diff --git a/e2e/api-spec.json b/e2e/api-spec.json
index d4ef615de..c33eec393 100644
--- a/e2e/api-spec.json
+++ b/e2e/api-spec.json
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -416,6 +417,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -662,6 +664,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -739,6 +742,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -820,6 +824,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1039,6 +1044,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1113,6 +1119,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1183,6 +1190,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1269,6 +1277,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1326,6 +1335,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1396,6 +1406,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1463,6 +1474,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1542,6 +1554,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
@@ -1601,6 +1614,7 @@
             "required": false,
             "schema": {
               "type": "string",
+              "example": "test",
               "default": "test"
             }
           },
diff --git a/e2e/src/cats/cats.controller.ts b/e2e/src/cats/cats.controller.ts
index 94e239a61..c568161b7 100644
--- a/e2e/src/cats/cats.controller.ts
+++ b/e2e/src/cats/cats.controller.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ import { CatBreed } from './enums/cat-breed.enum';
   name: 'header',
   required: false,
   description: 'Test',
-  schema: { default: 'test' }
+  schema: { default: 'test' },
+  example: 'test'
 })
 @Controller('cats')
 export class CatsController {
diff --git a/lib/decorators/api-header.decorator.ts b/lib/decorators/api-header.decorator.ts
index f13bd3e66..7a4b58a13 100644
--- a/lib/decorators/api-header.decorator.ts
+++ b/lib/decorators/api-header.decorator.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export function ApiHeader(
       examples: options.examples,
       schema: {
         type: 'string',
+        ...(options.example ? { example: options.example } : {}),
         ...(options.schema || {})
       }
     },
diff --git a/test/explorer/swagger-explorer.spec.ts b/test/explorer/swagger-explorer.spec.ts
index 3ff4d0bcc..fa18e9230 100644
--- a/test/explorer/swagger-explorer.spec.ts
+++ b/test/explorer/swagger-explorer.spec.ts
@@ -1382,6 +1382,16 @@ describe('SwaggerExplorer', () => {
       create(): Promise<any> {
         return Promise.resolve();
       }
+
+      @ApiHeader({
+        name: 'X-API-Version',
+        description: 'API version',
+        example: '2025-05-16'
+      })
+      @Get('foos')
+      find2(): Promise<Foo[]> {
+        return Promise.resolve([]);
+      }
     }
 
     it('should properly define headers', () => {
@@ -1428,6 +1438,26 @@ describe('SwaggerExplorer', () => {
           }
         }
       ]);
+      expect(routes[2].root.parameters).toEqual([
+        {
+          description: 'auth token',
+          name: 'Authorization',
+          in: 'header',
+          schema: {
+            default: 'default token',
+            type: 'string'
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          description: 'API version',
+          name: 'X-API-Version',
+          in: 'header',
+          schema: {
+            type: 'string',
+            example: '2025-05-16'
+          }
+        }
+      ]);
     });
   });