to Switch-Process' {
-        $alias = Get-Command exec
-        $alias | Should -BeOfType [System.Management.Automation.AliasInfo]
-        $alias.Definition | Should -BeExactly 'Switch-Process'
+    It 'Exec function should map to Switch-Process' {
+        $func = Get-Command exec
+        $func | Should -BeOfType [System.Management.Automation.CommandInfo]
+        $func.Definition | Should -Not -BeNullOrEmpty
     }
 
     It 'Exec by itself does nothing' {
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ Describe 'Switch-Process tests for Unix' -Tags 'CI' {
         $env = pwsh -noprofile -outputformat text -command { $env:TEST_FOO='my test = value'; Switch-Process bash -c 'echo $TEST_FOO' }
         $env | Should -BeExactly 'my test = value'
     }
+
+    It 'The command can include a -w parameter' {
+        $out = pwsh -noprofile -outputformat text -command { exec /bin/echo 1 -w 2 }
+        $out | Should -BeExactly '1 -w 2'
+    }
 }
 
 Describe 'Switch-Process for Windows' -Tag 'CI' {
diff --git a/test/powershell/engine/Basic/DefaultCommands.Tests.ps1 b/test/powershell/engine/Basic/DefaultCommands.Tests.ps1
index bdcd5af0000..f5fc66748a7 100644
--- a/test/powershell/engine/Basic/DefaultCommands.Tests.ps1
+++ b/test/powershell/engine/Basic/DefaultCommands.Tests.ps1
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ Describe "Verify approved aliases list" -Tags "CI" {
 "Alias",        "epsn",                             "Export-PSSession",                 $($FullCLR                               ),     "",                     "",                     ""
 "Alias",        "erase",                            "Remove-Item",                      $($FullCLR -or $CoreWindows -or $CoreUnix),     "",                     "",                     ""
 "Alias",        "etsn",                             "Enter-PSSession",                  $($FullCLR -or $CoreWindows -or $CoreUnix),     "",                     "",                     ""
-"Alias",        "exec",                             "Switch-Process",                   $(                              $CoreUnix),     "",                     "",                     ""
 "Alias",        "exsn",                             "Exit-PSSession",                   $($FullCLR -or $CoreWindows -or $CoreUnix),     "",                     "",                     ""
 "Alias",        "fc",                               "Format-Custom",                    $($FullCLR -or $CoreWindows -or $CoreUnix),     "ReadOnly",             "",                     ""
 "Alias",        "fhx",                              "Format-Hex",                       $($FullCLR -or $CoreWindows -or $CoreUnix),     "",                     "",                     ""