diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index f6ea2f78..3705d77b 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -1394,7 +1394,10 @@ const CommandDesc exec_string_cmd = {
                 KeyList param_keys = parse_keys(param);
                 keys.insert(keys.end(), param_keys.begin(), param_keys.end());
             }
-            exec_keys(keys, context);
+
+            ScopedEdition edition(context);
+            for (auto& key : keys)
+                context.input_handler().handle_key(key);
         });
     }
 };
@@ -1732,14 +1735,6 @@ const CommandDesc change_working_directory_cmd = {
 
 }
 
-void exec_keys(ConstArrayView<Key> keys, Context& context)
-{
-    ScopedEdition edition(context);
-
-    for (auto& key : keys)
-        context.input_handler().handle_key(key);
-}
-
 void register_commands()
 {
     CommandManager& cm = CommandManager::instance();
diff --git a/src/commands.hh b/src/commands.hh
index 1e70bd1e..1ecdef2a 100644
--- a/src/commands.hh
+++ b/src/commands.hh
@@ -1,16 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef commands_hh_INCLUDED
 #define commands_hh_INCLUDED
 
-#include "array_view.hh"
-
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-class Context;
-struct Key;
-
 void register_commands();
-void exec_keys(ConstArrayView<Key> keys, Context& context);
 
 struct kill_session {};
 
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index 54e7a558..7154f409 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -1129,7 +1129,11 @@ void replay_macro(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 
     auto keys = parse_keys(reg_val[0]);
     ScopedEdition edition(context);
-    do { exec_keys(keys, context); } while (--params.count > 0);
+    do
+    {
+        for (auto& key : keys)
+            context.input_handler().handle_key(key);
+    } while (--params.count > 0);
 }
 
 template<Direction direction>
@@ -1411,7 +1415,8 @@ void exec_user_mappings(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 
         auto mapping = context.keymaps().get_mapping(key, KeymapMode::User);
         ScopedEdition edition(context);
-        exec_keys(mapping, context);
+        for (auto& key : mapping)
+            context.input_handler().handle_key(key);
     }, "user mapping", "enter user key");
 }