diff --git a/pathauto.module b/pathauto.module
index dffc29282e..2f5550502e 100644
--- a/pathauto.module
+++ b/pathauto.module
@@ -511,26 +511,35 @@ function pathauto_node_operations() {
  * @param $node
  *   A node object.
  * @param $op
- *   Operation being performed on the node ('insert', 'update' or 'bulkupdate').
+ *   Operation being performed on the node ('insert', 'update', 'return', or 'bulkupdate').
  * @param $options
  *   An optional array of additional options.
+ *
+ * @return mixed
+ *   Depends on $op:
+ *   - insert, update, or bulkupdate:
+ *     The path alias array that was created, otherwise NULL, or sometimes an
+ *     empty string.
+ *   - return:
+ *     The string path for the given node, otherwise NULL, or sometimes an empty
+ *     string.
  */
 function pathauto_node_update_alias(stdClass $node, $op, array $options = array()) {
   // Skip processing if the user has disabled pathauto for the node.
   if (isset($node->path['pathauto']) && empty($node->path['pathauto'])) {
-    return;
+    return '';
   }
 
   $options += array('language' => pathauto_entity_language('node', $node));
 
   // Skip processing if the node has no pattern.
   if (!pathauto_pattern_load_by_entity('node', $node->type, $options['language'])) {
-    return;
+    return '';
   }
 
   module_load_include('inc', 'pathauto');
   $uri = entity_uri('node', $node);
-  pathauto_create_alias('node', $op, $uri['path'], array('node' => $node), $node->type, $options['language']);
+  return pathauto_create_alias('node', $op, $uri['path'], array('node' => $node), $node->type, $options['language']);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -539,22 +548,34 @@ function pathauto_node_update_alias(stdClass $node, $op, array $options = array(
  * @param $nids
  *   An array of node IDs.
  * @param $op
- *   Operation being performed on the nodes ('insert', 'update' or
+ *   Operation being performed on the nodes ('insert', 'update', 'return' or
  *   'bulkupdate').
  * @param $options
  *   An optional array of additional options.
+ *
+ * @return array()
+ *   An associative array with keys for the given node IDs. The values vary
+ *   depending on $op:
+ *   - insert, update, or bulkupdate:
+ *     The path alias array that was created, otherwise NULL, or sometimes an
+ *     empty string.
+ *   - return:
+ *     The string path for the given node, otherwise NULL, or sometimes an empty
+ *     string.
  */
 function pathauto_node_update_alias_multiple(array $nids, $op, array $options = array()) {
   $options += array('message' => FALSE);
+  $results = [];
 
   $nodes = node_load_multiple($nids);
   foreach ($nodes as $node) {
-    pathauto_node_update_alias($node, $op, $options);
+    $results[$node->nid] = pathauto_node_update_alias($node, $op, $options);
   }
 
   if (!empty($options['message'])) {
     drupal_set_message(format_plural(count($nids), 'Updated URL alias for 1 node.', 'Updated URL aliases for @count nodes.'));
   }
+  return $results;
 }
 
 /**