diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index e7ddb7e5..c47f58fd 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -185,6 +185,10 @@ CVS code -
 	- Only include the whole_word parameter when DISABLE_SPELLER
 	  isn't defined, as it's only used then. (DLR)
 - text.c:
+  execute_command()
+	- Instead of hardcoding /bin/sh as the shell to use when
+	  executing a command, use $SHELL, and only fall back to /bin/sh
+	  if $SHELL isn't set. (DLR)
   do_wrap()
 	- Rename variable wrapping to prepending, to avoid confusion,
 	  and rename the static bool same_line_wrap to prepend_wrap to
diff --git a/src/text.c b/src/text.c
index 67db002a..3af87948 100644
--- a/src/text.c
+++ b/src/text.c
@@ -271,12 +271,20 @@ bool execute_command(const char *command)
 
     /* Fork a child. */
     if ((pid = fork()) == 0) {
+	char *shellenv;
+
 	close(fd[0]);
 	dup2(fd[1], fileno(stdout));
 	dup2(fd[1], fileno(stderr));
 
+	/* Check $SHELL for the shell to use.  If it isn't set, use
+	 * /bin/sh. */
+	shellenv = getenv("SHELL");
+	if (shellenv == NULL)
+	    shellenv = "/bin/sh";
+
 	/* If execl() returns at all, there was an error. */
-	execl("/bin/sh", "sh", "-c", command, NULL);
+	execl(shellenv, tail(shellenv), "-c", command, NULL);
 	exit(0);
     }