diff --git a/client/bemenu-run.c b/client/bemenu-run.c
index 8dd9ac3..9fe5614 100644
--- a/client/bemenu-run.c
+++ b/client/bemenu-run.c
@@ -251,6 +251,13 @@ launch(const char *bin)
     }
 }
 
+static void
+item_cb(struct bm_item *item, const char *text)
+{
+    (void)item; // may be null
+    launch(text);
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -272,22 +279,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
     read_items_to_menu_from_path(menu);
-    bm_menu_set_highlighted_index(menu, client.selected);
-
-    enum bm_run_result status = run_menu(menu);
-
-    if (status == BM_RUN_RESULT_SELECTED) {
-        uint32_t i, count;
-        struct bm_item **items = bm_menu_get_selected_items(menu, &count);
-        for (i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
-            const char *text = bm_item_get_text(items[i]);
-            launch(text);
-        }
-
-        if (!count && bm_menu_get_filter(menu))
-            launch(bm_menu_get_filter(menu));
-    }
-
+    const enum bm_run_result status = run_menu(&client, menu, item_cb);
     bm_menu_free(menu);
     return (status == BM_RUN_RESULT_SELECTED ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
diff --git a/client/bemenu.c b/client/bemenu.c
index d909a17..9fcbcdc 100644
--- a/client/bemenu.c
+++ b/client/bemenu.c
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ read_items_to_menu_from_stdin(struct bm_menu *menu)
     free(buffer);
 }
 
+static void
+item_cb(struct bm_item *item, const char *text)
+{
+    (void)item; // may be null
+    printf("%s\n", (text ? text : ""));
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -70,22 +77,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
     read_items_to_menu_from_stdin(menu);
-    bm_menu_set_highlighted_index(menu, client.selected);
-
-    enum bm_run_result status = run_menu(menu);
-
-    if (status == BM_RUN_RESULT_SELECTED) {
-        uint32_t i, count;
-        struct bm_item **items = bm_menu_get_selected_items(menu, &count);
-        for (i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
-            const char *text = bm_item_get_text(items[i]);
-            printf("%s\n", (text ? text : ""));
-        }
-
-        if (!count && bm_menu_get_filter(menu))
-            printf("%s\n", bm_menu_get_filter(menu));
-    }
-
+    const enum bm_run_result status = run_menu(&client, menu, item_cb);
     bm_menu_free(menu);
     return (status == BM_RUN_RESULT_SELECTED ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
diff --git a/client/common/common.c b/client/common/common.c
index 50ff848..35bc9e3 100644
--- a/client/common/common.c
+++ b/client/common/common.c
@@ -275,8 +275,9 @@ menu_with_options(const struct client *client)
 }
 
 enum bm_run_result
-run_menu(struct bm_menu *menu)
+run_menu(const struct client *client, struct bm_menu *menu, void (*item_cb)(struct bm_item *item, const char *text))
 {
+    bm_menu_set_highlighted_index(menu, client->selected);
     bm_menu_grab_keyboard(menu, true);
 
     uint32_t unicode;
@@ -286,6 +287,19 @@ run_menu(struct bm_menu *menu)
         bm_menu_render(menu);
         key = bm_menu_poll_key(menu, &unicode);
     } while ((status = bm_menu_run_with_key(menu, key, unicode)) == BM_RUN_RESULT_RUNNING);
+
+    if (status == BM_RUN_RESULT_SELECTED) {
+        uint32_t i, count;
+        struct bm_item **items = bm_menu_get_selected_items(menu, &count);
+        for (i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
+            const char *text = bm_item_get_text(items[i]);
+            item_cb(items[i], text);
+        }
+
+        if (!count && bm_menu_get_filter(menu))
+            item_cb(NULL, bm_menu_get_filter(menu));
+    }
+
     return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/client/common/common.h b/client/common/common.h
index 0e53835..af03127 100644
--- a/client/common/common.h
+++ b/client/common/common.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct client {
 
 void parse_args(struct client *client, int *argc, char **argv[]);
 struct bm_menu* menu_with_options(const struct client *client);
-enum bm_run_result run_menu(struct bm_menu *menu);
+enum bm_run_result run_menu(const struct client *client, struct bm_menu *menu, void (*item_cb)(struct bm_item *item, const char *text));
 
 #endif /* _BM_COMMON_H_ */