diff --git a/beetsplug/play.py b/beetsplug/play.py
index 156bffba3..c7d1403e0 100644
--- a/beetsplug/play.py
+++ b/beetsplug/play.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             'command': None,
             'use_folders': False,
             'relative_to': None,
-            'args': None,
         })
 
     def commands(self):
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         play_command.parser.add_option(
             '-A', '--args',
             action='store',
-            help='Insert additional arguments into command string'
+            help='add additional arguments to the command',
         )
         play_command.func = self.play_music
         return [play_command]
@@ -59,13 +58,12 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         command_str = config['play']['command'].get()
         use_folders = config['play']['use_folders'].get(bool)
         relative_to = config['play']['relative_to'].get()
-        confargs = config['play']['args'].get()
         if relative_to:
             relative_to = util.normpath(relative_to)
 
-        # Prepare command strings with optional args
-        command_str = command_str.format(opts.args or '')\
-                                 .format(confargs or '')
+        # Add optional arguments to the player command.
+        if opts.args:
+            command_str = "{} {}".format(command_str, opts.args)
 
         # Perform search by album and add folders rather than tracks to
         # playlist.
@@ -117,6 +115,7 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
 
         ui.print_(u'Playing {0} {1}.'.format(len(selection), item_type))
 
+        self._log.debug('executing command: {} {}', command_str, m3u.name)
         try:
             util.interactive_open(m3u.name, command_str)
         except OSError as exc:
diff --git a/docs/plugins/play.rst b/docs/plugins/play.rst
index 45c8ab641..b856d5e6f 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/play.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/play.rst
@@ -29,12 +29,6 @@ would on the command-line)::
 While playing you'll be able to interact with the player if it is a
 command-line oriented, and you'll get its output in real time.
 
-The ``--args``-argument can be used to pass additional parameters to the
-command. The position for these is marked by ``{}`` in the command-section.
-
-For additional features and usage of the ``--args``-argument, see the example
-below.
-
 Configuration
 -------------
 
@@ -50,36 +44,10 @@ configuration file. The available options are:
   paths to each track on the matched albums. Enable this option to
   store paths to folders instead.
   Default: ``no``.
-- **optargs**: Static, additional parameters that may be inserted
-  using ``--args``. For this to work, you need ``{}`` inserted into your
-  command-section of the config file as well as into the parameter given to
-  ``--args`` (see example)
 
-Args-Example
-------------
+Optional Arguments
+------------------
 
-Assume you have the following in your config file::
-
-    play:
-	    command: player --opt1 arg1 {} --opt2
-		args: --opt3
-
-If you just call ``beet play`` without the usage of ``--args``, the command
-will be called as if the ``{}`` wasn't there::
-
-    player --opt1 arg1 --opt2
-
-If ``--args`` is given, the ``{}`` gets replaced by the argument, thus
-``beet play --args "--opt4"`` results in a call of::
-
-    player --opt1 arg1 --opt4 --opt2
-
-To insert the options configured with the args-key in the config-file,
-call ``beet play --args "{}"``, resulting in::
-
-    player --opt1 arg1 --opt3 --opt2
-
-Of course, this can be combined with other parameters as well, like in
-``beet play --args "{} --opt4"``, which calls the following::
-
-    player --opt1 arg1 --opt3 --opt4 --opt2
+The ``--args`` (or ``-A``) flag to the ``play`` command lets you specify
+additional arguments for your player command. Options are inserted after the
+configured ``command`` string and before the playlist filename.