diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index b55f1ab72bd7..2ffb2f0bcf4a 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -185,16 +185,17 @@ impl MappableCommand {
     pub fn execute(&self, cx: &mut Context) {
         match &self {
             Self::Typable { name, args, doc: _ } => {
-                let args: Vec<Cow<str>> = args.iter().map(Cow::from).collect();
-                if let Some(command) = typed::TYPABLE_COMMAND_MAP.get(name.as_str()) {
-                    let mut cx = compositor::Context {
-                        editor: cx.editor,
-                        jobs: cx.jobs,
-                        scroll: None,
-                    };
-                    if let Err(e) = (command.fun)(&mut cx, &args[..], PromptEvent::Validate) {
-                        cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
-                    }
+                let mut cx = compositor::Context {
+                    editor: cx.editor,
+                    jobs: cx.jobs,
+                    scroll: None,
+                };
+                if let Err(e) = typed::process_cmd(
+                    &mut cx,
+                    &format!("{} {}", name, args.join(" ")),
+                    PromptEvent::Validate,
+                ) {
+                    cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
                 }
             }
             Self::Static { fun, .. } => (fun)(cx),
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index afc3d7069894..842cf97d1b32 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -2165,6 +2165,42 @@ fn reset_diff_change(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub fn process_cmd(
+    cx: &mut compositor::Context,
+    input: &str,
+    event: PromptEvent,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let input = expand_args(cx.editor, input);
+    let parts = input.split_whitespace().collect::<Vec<&str>>();
+    if parts.is_empty() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    // If command is numeric, interpret as line number and go there.
+    if parts.len() == 1 && parts[0].parse::<usize>().ok().is_some() {
+        if let Err(e) = typed::goto_line_number(cx, &[Cow::from(parts[0])], event) {
+            cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
+            return Err(e);
+        }
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    // Handle typable commands
+    if let Some(cmd) = typed::TYPABLE_COMMAND_MAP.get(parts[0]) {
+        let shellwords = shellwords::Shellwords::from(input.as_ref());
+        let args = shellwords.words();
+
+        if let Err(e) = (cmd.fun)(cx, &args[1..], event) {
+            cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
+            return Err(e);
+        }
+    } else if event == PromptEvent::Validate {
+        cx.editor
+            .set_error(format!("no such command: '{}'", parts[0]));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub const TYPABLE_COMMAND_LIST: &[TypableCommand] = &[
         TypableCommand {
             name: "quit",
@@ -2794,31 +2830,7 @@ pub(super) fn command_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
             }
         }, // completion
         move |cx: &mut compositor::Context, input: &str, event: PromptEvent| {
-            let parts = input.split_whitespace().collect::<Vec<&str>>();
-            if parts.is_empty() {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            // If command is numeric, interpret as line number and go there.
-            if parts.len() == 1 && parts[0].parse::<usize>().ok().is_some() {
-                if let Err(e) = typed::goto_line_number(cx, &[Cow::from(parts[0])], event) {
-                    cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
-                }
-                return;
-            }
-
-            // Handle typable commands
-            if let Some(cmd) = typed::TYPABLE_COMMAND_MAP.get(parts[0]) {
-                let shellwords = Shellwords::from(input);
-                let args = shellwords.words();
-
-                if let Err(e) = (cmd.fun)(cx, &args[1..], event) {
-                    cx.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
-                }
-            } else if event == PromptEvent::Validate {
-                cx.editor
-                    .set_error(format!("no such command: '{}'", parts[0]));
-            }
+            let _ = process_cmd(cx, input, event);
         },
     );
     prompt.doc_fn = Box::new(|input: &str| {
@@ -2841,6 +2853,58 @@ pub(super) fn command_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(prompt));
 }
 
+fn expand_args<'a>(editor: &mut Editor, args: &'a str) -> Cow<'a, str> {
+    let reg = Regex::new(r"%(\w+)\s*\{(.*)").unwrap();
+    reg.replace(args, |caps: &regex::Captures| {
+        let remaining = &caps[2];
+        let end = find_first_open_right_braces(remaining);
+        let exp = expand_args(editor, &remaining[..end]);
+        let doc = doc!(editor);
+        let rep = match &caps[1] {
+            "val" => match exp.trim() {
+                "filename" => doc.path().and_then(|p| p.to_str()).unwrap_or("").to_owned(),
+                "dirname" => doc
+                    .path()
+                    .and_then(|p| p.parent())
+                    .and_then(|p| p.to_str())
+                    .unwrap_or("")
+                    .to_owned(),
+                _ => "".into(),
+            },
+            "sh" => {
+                let shell = &editor.config().shell;
+                if let Ok((output, _)) = shell_impl(shell, &exp, None) {
+                    output.trim().into()
+                } else {
+                    "".into()
+                }
+            }
+            _ => "".into(),
+        };
+        let next = expand_args(editor, remaining.get(end + 1..).unwrap_or(""));
+        format!("{rep} {next}")
+    })
+}
+
+fn find_first_open_right_braces(str: &str) -> usize {
+    let mut left_count = 1;
+    for (i, &b) in str.as_bytes().iter().enumerate() {
+        match char::from_u32(b as u32) {
+            Some('}') => {
+                left_count -= 1;
+                if left_count == 0 {
+                    return i;
+                }
+            }
+            Some('{') => {
+                left_count += 1;
+            }
+            _ => {}
+        }
+    }
+    str.len()
+}
+
 fn argument_number_of(shellwords: &Shellwords) -> usize {
     if shellwords.ends_with_whitespace() {
         shellwords.words().len().saturating_sub(1)