diff --git a/common/stringop.c b/common/stringop.c
index 81d9b963..186fe121 100644
--- a/common/stringop.c
+++ b/common/stringop.c
@@ -273,6 +273,32 @@ char *join_args(char **argv, int argc) {
 	return res;
 }
 
+static bool has_whitespace(const char *str) {
+	while (*str) {
+		if (isspace(*str)) {
+			return true;
+		}
+		++str;
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Add quotes around any argv with whitespaces.
+ */
+void add_quotes(char **argv, int argc) {
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < argc; ++i) {
+		if (has_whitespace(argv[i])) {
+			int len = strlen(argv[i]) + 3;
+			char *tmp = argv[i];
+			argv[i] = malloc(len * sizeof(char));
+			snprintf(argv[i], len, "\"%s\"", tmp);
+			free(tmp);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * Join a list of strings, adding separator in between. Separator can be NULL.
  */
diff --git a/include/stringop.h b/include/stringop.h
index bb681bcd..7c29a745 100644
--- a/include/stringop.h
+++ b/include/stringop.h
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ int unescape_string(char *string);
 char *join_args(char **argv, int argc);
 char *join_list(list_t *list, char *separator);
 
+/**
+ * Add quotes around any argv with whitespaces.
+ */
+void add_quotes(char **argv, int argc);
+
 // split string into 2 by delim.
 char *cmdsep(char **stringp, const char *delim);
 // Split string into 2 by delim, handle quotes
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 9f6e5032..ae5c48e6 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -361,8 +361,10 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 			return error;
 		}
 
+		add_quotes(argv + 1, argc - 1);
 		tmp = join_args(argv + 1, argc - 1);
 	} else {
+		add_quotes(argv, argc);
 		tmp = join_args(argv, argc);
 	}