diff --git a/Alacarte/ItemEditor.py b/Alacarte/ItemEditor.py
index 9fd9faa..c5de30c 100644
--- a/Alacarte/ItemEditor.py
+++ b/Alacarte/ItemEditor.py
@@ -178,14 +178,22 @@ class LauncherEditor(ItemEditor):
                                       self.builder.get_object('icon-image'))
 
         self.builder.get_object('exec-browse').connect('clicked', self.pick_exec)
-
         self.builder.get_object('name-entry').connect('changed', self.resync_validity)
         self.builder.get_object('exec-entry').connect('changed', self.resync_validity)
 
+    def exec_line_is_valid(self, exec_text):
+        try:
+            success, parsed = GLib.shell_parse_argv(exec_text)
+            # Make sure program (first part of the command) is in the path
+            command = parsed[0]
+            return (GLib.find_program_in_path(command) is not None)
+        except GLib.GError:
+            return False
+
     def resync_validity(self, *args):
         name_text = self.builder.get_object('name-entry').get_text()
         exec_text = self.builder.get_object('exec-entry').get_text()
-        valid = (name_text != "" and GLib.find_program_in_path(exec_text) is not None)
+        valid = (name_text != "" and self.exec_line_is_valid(exec_text))
         self.builder.get_object('ok').set_sensitive(valid)
 
     def load(self):