diff --git a/beetsplug/play.py b/beetsplug/play.py
index 27da15b37..c846a755e 100644
--- a/beetsplug/play.py
+++ b/beetsplug/play.py
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
                 command_str = command_str.replace(ARGS_MARKER, opts.args)
             else:
                 command_str = u"{} {}".format(command_str, opts.args)
+        else:
+            if ARGS_MARKER in command_str:
+                command_str = command_str.replace(" "+ARGS_MARKER, "")
 
         # Perform search by album and add folders rather than tracks to
         # playlist.
diff --git a/test/test_play.py b/test/test_play.py
index 7357cf3c6..38524aa7d 100644
--- a/test/test_play.py
+++ b/test/test_play.py
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ class PlayPluginTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         self.run_and_assert(
             open_mock, [u'-A', u'foo', u'title:aNiceTitle'], u'echo foo other')
 
+    def test_unset_args_option_in_middle(self, open_mock):
+        self.config['play']['command'] = 'echo $args other'
+
+        self.run_and_assert(
+            open_mock, [u'title:aNiceTitle'], u'echo other')
+
     def test_relative_to(self, open_mock):
         self.config['play']['command'] = 'echo'
         self.config['play']['relative_to'] = '/something'