diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
index d4fe1385cd..97d1a825e4 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ end
 
 def exec_editor(*args)
   puts "Editing #{args.join "\n"}"
-  with_homebrew_path { safe_system(which_editor, *args) }
+  with_homebrew_path { safe_system(*which_editor.shellsplit, *args) }
 end
 
 def exec_browser(*args)