diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index fad9760b..f08a724e 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -201,12 +201,13 @@ cmdq_continue_one(struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	char		*tmp;
 	int		 flags = !!(cmd->flags & CMD_CONTROL);
 
-	tmp = cmd_print(cmd);
-	log_debug("cmdq %p: %s", cmdq, tmp);
 #ifdef TMATE
 	if (tmate_should_replicate_cmd(cmd->entry))
-		tmate_exec_cmd(tmp);
+		tmate_exec_cmd(cmd);
 #endif
+
+	tmp = cmd_print(cmd);
+	log_debug("cmdq %p: %s", cmdq, tmp);
 	free(tmp);
 
 	cmdq->time = time(NULL);
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 7313b711..81334f1e 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -135,13 +135,13 @@ server_create_socket(void)
 static void tmate_set_editor_mode(void)
 {
 	switch (options_get_number(global_s_options, "status-keys")) {
-		case MODEKEY_EMACS: tmate_exec_cmd("set-option -g status-keys emacs"); break;
-		case MODEKEY_VI:    tmate_exec_cmd("set-option -g status-keys vi"); break;
+		case MODEKEY_EMACS: tmate_exec_cmd_args(4, (const char *[]){"set-option", "-g", "status-keys", "emacs"}); break;
+		case MODEKEY_VI:    tmate_exec_cmd_args(4, (const char *[]){"set-option", "-g", "status-keys", "vi"}); break;
 	}
 
 	switch (options_get_number(global_w_options, "mode-keys")) {
-		case MODEKEY_EMACS: tmate_exec_cmd("set-window-option -g mode-keys emacs"); break;
-		case MODEKEY_VI:    tmate_exec_cmd("set-window-option -g mode-keys vi"); break;
+		case MODEKEY_EMACS: tmate_exec_cmd_args(4, (const char *[]){"set-window-option", "-g", "status-keys", "emacs"}); break;
+		case MODEKEY_VI:    tmate_exec_cmd_args(4, (const char *[]){"set-window-option", "-g", "status-keys", "vi"}); break;
 	}
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/tmate-decoder.c b/tmate-decoder.c
index 9669c4c0..3b1e31af 100644
--- a/tmate-decoder.c
+++ b/tmate-decoder.c
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ static void handle_resize(struct tmate_session *session,
 extern char		**cfg_causes;
 extern u_int		  cfg_ncauses;
 
-static void handle_exec_cmd(__unused struct tmate_session *session,
-			    struct tmate_unpacker *uk)
+static void handle_exec_cmd_str(__unused struct tmate_session *session,
+				struct tmate_unpacker *uk)
 {
 	struct cmd_q *cmd_q;
 	struct cmd_list *cmdlist;
@@ -114,6 +114,55 @@ out:
 	free(cmd_str);
 }
 
+static void handle_exec_cmd(__unused struct tmate_session *session,
+			    struct tmate_unpacker *uk)
+{
+	struct cmd_q *cmd_q;
+	struct cmd_list *cmdlist;
+	struct cmd *cmd;
+	char *cause;
+	u_int i;
+	unsigned int argc;
+	char **argv;
+
+	int client_id = unpack_int(uk);
+
+	argc = uk->argc;
+	argv = xmalloc(sizeof(char *) * argc);
+	for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
+		argv[i] = unpack_string(uk);
+
+	cmd = cmd_parse(argc, argv, NULL, 0, &cause);
+	if (!cmd) {
+		tmate_failed_cmd(client_id, cause);
+		free(cause);
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	cmdlist = xcalloc(1, sizeof *cmdlist);
+	cmdlist->references = 1;
+	TAILQ_INIT(&cmdlist->list);
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&cmdlist->list, cmd, qentry);
+
+	cmd_q = cmdq_new(NULL);
+	cmdq_run(cmd_q, cmdlist, NULL);
+	cmd_list_free(cmdlist);
+	cmdq_free(cmd_q);
+
+	/* error messages land in cfg_causes */
+	for (i = 0; i < cfg_ncauses; i++) {
+		tmate_failed_cmd(client_id, cfg_causes[i]);
+		free(cfg_causes[i]);
+	}
+
+	free(cfg_causes);
+	cfg_causes = NULL;
+	cfg_ncauses = 0;
+
+out:
+	cmd_free_argv(argc, argv);
+}
+
 static void maybe_save_reconnection_data(struct tmate_session *session,
 				const char *name, const char *value)
 {
@@ -152,10 +201,11 @@ void tmate_dispatch_slave_message(struct tmate_session *session,
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_NOTIFY,		handle_notify);
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_LEGACY_PANE_KEY,	handle_legacy_pane_key);
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_RESIZE,		handle_resize);
-	dispatch(TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD,		handle_exec_cmd);
+	dispatch(TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD_STR,		handle_exec_cmd_str);
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_SET_ENV,		handle_set_env);
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_READY,		handle_ready);
 	dispatch(TMATE_IN_PANE_KEY,		handle_pane_key);
+	dispatch(TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD,		handle_exec_cmd);
 	default: tmate_info("Bad message type: %d", cmd);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tmate-encoder.c b/tmate-encoder.c
index 1a6c7b19..d4be7c6e 100644
--- a/tmate-encoder.c
+++ b/tmate-encoder.c
@@ -152,44 +152,99 @@ int tmate_should_replicate_cmd(const struct cmd_entry *cmd)
 
 #define sc (&session->saved_tmux_cmds)
 #define SAVED_TMUX_CMD_INITIAL_SIZE 256
-static void __tmate_exec_cmd(const char *cmd);
+static void __tmate_exec_cmd_args(int argc, const char **argv);
 
 static void append_saved_cmd(struct tmate_session *session,
-			     const char *cmd)
+			     int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	if (!sc->cmds) {
 		sc->capacity = SAVED_TMUX_CMD_INITIAL_SIZE;
-		sc->cmds = xmalloc(sizeof(char *) * sc->capacity);
+		sc->cmds = xmalloc(sizeof(*sc->cmds) * sc->capacity);
 		sc->tail = 0;
 	}
 
 	if (sc->tail == sc->capacity) {
 		sc->capacity *= 2;
-		sc->cmds = xrealloc(sc->cmds, sizeof(char *) * sc->capacity);
+		sc->cmds = xrealloc(sc->cmds, sizeof(*sc->cmds) * sc->capacity);
 	}
 
-	sc->cmds[sc->tail++] = xstrdup(cmd);
+	sc->cmds[sc->tail].argc = argc;
+	sc->cmds[sc->tail].argv = cmd_copy_argv(argc, (char **)argv);
+
+	sc->tail++;
 }
 
 static void replay_saved_cmd(struct tmate_session *session)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < sc->tail; i++)
-		__tmate_exec_cmd(sc->cmds[i]);
+		__tmate_exec_cmd_args(sc->cmds[i].argc, (const char **)sc->cmds[i].argv);
 }
 #undef sc
 
-static void __tmate_exec_cmd(const char *cmd)
+struct args_entry {
+	u_char			 flag;
+	char			*value;
+	RB_ENTRY(args_entry)	 entry;
+};
+
+static void extract_cmd(struct cmd *cmd, int *_argc, char ***_argv)
 {
-	pack(array, 2);
-	pack(int, TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD);
-	pack(string, cmd);
+	struct args_entry *entry;
+	struct args* args = cmd->args;
+	int argc = 0;
+	char **argv;
+	int next = 0, i;
+
+	argc++; /* cmd name */
+	RB_FOREACH(entry, args_tree, &args->tree) {
+		argc++;
+		if (entry->value != NULL)
+			argc++;
+	}
+	argc += args->argc;
+	argv = xmalloc(sizeof(char *) * argc);
+
+	argv[next++] = xstrdup(cmd->entry->name);
+
+	RB_FOREACH(entry, args_tree, &args->tree) {
+		xasprintf(&argv[next++], "-%c", entry->flag);
+		if (entry->value != NULL)
+			argv[next++] = xstrdup(entry->value);
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < args->argc; i++)
+		argv[next++] = xstrdup(args->argv[i]);
+
+	*_argc = argc;
+	*_argv = argv;
 }
 
-void tmate_exec_cmd(const char *cmd)
+static void __tmate_exec_cmd_args(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-	__tmate_exec_cmd(cmd);
-	append_saved_cmd(&tmate_session, cmd);
+	int i;
+
+	pack(array, argc + 1);
+	pack(int, TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD);
+
+	for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
+		pack(string, argv[i]);
+}
+
+void tmate_exec_cmd_args(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	__tmate_exec_cmd_args(argc, argv);
+	append_saved_cmd(&tmate_session, argc, argv);
+}
+
+void tmate_exec_cmd(struct cmd *cmd)
+{
+	int argc;
+	char **argv;
+
+	extract_cmd(cmd, &argc, &argv);
+	tmate_exec_cmd_args(argc, (const char **)argv);
+	cmd_free_argv(argc, argv);
 }
 
 void tmate_failed_cmd(int client_id, const char *cause)
diff --git a/tmate-protocol.h b/tmate-protocol.h
index 93c65ba3..ebae07a9 100644
--- a/tmate-protocol.h
+++ b/tmate-protocol.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ enum tmate_daemon_out_msg_types {
 	TMATE_OUT_HEADER,
 	TMATE_OUT_SYNC_LAYOUT,
 	TMATE_OUT_PTY_DATA,
-	TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD,
+	TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD_STR,
 	TMATE_OUT_FAILED_CMD,
 	TMATE_OUT_STATUS,
 	TMATE_OUT_SYNC_COPY_MODE,
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ enum tmate_daemon_out_msg_types {
 	TMATE_OUT_READY,
 	TMATE_OUT_RECONNECT,
 	TMATE_OUT_SNAPSHOT,
+	TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ enum tmate_daemon_out_msg_types {
 			  [[int: pane_id, int: sx, int: sy, int: xoff, int: yoff], ...],
 			  int: active_pane_id], ...], int: active_win_id]
 [TMATE_OUT_PTY_DATA, int: pane_id, binary: buffer]
-[TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD, string: cmd]
+[TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD_STR, string: cmd]
 [TMATE_OUT_FAILED_CMD, int: client_id, string: cause]
 [TMATE_OUT_STATUS, string: left, string: right]
 [TMATE_OUT_SYNC_COPY_MODE, int: pane_id, [int: backing, int: oy, int: cx, int: cy,
@@ -72,26 +73,31 @@ enum tmate_daemon_out_msg_types {
 [TMATE_OUT_WRITE_COPY_MODE, int: pane_id, string: str]
 [TMATE_OUT_FIN]
 [TMATE_OUT_READY]
+[TMATE_OUT_RECONNECT, string: reconnection_data]
+[TMATE_OUT_SNAPSHOT, ...]
+[TMATE_OUT_EXEC_CMD, string: cmd_name, ...string: args]
 */
 
 enum tmate_daemon_in_msg_types {
 	TMATE_IN_NOTIFY,
 	TMATE_IN_LEGACY_PANE_KEY,
 	TMATE_IN_RESIZE,
-	TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD,
+	TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD_STR,
 	TMATE_IN_SET_ENV,
 	TMATE_IN_READY,
 	TMATE_IN_PANE_KEY,
+	TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD,
 };
 
 /*
 [TMATE_IN_NOTIFY, string: msg]
 [TMATE_IN_PANE_KEY, int: key]
 [TMATE_IN_RESIZE, int: sx, int: sy] // sx == -1: no clients
-[TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD, int: client_id, string: cmd]
+[TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD_STR, int: client_id, string: cmd]
 [TMATE_IN_SET_ENV, string: name, string: value]
 [TMATE_IN_READY]
 [TMATE_IN_PANE_KEY, int: pane_id, uint64 keycode] // pane_id == -1: active pane
+[TMATE_IN_EXEC_CMD, int: client_id, ...string: args]
 */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tmate.h b/tmate.h
index e6d3ef09..fb764c54 100644
--- a/tmate.h
+++ b/tmate.h
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ extern void tmate_write_ready(void);
 extern void tmate_sync_layout(void);
 extern void tmate_pty_data(struct window_pane *wp, const char *buf, size_t len);
 extern int tmate_should_replicate_cmd(const struct cmd_entry *cmd);
-extern void tmate_exec_cmd(const char *cmd);
+extern void tmate_exec_cmd_args(int argc, const char **argv);
+extern void tmate_exec_cmd(struct cmd *cmd);
 extern void tmate_failed_cmd(int client_id, const char *cause);
 extern void tmate_status(const char *left, const char *right);
 extern void tmate_sync_copy_mode(struct window_pane *wp);
@@ -184,7 +185,10 @@ struct tmate_session {
 	struct {
 		unsigned int capacity;
 		unsigned int tail;
-		char **cmds;
+		struct {
+			int argc;
+			char **argv;
+		} *cmds;
 	} saved_tmux_cmds;
 };