diff --git a/nnn.1 b/nnn.1
index d25452bc..a2989027 100644
--- a/nnn.1
+++ b/nnn.1
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ separated by \fI;\fR:
         export NNN_PLUG='y:-!sync*'
 
     5. To run a \fIGUI app as plugin\fR, add a \fB&\fR after \fB!\fR
+       Note: $nnn must be the last argument in this case.
 
         export NNN_PLUG='m:-!&mousepad $nnn'
 
diff --git a/plugins/README.md b/plugins/README.md
index 68eb9018..55826d89 100644
--- a/plugins/README.md
+++ b/plugins/README.md
@@ -165,6 +165,8 @@ To run a GUI app as plugin, add a `&` after `!`.
 export NNN_PLUG='m:-!&mousepad $nnn'
 ```
 
+Note: $nnn must be the last argument in this case.
+
 #### Page non-interactive command output
 
 To show the output of run-and-exit commands which do not need user input, add `|` (pipe) after `!`.
diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 44f297f4..9ad79e34 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -5108,7 +5108,7 @@ static void setexports(void)
 	}
 }
 
-static bool run_cmd_as_plugin(const char *file, uchar_t flags)
+static bool run_cmd_as_plugin(const char *file, char *runfile, uchar_t flags)
 {
 	size_t len;
 
@@ -5122,8 +5122,14 @@ static bool run_cmd_as_plugin(const char *file, uchar_t flags)
 	}
 
 	if (flags & F_PAGE)
-		get_output(utils[UTIL_SH_EXEC], g_buf, NULL, -1, TRUE, TRUE);
-	else
+		get_output(g_buf, NULL, NULL, -1, TRUE, TRUE);
+	else if (flags & F_NOTRACE) {
+		if (is_suffix(g_buf, " $nnn"))
+			g_buf[len - 5] = '\0';
+		else
+			runfile = NULL;
+		spawn(g_buf, runfile, NULL, NULL, flags);
+	} else
 		spawn(utils[UTIL_SH_EXEC], g_buf, NULL, NULL, flags);
 
 	return TRUE;
@@ -5257,7 +5263,7 @@ static bool run_plugin(char **path, const char *file, char *runfile, char **last
 			return FALSE;
 
 		if ((flags & F_NOTRACE) || (flags & F_PAGE))
-			return run_cmd_as_plugin(file, flags);
+			return run_cmd_as_plugin(file, runfile, flags);
 
 		cmd_as_plugin = TRUE;
 	}
@@ -5291,7 +5297,7 @@ static bool run_plugin(char **path, const char *file, char *runfile, char **last
 			} else
 				spawn(g_buf, NULL, *path, sel, 0);
 		} else
-			run_cmd_as_plugin(file, flags);
+			run_cmd_as_plugin(file, NULL, flags);
 
 		close(wfd);
 		_exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);