diff --git a/zellij-server/src/os_input_output.rs b/zellij-server/src/os_input_output.rs
index b4384165..31f1780b 100644
--- a/zellij-server/src/os_input_output.rs
+++ b/zellij-server/src/os_input_output.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,24 @@ fn handle_terminal(
     }
 }
 
+// this is a utility method to separate the arguments from a pathbuf before we turn it into a
+// Command. eg. "/usr/bin/vim -e" ==> "/usr/bin/vim" + "-e" (the latter will be pushed to args)
+fn separate_command_arguments(command: &mut PathBuf, args: &mut Vec<String>) {
+    if let Some(file_name) = command
+        .file_name()
+        .and_then(|f_n| f_n.to_str())
+        .map(|f_n| f_n.to_string())
+    {
+        let mut file_name_parts = file_name.split_ascii_whitespace();
+        if let Some(first_part) = file_name_parts.next() {
+            command.set_file_name(first_part);
+            for part in file_name_parts {
+                args.push(String::from(part));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// If a [`TerminalAction::OpenFile(file)`] is given, the text editor specified by environment variable `EDITOR`
 /// (or `VISUAL`, if `EDITOR` is not set) will be started in the new terminal, with the given
 /// file open.
@@ -191,11 +209,16 @@ pub fn spawn_terminal(
                     "No Editor found, consider setting a path to one in $EDITOR or $VISUAL",
                 );
             }
-            let command = default_editor.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+
+            let mut command = default_editor.unwrap_or_else(|| {
                 PathBuf::from(env::var("EDITOR").unwrap_or_else(|_| env::var("VISUAL").unwrap()))
             });
 
             let mut args = vec![];
+
+            if !command.is_dir() {
+                separate_command_arguments(&mut command, &mut args);
+            }
             let file_to_open = file_to_open
                 .into_os_string()
                 .into_string()