diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7b20a68..48db795 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ list of input files.
 ### Default handler programs
 
 ```sh
-DFMD_FOLDER_PROGRAM='echo %ARGS% | xargs -n1 xdg-open'
-DFMD_ITEMS_PROGRAM='echo %ARGS% | xargs -d " " -I {} sh -c '"'"'p="{}"; echo "${p%/*}"'"'"' | xargs -n1 xdg-open'
-DFMD_PROPERTIES_PROGRAM='echo %ARGS% | xargs -n1 xdg-open'
+DFMD_FOLDER_PROGRAM="echo %ARGS% | xargs -n1 xdg-open"
+DFMD_ITEMS_PROGRAM="echo %ARGS% | xargs -d ' ' -r -n1 dirname | xargs -n1 xdg-open"
+DFMD_PROPERTIES_PROGRAM="echo %ARGS% | xargs -n1 xdg-open"
 ```
 
 ## Autostart
@@ -65,3 +65,16 @@ Create a DBus service in
 Name=org.freedesktop.FileManager1
 Exec=path/to/dfmd
 ```
+
+## Overriding defaults in D-Bus service files
+
+Since D-Bus service files do not understand environment variables, the actions
+can be overridden using `env`:
+
+(Theoretical example where showing a file sends a desktop notification)
+
+```
+[D-BUS Service]
+Name=org.freedesktop.FileManager1
+Exec=env DFMD_ITEMS_PROGRAM="echo %ARGS% | xargs -d ' ' -r -n1 dirname | xargs -n1 notify-send 'File opened'" /usr/bin/dfmd
+```
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 74c0bee..54fa4f5 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         .ok()
         .unwrap_or_else(|| r#"echo %ARGS% | xargs -n1 xdg-open"#.to_string());
 
-    let show_items_program = env::var("DFMD_ITEMS_PROGRAM").ok().unwrap_or_else(|| 
-        r#"echo %ARGS% | xargs -d " " -I {} sh -c 'p="{}"; echo "${p%/*}"' | xargs -n1 xdg-open"#.to_string(),
-    );
+    let show_items_program = env::var("DFMD_ITEMS_PROGRAM").ok().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+        r#"echo %ARGS% | xargs -d ' ' -r -n1 dirname | xargs -n1 xdg-open"#.to_string()
+    });
 
     let show_properties_program = env::var("DFMD_PROPERTIES_PROGRAM")
         .ok()