diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
index 4e6c2591f..8328c57f0 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
@@ -69,12 +69,12 @@ class TargetInstallData:
         self.optional = optional
 
 class ExecutableSerialisation:
-    def __init__(self, name, fname, cmd_args, env, is_cross, exe_wrapper,
-                 workdir, extra_paths, capture, needs_exe_wrapper: bool):
+    def __init__(self, name, fname, cmd_args, env=None, is_cross=False, exe_wrapper=None,
+                 workdir=None, extra_paths=None, capture=None, needs_exe_wrapper: bool = False):
         self.name = name
         self.fname = fname
         self.cmd_args = cmd_args
-        self.env = env
+        self.env = env or {}
         self.is_cross = is_cross
         if exe_wrapper is not None:
             assert(isinstance(exe_wrapper, dependencies.ExternalProgram))
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ class Backend:
         else:
             exe_cmd = [exe]
             exe_for_machine = MachineChoice.BUILD
+
         is_cross_built = not self.environment.machines.matches_build_machine(exe_for_machine)
         if is_cross_built and self.environment.need_exe_wrapper():
             exe_wrapper = self.environment.get_exe_wrapper()
@@ -356,10 +357,13 @@ class Backend:
         else:
             exe_wrapper = None
 
-        force_serialize = force_serialize or extra_paths or capture or workdir or \
+        force_serialize = force_serialize or extra_paths or workdir or \
             exe_wrapper or any('\n' in c for c in cmd_args)
         if not force_serialize:
-            return None
+            if not capture:
+                return None
+            return (self.environment.get_build_command() +
+                    ['--internal', 'exe', '--capture', capture, '--'] + exe_cmd + cmd_args)
 
         workdir = workdir or self.environment.get_build_dir()
         env = {}
@@ -384,7 +388,7 @@ class Backend:
                                          extra_paths, capture,
                                          self.environment.need_exe_wrapper())
             pickle.dump(es, f)
-        return self.environment.get_build_command() + ['--internal', 'exe', exe_data]
+        return self.environment.get_build_command() + ['--internal', 'exe', '--unpickle', exe_data]
 
     def serialize_tests(self):
         test_data = os.path.join(self.environment.get_scratch_dir(), 'meson_test_setup.dat')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/scripts/meson_exe.py b/mesonbuild/scripts/meson_exe.py
index c1d0d64e9..e5bc9dc3c 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/scripts/meson_exe.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/scripts/meson_exe.py
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ import platform
 import subprocess
 
 from .. import mesonlib
+from ..backend.backends import ExecutableSerialisation
 
 options = None
 
 def buildparser():
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-    parser.add_argument('args', nargs='+')
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Custom executable wrapper for Meson. Do not run on your own, mmm\'kay?')
+    parser.add_argument('--unpickle')
+    parser.add_argument('--capture')
     return parser
 
 def is_windows():
@@ -101,13 +103,26 @@ def run_exe(exe):
 
 def run(args):
     global options
-    options = buildparser().parse_args(args)
-    if len(options.args) != 1:
-        print('Test runner for Meson. Do not run on your own, mmm\'kay?')
-        print(sys.argv[0] + ' [data file]')
-    exe_data_file = options.args[0]
-    with open(exe_data_file, 'rb') as f:
-        exe = pickle.load(f)
+    parser = buildparser()
+    options, cmd_args = parser.parse_known_args(args)
+    # argparse supports double dash to separate options and positional arguments,
+    # but the user has to remove it manually.
+    if cmd_args and cmd_args[0] == '--':
+        cmd_args = cmd_args[1:]
+    if not options.unpickle and not cmd_args:
+        parser.error('either --unpickle or executable and arguments are required')
+    if options.unpickle:
+        if cmd_args or options.capture:
+            parser.error('no other arguments can be used with --unpickle')
+        with open(options.unpickle, 'rb') as f:
+            exe = pickle.load(f)
+    else:
+        exe_cmd = cmd_args[0]
+        cmd_args = cmd_args[1:]
+        basename = os.path.basename(exe_cmd)
+        exe = ExecutableSerialisation(basename, [exe_cmd], cmd_args,
+                                      capture=options.capture)
+
     return run_exe(exe)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':