diff --git a/bin/foreman-runner b/bin/foreman-runner
index e8adb5c..2e73701 100755
--- a/bin/foreman-runner
+++ b/bin/foreman-runner
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-#/ Usage: foreman-runner [-d <dir>] <command>
+#/ Usage: foreman-runner [-d <dir>] <command> [<args>...]
 #/
 #/ Run a command with exec, optionally changing directory first
 
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ done
 
 shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-command=$1
+[ -z "$1" ] && usage
 
-if [ -z "$1" ]; then
-  usage
-fi
-
-exec $1
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/lib/foreman/cli.rb b/lib/foreman/cli.rb
index 85498dc..acaa5f4 100644
--- a/lib/foreman/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/foreman/cli.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require "foreman"
 require "foreman/helpers"
 require "foreman/engine"
 require "foreman/export"
+require "shellwords"
 require "thor"
 require "yaml"
 
@@ -59,12 +60,12 @@ class Foreman::CLI < Thor
     puts "valid procfile detected (#{engine.procfile.process_names.join(', ')})"
   end
 
-  desc "run COMMAND", "Run a command using your application's environment"
+  desc "run COMMAND [ARGS...]", "Run a command using your application's environment"
 
   def run(*args)
     engine.apply_environment!
     begin
-      exec args.join(" ")
+      exec args.shelljoin
     rescue Errno::EACCES
       error "not executable: #{args.first}"
     rescue Errno::ENOENT
diff --git a/lib/foreman/process.rb b/lib/foreman/process.rb
index 8f31d8b..ebd8529 100644
--- a/lib/foreman/process.rb
+++ b/lib/foreman/process.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ private
         $stdout.reopen writer
         $stderr.reopen writer
         reader.close
-        exec Foreman.runner, "-d", basedir, command
+        exec Foreman.runner, "-d", basedir, *command.shellsplit
       end
     end
     [ reader, pid ]
diff --git a/spec/foreman/cli_spec.rb b/spec/foreman/cli_spec.rb
index 4473330..d45e747 100644
--- a/spec/foreman/cli_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/foreman/cli_spec.rb
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ describe "Foreman::CLI", :fakefs do
       before { write_procfile }
 
       describe "and a command" do
-        let(:command) { ["ls", "-l"] }
+        let(:command) { ["ls", "-l", "foo bar"] }
 
         before(:each) do
           stub(subject).exec
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ describe "Foreman::CLI", :fakefs do
           ENV["FOO"].should be_nil
         end
 
-        it "should runute the command as a string" do
-          mock(subject).exec(command.join(" "))
+        it "should exec the argument list as a shell command" do
+          mock(subject).exec(command.shelljoin)
           subject.run *command
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/foreman/process_spec.rb b/spec/foreman/process_spec.rb
index d8380db..1f2d1ea 100644
--- a/spec/foreman/process_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/foreman/process_spec.rb
@@ -121,11 +121,25 @@ describe Foreman::Process do
         output.should include('777')
       end
 
-      it 'should handle arguments' do
-        pending
+      it 'should handle multi-word arguments (old test)' do
+        # TODO: This test used to be marked pending; it now passes,
+        # but is very slow.  The next test is a fast replacement.
         run %{ sh -c "trap '' TERM; sleep 10" }
         subject.should be_alive
       end
+
+      it 'should handle multi-word arguments' do
+        # We have to be a little clever here since Foreman will always
+        # print a status message that includes the command.
+        run %{ sh -c 'echo abcdef | tr a-c x | tr d-f y' }
+        output.should include('xxxyyy')
+      end
+
+      it 'should not clobber "$x"-subexpressions' do
+        pending 'this conflicts with the variable interpolation hack'
+        run %{ sh -c 'echo \$abcdef | tr \$ %' }
+        output.should include('%abcdef')
+      end
     end
   end
 end