diff --git a/rc/core/formatter.kak b/rc/core/formatter.kak
index 46bb0661..c776e637 100644
--- a/rc/core/formatter.kak
+++ b/rc/core/formatter.kak
@@ -1,17 +1,35 @@
 decl -docstring "shell command to which the contents of the current buffer is piped" \
     str formatcmd
 
-def format -docstring "Format the contents of the current buffer" %{
+def format -docstring "Format the contents of the current buffer" %{ eval -draft %{
     %sh{
-        if [ ! -z "${kak_opt_formatcmd}" ]; then
-            readonly kak_opt_formatcmd=$(printf '%s' "${kak_opt_formatcmd}" | sed 's/ /<space>/g')
+        if [ -n "${kak_opt_formatcmd}" ]; then
             ## Save the current position of the cursor
             readonly x=$((kak_cursor_column - 1))
             readonly y="${kak_cursor_line}"
 
-            printf %s\\n "exec -draft %{%|${kak_opt_formatcmd}<ret>}"
-            ## Try to restore the position of the cursor as it was prior to formatting
-            printf %s\\n "exec gg ${y}g ${x}l"
+            path_file_tmp=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-formatter-XXXXXX)
+            printf %s\\n "
+                write \"${path_file_tmp}\"
+
+                %sh{
+                    readonly path_file_out=\$(mktemp \"${TMPDIR:-/tmp}\"/kak-formatter-XXXXXX)
+
+                    if cat \"${path_file_tmp}\" | eval \"${kak_opt_formatcmd}\" > \"\${path_file_out}\"; then
+                        printf '%s\\n' \"exec \\%|cat<space>'\${path_file_out}'<ret>\"
+                        printf '%s\\n' \"%sh{ rm -f '\${path_file_out}' }\"
+                        ## Try to restore the position of the cursor as it was prior to formatting
+                        printf '%s\\n' 'exec gg ${y}g ${x}l'
+                    else
+                        printf '%s\\n' \"
+                            eval -client '${kak_client}' echo -color Error formatter returned an error (\$?)
+                        \"
+                        rm -f \"\${path_file_out}\"
+                    fi
+
+                    rm -f \"${path_file_tmp}\"
+                }
+            "
         fi
     }
-}
+} }