diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 19089858e6..24f9e61976 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -309,7 +309,8 @@ fn classify_command(
                 }))
             }
             false => {
-                let arg_list_strings: Vec<String> = args.iter().map(|i| i.print()).collect();
+                let arg_list_strings: Vec<String> =
+                    args.iter().map(|i| i.as_external_arg()).collect();
 
                 Ok(ClassifiedCommand::External(ExternalCommand {
                     name: other.to_string(),
diff --git a/src/parser/ast.rs b/src/parser/ast.rs
index 8ccfdf7bf8..b00b2f31f3 100644
--- a/src/parser/ast.rs
+++ b/src/parser/ast.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,17 @@ impl Expression {
         }
     }
 
+    crate fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        match self {
+            Expression::Leaf(l) => l.as_external_arg(),
+            Expression::Parenthesized(p) => p.as_external_arg(),
+            Expression::Block(b) => b.as_external_arg(),
+            Expression::VariableReference(r) => r.as_external_arg(),
+            Expression::Path(p) => p.as_external_arg(),
+            Expression::Binary(b) => b.as_external_arg(),
+        }
+    }
+
     crate fn as_string(&self) -> Option<String> {
         match self {
             Expression::Leaf(Leaf::String(s)) => Some(s.to_string()),
@@ -82,6 +93,10 @@ impl Block {
     fn print(&self) -> String {
         format!("{{ {} }}", self.expr.print())
     }
+
+    fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        format!("{{ {} }}", self.expr.as_external_arg())
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq, new)]
@@ -93,6 +108,10 @@ impl Parenthesized {
     fn print(&self) -> String {
         format!("({})", self.expr.print())
     }
+
+    fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        format!("({})", self.expr.as_external_arg())
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq, Getters, new)]
@@ -114,6 +133,16 @@ impl Path {
 
         out
     }
+
+    crate fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        let mut out = self.head.as_external_arg();
+
+        for item in self.tail.iter() {
+            out.push_str(&format!(".{}", item));
+        }
+
+        out
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -133,6 +162,10 @@ impl Variable {
             Variable::Other(s) => format!("${}", s),
         }
     }
+
+    fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        self.print()
+    }
 }
 
 impl FromStr for Variable {
@@ -191,6 +224,15 @@ impl Leaf {
             Leaf::Int(i) => format!("{}", i),
         }
     }
+
+    fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        match self {
+            Leaf::String(s) => format!("{}", s),
+            Leaf::Bare(path) => format!("{}", path.to_string()),
+            Leaf::Boolean(b) => format!("{}", b),
+            Leaf::Int(i) => format!("{}", i),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq, new)]
@@ -209,6 +251,15 @@ impl Binary {
             self.right.print()
         )
     }
+
+    fn as_external_arg(&self) -> String {
+        format!(
+            "{} {} {}",
+            self.left.as_external_arg(),
+            self.operator.print(),
+            self.right.as_external_arg()
+        )
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]