diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 81251833..d0f79bb3 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -230,16 +229,8 @@ var errRunRecord = errors.New("record")
 func (c *client) run() {
 	var onConnectCmd *exec.Cmd
 	if c.p.conf.RunOnConnect != "" {
-		var substitutedCommand = strings.ReplaceAll(c.p.conf.RunOnConnect, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", c.path.name)
-		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-			var command = strings.Fields(substitutedCommand)
-			onConnectCmd = exec.Command(command[0], command[1:]...)
-		} else {
-			onConnectCmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", substitutedCommand)
-		}
-		onConnectCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-		onConnectCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-		err := onConnectCmd.Start()
+		var err error
+		onConnectCmd, err = startExternalCommand(c.p.conf.RunOnConnect, c.path.name)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.log("ERR: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -933,16 +924,8 @@ func (c *client) runPlay() bool {
 
 	var onReadCmd *exec.Cmd
 	if c.path.confp.RunOnRead != "" {
-		var substitutedCommand = strings.ReplaceAll(c.path.confp.RunOnRead, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", c.path.name)
-		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-			var command = strings.Fields(substitutedCommand)
-			onReadCmd = exec.Command(command[0], command[1:]...)
-		} else {
-			onReadCmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", substitutedCommand)
-		}
-		onReadCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-		onReadCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-		err := onReadCmd.Start()
+		var err error
+		onReadCmd, err = startExternalCommand(c.path.confp.RunOnRead, c.path.name)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.log("ERR: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -1084,16 +1067,8 @@ func (c *client) runRecord() bool {
 
 	var onPublishCmd *exec.Cmd
 	if c.path.confp.RunOnPublish != "" {
-		var substitutedCommand = strings.ReplaceAll(c.path.confp.RunOnPublish, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", c.path.name)
-		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-			var command = strings.Fields(substitutedCommand)
-			onPublishCmd = exec.Command(command[0], command[1:]...)
-		} else {
-			onPublishCmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", substitutedCommand)
-		}
-		onPublishCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-		onPublishCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-		err := onPublishCmd.Start()
+		var err error
+		onPublishCmd, err = startExternalCommand(c.path.confp.RunOnPublish, c.path.name)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.log("ERR: %s", err)
 		}
diff --git a/path.go b/path.go
index c5e08be6..a334ab3e 100644
--- a/path.go
+++ b/path.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"runtime"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -64,16 +62,9 @@ func (pa *path) onInit() {
 
 	if pa.confp.RunOnInit != "" {
 		pa.log("starting on init command")
-		var substitutedCommand = strings.ReplaceAll(pa.confp.RunOnInit, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", pa.name)
-		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-			var command = strings.Fields(substitutedCommand)
-			pa.onInitCmd = exec.Command(command[0], command[1:]...)
-		} else {
-			pa.onInitCmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", substitutedCommand)
-		}
-		pa.onInitCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-		pa.onInitCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-		err := pa.onInitCmd.Start()
+
+		var err error
+		pa.onInitCmd, err = startExternalCommand(pa.confp.RunOnInit, pa.name)
 		if err != nil {
 			pa.log("ERR: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -235,18 +226,10 @@ func (pa *path) onDescribe(client *client) {
 		if pa.confp.RunOnDemand != "" {
 			if pa.onDemandCmd == nil { // start if needed
 				pa.log("starting on demand command")
-
 				pa.lastDescribeActivation = time.Now()
-				var substitutedCommand = strings.ReplaceAll(pa.confp.RunOnDemand, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", pa.name)
-				if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-					var command = strings.Fields(substitutedCommand)
-					pa.onDemandCmd = exec.Command(command[0], command[1:]...)
-				} else {
-					pa.onDemandCmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", substitutedCommand)
-				}
-				pa.onDemandCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-				pa.onDemandCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-				err := pa.onDemandCmd.Start()
+
+				var err error
+				pa.onDemandCmd, err = startExternalCommand(pa.confp.RunOnDemand, "")
 				if err != nil {
 					pa.log("ERR: %s", err)
 				}
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index c988d441..1397b2c2 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"regexp"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -126,3 +129,33 @@ func checkPathName(name string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func startExternalCommand(cmdstr string, pathName string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+	var cmd *exec.Cmd
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		// in Windows the shell is not used and command is started directly
+		// variables are replaced manually in order to allow
+		// compatibility with linux commands
+		cmdstr = strings.ReplaceAll(cmdstr, "$RTSP_SERVER_PATH", pathName)
+		args := strings.Fields(cmdstr)
+		cmd = exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
+
+	} else {
+		cmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", cmdstr)
+	}
+
+	// variables are available through environment variables
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(),
+		"RTSP_SERVER_PATH="+pathName,
+	)
+
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	err := cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return cmd, nil
+}