diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index e857e9c9..0bd8fc59 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ cmd_run_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	else
 		cwd = NULL;
 	ft = format_create(cmdq, 0);
-	format_defaults(ft, NULL, s, wl, wp);
+	format_defaults(ft, cmdq->state.c, s, wl, wp);
 	shellcmd = format_expand(ft, args->argv[0]);
 	format_free(ft);