diff --git a/doc/man/zathura.1.rst b/doc/man/zathura.1.rst
index b63b429..089dbf7 100644
--- a/doc/man/zathura.1.rst
+++ b/doc/man/zathura.1.rst
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ close
   Close document
 
 exec
-  Execute an external command. ``$f`` expands to the current document path, and ``$p`` to the
-  current page number
+  Execute an external command. ``$FILE`` expands to the current document path,
+  and ``$PAGE`` to the current page number
 
 info
   Show document information
diff --git a/doc/man/zathurarc.5.rst b/doc/man/zathurarc.5.rst
index 9d6692a..bf519ae 100644
--- a/doc/man/zathurarc.5.rst
+++ b/doc/man/zathurarc.5.rst
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ They can also be combined with modifiers:
 
   * ``exec``:
 
-    Execute an external command. ``$f`` expands to the current document path,
-    and ``$p`` to the current page number.
+    Execute an external command. ``$FILE`` expands to the current document path,
+    and ``$PAGE`` to the current page number.
 
   * ``focus_inputbar``
 
diff --git a/zathura/commands.c b/zathura/commands.c
index 7684a60..29ae852 100644
--- a/zathura/commands.c
+++ b/zathura/commands.c
@@ -535,33 +535,23 @@ cmd_exec(girara_session_t* session, girara_list_t* argument_list)
   if (zathura->document != NULL) {
     const char* path = zathura_document_get_path(zathura->document);
     unsigned int page = zathura_document_get_current_page_number(zathura->document);
-    char page_buf[ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_MAX_DIGITS];
-    snprintf(page_buf, ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_MAX_DIGITS, "%d", page);
+    char page_buf[G_ASCII_DTOSTR_BUF_SIZE];
+    g_ascii_dtostr(page_buf, G_ASCII_DTOSTR_BUF_SIZE, page);
 
     GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_BODY_WITH_ITER(argument_list, char*, iter, value,
       char* r = girara_replace_substring(value, "$FILE", path);
-      char* s = NULL;
 
       if (r != NULL) {
-        s = girara_replace_substring(r, "%", path);
+        char* s = girara_replace_substring(r, "$PAGE", page_buf);
         g_free(r);
-        r = NULL;
-      }
 
-      if (s != NULL) {
-        r = girara_replace_substring(s, "$f", path);
-        g_free(s);
-        s = NULL;
+        if (s != NULL) {
+          girara_list_iterator_set(iter, s);
+        }
       }
-
-      if (r != NULL) {
-        s = girara_replace_substring(r, "$p", page_buf);
-        g_free(r);
-        r = NULL;
-      }
-
-      girara_list_iterator_set(iter, s ? s : r);
     );
+
+    g_free(page_buf);
   }
 
   return girara_exec_with_argument_list(session, argument_list);
diff --git a/zathura/shortcuts.c b/zathura/shortcuts.c
index 77731cc..745e8a6 100644
--- a/zathura/shortcuts.c
+++ b/zathura/shortcuts.c
@@ -1470,8 +1470,8 @@ sc_exec(girara_session_t* session, girara_argument_t* argument, girara_event_t*
   if (zathura->document != NULL) {
     const char* path = zathura_document_get_path(zathura->document);
     unsigned int page = zathura_document_get_current_page_number(zathura->document);
-    char page_buf[ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_MAX_DIGITS];
-    snprintf(page_buf, ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_MAX_DIGITS, "%d", page + 1);
+    char page_buf[G_ASCII_DTOSTR_BUF_SIZE];
+    g_ascii_dtostr(page_buf, G_ASCII_DTOSTR_BUF_SIZE, page);
 
     girara_argument_t new_argument = *argument;
 
@@ -1480,21 +1480,7 @@ sc_exec(girara_session_t* session, girara_argument_t* argument, girara_event_t*
       return false;
     }
 
-    char* s = girara_replace_substring(r, "%", path);
-    g_free(r);
-
-    if (s == NULL) {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    r = girara_replace_substring(s, "$f", path);
-    g_free(s);
-
-    if (r == NULL) {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    s = girara_replace_substring(r, "$p", page_buf);
+    char* s = girara_replace_substring(r, "$PAGE", page_buf);
     g_free(r);
 
     if (s == NULL) {
diff --git a/zathura/zathura.h b/zathura/zathura.h
index 3891ce7..ea0f038 100644
--- a/zathura/zathura.h
+++ b/zathura/zathura.h
@@ -70,11 +70,8 @@ enum {
   ZOOM_SMOOTH
 };
 
-/* on page numbers */
+/* unspecified page number */
 enum {
-  /* We should never open a pdf with more that 99.999 pages... right? */
-  ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_MAX_DIGITS = 5,
-  /* unspecified page numbers */
   ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_UNSPECIFIED = INT_MIN
 };