diff --git a/commands.c b/commands.c
index a8882c0..00326ba 100644
--- a/commands.c
+++ b/commands.c
@@ -523,8 +523,8 @@ cmd_exec(girara_session_t* session, girara_list_t* argument_list)
     const char* path = zathura_document_get_path(zathura->document);
 
     GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(argument_list, char*, iter, value)
-    char* r = NULL;
-    if ((r = replace_substring(value, "$FILE", path)) != NULL) {
+    char* r = girara_replace_substring(value, "$FILE", path);
+    if (r != NULL) {
       girara_list_iterator_set(iter, r);
     }
     GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_END(argument_list, char*, iter, value);
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.c b/tests/test_utils.c
index 541707e..9a098fe 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.c
+++ b/tests/test_utils.c
@@ -10,38 +10,6 @@ START_TEST(test_file_valid_extension_null) {
   fail_unless(file_valid_extension(NULL, "pdf") == false, NULL);
 } END_TEST
 
-START_TEST(test_strings_replace_substrings_invalid) {
-  fail_unless(replace_substring(NULL, NULL, NULL) == NULL);
-  fail_unless(replace_substring("", NULL, NULL) == NULL);
-  fail_unless(replace_substring("", "", NULL) == NULL);
-} END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_strings_replace_substrings_nothing_to_replace) {
-  fail_unless(replace_substring("test", "n", "y") == NULL);
-} END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_strings_replace_substrings_1) {
-  char* result = replace_substring("test", "e", "f");
-  fail_unless(result != NULL);
-  fail_unless(strncmp(result, "tfst", 5) == 0);
-  g_free(result);
-} END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_strings_replace_substrings_2) {
-  char* result = replace_substring("test", "es", "f");
-  fail_unless(result != NULL);
-  fail_unless(strncmp(result, "tft", 4) == 0);
-  g_free(result);
-} END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_strings_replace_substrings_3) {
-  char* result = replace_substring("test", "e", "fg");
-  fail_unless(result != NULL);
-  fail_unless(strncmp(result, "tfgst", 6) == 0);
-  g_free(result);
-} END_TEST
-
-
 Suite* suite_utils()
 {
   TCase* tcase = NULL;
@@ -52,14 +20,5 @@ Suite* suite_utils()
   tcase_add_test(tcase, test_file_valid_extension_null);
   suite_add_tcase(suite, tcase);
 
-  /* strings */
-  tcase = tcase_create("strings");
-  tcase_add_test(tcase, test_strings_replace_substrings_invalid);
-  tcase_add_test(tcase, test_strings_replace_substrings_nothing_to_replace);
-  tcase_add_test(tcase, test_strings_replace_substrings_1);
-  tcase_add_test(tcase, test_strings_replace_substrings_2);
-  tcase_add_test(tcase, test_strings_replace_substrings_3);
-  suite_add_tcase(suite, tcase);
-
   return suite;
 }
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index b9c00f9..79ff6bc 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -200,51 +200,6 @@ zathura_get_version_string(zathura_t* zathura, bool markup)
   return version;
 }
 
-char*
-replace_substring(const char* string, const char* old, const char* new)
-{
-  if (string == NULL || old == NULL || new == NULL) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  size_t old_len = strlen(old);
-  size_t new_len = strlen(new);
-
-  /* count occurrences */
-  size_t count = 0;
-  size_t i     = 0;
-
-  for (i = 0; string[i] != '\0'; i++) {
-    if (strstr(&string[i], old) == &string[i]) {
-      i += (old_len - 1);
-      count++;
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (count == 0) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  char* ret = g_try_malloc0(sizeof(char) * (i - count * old_len + count * new_len + 1));
-  if (ret == NULL) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  /* replace */
-  i = 0;
-  while (*string != '\0') {
-    if (strstr(string, old) == string) {
-      strncpy(&ret[i], new, new_len);
-      i += new_len;
-      string += old_len;
-    } else {
-      ret[i++] = *string++;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return ret;
-}
-
 GdkAtom* get_selection(zathura_t* zathura)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail(zathura != NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index c061384..c09b71b 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -85,18 +85,6 @@ void document_draw_search_results(zathura_t* zathura, bool value);
  */
 char* zathura_get_version_string(zathura_t* zathura, bool markup);
 
-/**
- * Replaces all occurences of \ref old in \ref string with \ref new and returns
- * a new allocated string
- *
- * @param string The original string
- * @param old String to replace
- * @param new Replacement string
- *
- * @return new allocated string
- */
-char* replace_substring(const char* string, const char* old, const char* new);
-
 /**
  * Get a pointer to the GdkAtom of the current clipboard.
  *