diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2627d384..f9dcea14 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -372,9 +372,7 @@ To edit all text files in EDITOR (preferably CLI, fallback vi):
 
     export NNN_USE_EDITOR=1
 
-Arguments to the `$EDITOR`, `$PAGER` and `$SHELL` should be combined together, e.g.,
-
-    export EDITOR='vim -xR'
+Arguments to the `$PAGER` and `$SHELL` should be combined together.
 
 The option `open with` takes 1 combined argument.
 
diff --git a/nnn.1 b/nnn.1
index 62bb1625..6cd8e191 100644
--- a/nnn.1
+++ b/nnn.1
@@ -264,10 +264,7 @@ be copied, moved or removed using respective keyboard shortcuts.
 To list the file paths copied to memory press \fIy\fR.
 .Sh ENVIRONMENT
 The SHELL, EDITOR (VISUAL, if defined) and PAGER environment variables take precedence
-when dealing with the !, e and p commands respectively. A single combination to arguments is supported, e.g.:
-.Bd -literal
-    export EDITOR='vim -xR'
-.Ed
+when dealing with the !, e and p commands respectively. A single combination to arguments is supported for SHELL and PAGER.
 .Pp
 \fBNNN_BMS:\fR bookmark string as \fIkey_char:location\fR pairs (max 10) separated by
 \fI;\fR:
diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 87b50425..c6264af5 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ static int ndents, cur, total_dents = ENTRY_INCR;
 static uint idle;
 static uint idletimeout, copybufpos, copybuflen;
 static char *copier;
-static char *editor, *editor_arg;
+static char *editor;
 static char *pager, *pager_arg;
 static char *shell, *shell_arg;
 static char *runpath;
@@ -2125,9 +2125,9 @@ static bool show_help(char *path)
 	if (getenv("SHLVL"))
 		dprintf(fd, "SHLVL: %s\n", getenv("SHLVL"));
 	if (getenv("VISUAL"))
-		dprintf(fd, "VISUAL: %s %s\n", editor, editor_arg);
+		dprintf(fd, "VISUAL: %s\n", editor);
 	else if (getenv("EDITOR"))
-		dprintf(fd, "EDITOR: %s %s\n", editor, editor_arg);
+		dprintf(fd, "EDITOR: %s\n", editor);
 	if (getenv("PAGER"))
 		dprintf(fd, "PAGER: %s %s\n", pager, pager_arg);
 
@@ -2717,7 +2717,11 @@ nochange:
 				if (cfg.useeditor &&
 				    get_output(g_buf, CMD_LEN_MAX, "file", FILE_OPTS, newpath, FALSE) &&
 				    strstr(g_buf, "text/") == g_buf) {
-					spawn(editor, editor_arg, newpath, path, F_NORMAL);
+					r = xstrlcpy(g_buf, editor, CMD_LEN_MAX);
+					g_buf[r - 1] = ' ';
+					xstrlcpy(g_buf + r, newpath, CMD_LEN_MAX - r);
+					DPRINTF_S(g_buf);
+					spawn("sh", "-c", g_buf, path, F_NORMAL);
 					continue;
 				}
 
@@ -3023,8 +3027,11 @@ nochange:
 				r = show_help(path);
 				break;
 			case SEL_RUNEDIT:
+				r = xstrlcpy(g_buf, editor, CMD_LEN_MAX);
+				g_buf[r - 1] = ' ';
+				xstrlcpy(g_buf + r, dents[cur].name, CMD_LEN_MAX - r);
 				r = TRUE;
-				spawn(editor, editor_arg, dents[cur].name, path, F_NORMAL);
+				spawn("sh", "-c", g_buf, path, F_NORMAL);
 				break;
 			case SEL_RUNPAGE:
 				r = TRUE;
@@ -3666,7 +3673,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* Get VISUAL/EDITOR */
 	editor = xgetenv("VISUAL", xgetenv("EDITOR", "vi"));
-	getprogarg(editor, &editor_arg);
 
 	/* Get PAGER */
 	pager = xgetenv("PAGER", "less");