diff --git a/src/xinterpreter.cpp b/src/xinterpreter.cpp
index b1913461..0b02aaa2 100644
--- a/src/xinterpreter.cpp
+++ b/src/xinterpreter.cpp
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ namespace xcpp
 
     void interpreter::execute_request_impl(
         send_reply_callback cb,
-        int /*execution_count*/,
+        int execution_count,
         const std::string& code,
         xeus::execute_request_config config,
         nl::json /*user_expressions*/
@@ -330,12 +330,13 @@ namespace xcpp
         SilentStreamRedirectRAII silent_guard(config.silent);
 
         std::string err;
+        Cpp::Box output;
 
         // Attempt normal evaluation
         try
         {
             StreamRedirectRAII R(err);
-            compilation_result = Cpp::Process(code.c_str());
+            compilation_result = Cpp::Evaluate(code.c_str(), output);
         }
         catch (std::exception& e)
         {
@@ -384,15 +385,24 @@ namespace xcpp
         }
         else
         {
-            /*
-                // Publish a mime bundle for the last return value if
-                // the semicolon was omitted.
-                if (!config.silent && output.hasValue() && trim(code).back() != ';')
-                {
-                    nl::json pub_data = mime_repr(output);
-                    publish_execution_result(execution_counter, std::move(pub_data), nl::json::object());
-                }
-                */
+            // Match an interactive C++ shell: publish the last value when the
+            // input did not suppress display with a trailing semicolon.
+            const std::size_t last = code.find_last_not_of(" \t\r\n");
+            if (!config.silent
+                && output.getKind() != Cpp::Box::K_Unspecified
+                && output.getKind() != Cpp::Box::K_Void
+                && last != std::string::npos
+                && code[last] != ';')
+            {
+                nl::json pub_data = {
+                    {"text/plain", Cpp::GetValueAsString(output)}
+                };
+                publish_execution_result(
+                    execution_count,
+                    std::move(pub_data),
+                    nl::json::object()
+                );
+            }
             // Compose execute_reply message.
             kernel_res = xeus::create_successful_reply();
         }
diff --git a/test/test_interpreter.cpp b/test/test_interpreter.cpp
index a1a11f57..d6e4ae5f 100644
--- a/test/test_interpreter.cpp
+++ b/test/test_interpreter.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,50 @@ class StreamRedirectRAII {
 
 TEST_SUITE("execute_request")
 {
+    TEST_CASE("publishes the last expression value")
+    {
+        std::vector<const char*> args = {};
+        xcpp::interpreter interpreter(static_cast<int>(args.size()), args.data());
+
+        std::string published_type;
+        nl::json published_content;
+        interpreter.register_publisher(
+            [&published_type, &published_content](
+                xeus::xrequest_context,
+                const std::string& message_type,
+                nl::json,
+                nl::json content,
+                xeus::buffer_sequence)
+            {
+                if (message_type == "execute_result")
+                {
+                    published_type = message_type;
+                    published_content = std::move(content);
+                }
+            }
+        );
+
+        xeus::execute_request_config config;
+        config.silent = false;
+        config.store_history = false;
+        config.allow_stdin = false;
+        xeus::xrequest_context context(nl::json::object(), {});
+
+        std::promise<nl::json> promise;
+        std::future<nl::json> future = promise.get_future();
+        interpreter.execute_request(
+            std::move(context),
+            [&promise](nl::json result) { promise.set_value(std::move(result)); },
+            "5",
+            config,
+            nl::json::object()
+        );
+
+        REQUIRE(future.get()["status"] == "ok");
+        REQUIRE(published_type == "execute_result");
+        REQUIRE(published_content["data"]["text/plain"] == "(int) 5");
+    }
+
     TEST_CASE("stl")
     {
         std::vector<const char*> Args = {
@@ -1266,4 +1310,4 @@ TEST_CASE("Silent mode restores std::cout and std::cerr buffers")
     REQUIRE(std::cout.rdbuf() == cout_before);
     REQUIRE(std::cerr.rdbuf() == cerr_before);
 }
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif