diff --git a/arguments.c b/arguments.c
index 20d5e7ba..1555c2f0 100644
--- a/arguments.c
+++ b/arguments.c
@@ -651,13 +651,14 @@ args_string(struct args *args, u_int idx)
 
 /* Make a command now. */
 struct cmd_list *
-args_make_commands_now(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item, u_int idx)
+args_make_commands_now(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item, u_int idx,
+    int expand)
 {
 	struct args_command_state	*state;
 	char				*error;
 	struct cmd_list			*cmdlist;
 
-	state = args_make_commands_prepare(self, item, idx, NULL, 0, 0);
+	state = args_make_commands_prepare(self, item, idx, NULL, 0, expand);
 	cmdlist = args_make_commands(state, 0, NULL, &error);
 	if (cmdlist == NULL) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "%s", error);
diff --git a/cmd-confirm-before.c b/cmd-confirm-before.c
index 8f50ba2d..95841962 100644
--- a/cmd-confirm-before.c
+++ b/cmd-confirm-before.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ cmd_confirm_before_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	int				 wait = !args_has(args, 'b');
 
 	cdata = xcalloc(1, sizeof *cdata);
-	cdata->cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 0);
+	cdata->cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 0, 0);
 	if (cdata->cmdlist == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
diff --git a/cmd-if-shell.c b/cmd-if-shell.c
index 907a96e1..9cdcfc51 100644
--- a/cmd-if-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-if-shell.c
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ cmd_if_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	shellcmd = format_single_from_target(item, args_string(args, 0));
 	if (args_has(args, 'F')) {
 		if (*shellcmd != '0' && *shellcmd != '\0')
-			cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 1);
+			cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 1, 0);
 		else if (count == 3)
-			cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 2);
+			cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 2, 0);
 		else {
 			free(shellcmd);
 			return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@ cmd_if_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 
 	cdata = xcalloc(1, sizeof *cdata);
 
-	cdata->cmd_if = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 1);
+	cdata->cmd_if = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 1, 0);
 	if (cdata->cmd_if == NULL)
 	    return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	if (count == 3) {
-		cdata->cmd_else = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 2);
+		cdata->cmd_else = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 2, 0);
 		if (cdata->cmd_else == NULL)
 		    return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index 662312fb..7d672f85 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ cmd_run_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		if (cmd != NULL)
 			cdata->cmd = format_single_from_target(item, cmd);
 	} else {
-		cdata->cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 0);
+		cdata->cmdlist = args_make_commands_now(self, item, 0, 1);
 		if (cdata->cmdlist == NULL)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index ca67fd03..7a77cdae 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2234,7 +2234,7 @@ struct args_value *args_values(struct args *);
 struct args_value *args_value(struct args *, u_int);
 const char	*args_string(struct args *, u_int);
 struct cmd_list	*args_make_commands_now(struct cmd *, struct cmdq_item *,
-		     u_int);
+		     u_int, int);
 struct args_command_state *args_make_commands_prepare(struct cmd *,
 		     struct cmdq_item *, u_int, const char *, int, int);
 struct cmd_list *args_make_commands(struct args_command_state *, int, char **,