diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 81a454cc..d48ce6e3 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -3085,11 +3085,11 @@ nochange:
 			}
 
 			if (sel == SEL_CP)
-				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "xargs -0 -a %s cp -ir --preserve=all -t .", g_cppath);
+				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "cat %s | xargs -0 cp -ir --preserve=all -t .", g_cppath);
 			else if (sel == SEL_MV)
-				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "xargs -0 -a %s mv -i -t .", g_cppath);
+				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "cat %s | xargs -0 mv -i -t .", g_cppath);
 			else /* SEL_RMMUL */
-				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "xargs -0 -a %s rm -Ir", g_cppath);
+				snprintf(g_buf, MAX_CMD_LEN, "cat %s | xargs -0 rm -Ir", g_cppath);
 
 			spawn("sh", "-c", g_buf, path, F_NORMAL | F_SIGINT);