diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8173341..f2c10ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ default build command as configured in .cqfdrc, use:
 
     $ cqfd
 
-Alternatively, you may want to specify a custom build command to be
+Alternatively, you may want to specify a single custom command to be
 executed from inside the build container.
 
-    $ cqfd run make clean
+    $ cqfd exec make clean
+
+Or custom commands composed with shell grammar:
+
     $ cqfd run "make linux-dirclean && make foobar-dirclean"
 
 Additionally, you may want to open an interactive shell:
diff --git a/bash-completion b/bash-completion
index cdd6fa8..d76f5ab 100644
--- a/bash-completion
+++ b/bash-completion
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ _cqfd() {
 
 	local arg=
 	_get_first_arg
-	if [[ "$arg" == run ]]; then
+	if [[ "$arg" =~ ^(exec|run)$ ]]; then
 		for (( i=1; i <= cword; i++ )); do
-			if [[ ${words[i]} == run ]]; then
+			if [[ ${words[i]} =~ ^(exec|run)$ ]]; then
 				if [[ $((i+1)) -eq $cword ]]; then
 					break
 				elif [[ ${words[i+1]} == -c ]]; then
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@ _cqfd() {
 			fi
 		done
 
-		COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -c -W "-c" -- "$cur") )
+		if [[ "$arg" == exec ]]; then
+			COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -c -- "$cur") )
+		else
+			COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -c -W "-c" -- "$cur") )
+		fi
 		return
 	elif [[ "$arg" == shell ]]; then
 		for (( i=1; i <= cword; i++ )); do
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ _cqfd() {
 		return
 	fi
 
-	local cmds="init flavors run release shell version help"
+	local cmds="init flavors exec run release shell version help"
 	COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -W "$cmds $opts" -- "$cur") )
 } &&
 complete -F _cqfd cqfd
diff --git a/cqfd b/cqfd
index a43d662..bb7bad3 100755
--- a/cqfd
+++ b/cqfd
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ Options:
 Commands:
     init                 Initialize project build container.
     flavors              List flavors from config file to stdout.
+    exec cmd [args]      Run argument(s) inside build container.
     run [cmdstring]      Run argument(s) inside build container.
     release [cmdstring]  Run argument(s) and release software.
     shell [shargs]       Run shell command inside build container.
@@ -493,6 +494,16 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	-q)
 		quiet=true
 		;;
+	exec)
+		if [ "$#" -lt 2 ]; then
+			die "command exec requires arguments"
+		fi
+		shift
+		config_load $flavor
+		command_string="${@@Q}"
+		docker_run "$command_string"
+		exit
+		;;
 	run|release)
 		if [ "$1" = "release" ]; then
 			has_to_release=true
diff --git a/tests/07-cqfd_exec b/tests/07-cqfd_exec
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..030ad53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/07-cqfd_exec
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# validate the behavior of exec command
+
+set -o pipefail
+
+. "$(dirname "$0")"/jtest.inc "$1"
+cqfd="$TDIR/.cqfd/cqfd"
+
+cd $TDIR/
+
+jtest_prepare "cqfd exec with no argument should fail"
+if ! $cqfd exec; then
+	jtest_result pass
+else
+	jtest_result fail
+fi
+
+jtest_prepare "cqfd exec with argument should succeed"
+if $cqfd exec true; then
+	jtest_result pass
+else
+	jtest_result fail
+fi
+
+jtest_prepare "cqfd exec should return same status"
+if $cqfd exec exit 10;
+   test "$?" -eq 10; then
+	jtest_result pass
+else
+	jtest_result fail
+fi
+
+jtest_prepare "cqfd exec should preserve the arguments"
+if $cqfd exec /bin/sh -c 'printf "0=$0,*=$*,#=$#"' zero one two three \
+       | grep "0=zero,\*=one two three,#=3$"; then
+	jtest_result pass
+else
+	jtest_result fail
+fi