diff --git a/interpreter.py b/interpreter.py
index 5da6d8b35..b6e98ddb0 100644
--- a/interpreter.py
+++ b/interpreter.py
@@ -1466,6 +1466,7 @@ class Interpreter():
     def func_run_target(self, node, args, kwargs):
         if len(args) < 2:
             raise InterpreterException('Incorrect number of arguments')
+        cleaned_args = []
         for i in args:
             try:
                 i = i.held_object
@@ -1474,9 +1475,10 @@ class Interpreter():
             if not isinstance(i, (str, build.BuildTarget)):
                 mlog.debug('Wrong type:', str(i))
                 raise InterpreterException('Invalid argument to run_target.')
-        name = args[0]
-        command = args[1]
-        cmd_args = args[2:]
+            cleaned_args.append(i)
+        name = cleaned_args[0]
+        command = cleaned_args[1]
+        cmd_args = cleaned_args[2:]
         tg = RunTargetHolder(name, command, cmd_args, self.subdir)
         self.add_target(name, tg.held_object)
         return tg
diff --git a/ninjabackend.py b/ninjabackend.py
index 01223abcf..b9eef193b 100644
--- a/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/ninjabackend.py
@@ -345,8 +345,11 @@ class NinjaBackend(backends.Backend):
             if isinstance(i, str):
                 arg_strings.append(i)
             elif isinstance(i, build.BuildTarget):
-                deps.append(self.get_target_filename(i))
+                relfname = self.get_target_filename(i)
+                deps.append(relfname)
+                arg_strings.append(os.path.join(self.environment.get_build_dir(), relfname))
             else:
+                mlog.debug(str(i))
                 raise MesonException('Unreachable code.')
         elem = NinjaBuildElement(target.name, 'CUSTOM_COMMAND', deps)
         cmd = [sys.executable, runnerscript, self.environment.get_source_dir(), self.environment.get_build_dir(), target.subdir]
@@ -364,7 +367,7 @@ class NinjaBackend(backends.Backend):
             cmd.append(abs_exe)
         else:
             cmd.append(target.command)
-        cmd += target.args
+        cmd += arg_strings
         elem.add_item('COMMAND', cmd)
         elem.add_item('description', 'Running external command %s.' % target.name)
         elem.add_item('pool', 'console')
diff --git a/test cases/common/58 run target/helloprinter.c b/test cases/common/58 run target/helloprinter.c
index 7f94b19fa..4a6e0ac5d 100644
--- a/test cases/common/58 run target/helloprinter.c	
+++ b/test cases/common/58 run target/helloprinter.c	
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     if(argc != 2) {
         printf("I can not haz argument.\n");
+        return 1;
     } else {
         printf("I can haz argument: %s\n", argv[1]);
     }