diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 0a1366ece..0cdf61945 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
             logging.debug("maybe_quit quitting.")
             self.quit()
 
-    @cmdutils.register(instance='', split_args=False)
+    @cmdutils.register(instance='', maxsplit=0)
     def pyeval(self, s):
         """Evaluate a python string and display the results as a webpage.
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py b/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
index b4126fdd7..396bac5d4 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ class CurCommandDispatcher(QObject):
             return
         frame.setScrollBarValue(orientation, int(m * perc / 100))
 
-    @cmdutils.register(instance='mainwindow.tabs.cur', name='open',
-                       split_args=False)
+    @cmdutils.register(instance='mainwindow.tabs.cur', name='open', maxsplit=0)
     def openurl(self, url, count=None):
         """Open an url in the current/[count]th tab.
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/command.py b/qutebrowser/commands/command.py
index 6d52bf56c..0639cf2a3 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/command.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/command.py
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ class Command(QObject):
 
     Attributes:
         name: The main name of the command.
-        split_args: Whether to split the arguments or not.
+        maxsplit: Maximum count of splits to be made.
+            -1: Split everything (default)
+            0:  Don't split.
+            n:  Split a maximum of n times.
         hide: Whether to hide the arguments or not.
         nargs: A (minargs, maxargs) tuple, maxargs = None if there's no limit.
         count: Whether the command supports a count, or not.
@@ -51,11 +54,11 @@ class Command(QObject):
 
     signal = pyqtSignal(tuple)
 
-    def __init__(self, name, split_args, hide, nargs, count, desc, instance,
+    def __init__(self, name, maxsplit, hide, nargs, count, desc, instance,
                  handler, completion):
         super().__init__()
         self.name = name
-        self.split_args = split_args
+        self.maxsplit = maxsplit
         self.hide = hide
         self.nargs = nargs
         self.count = count
diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/parsers.py b/qutebrowser/commands/parsers.py
index 594029d3a..327f51a42 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/parsers.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/parsers.py
@@ -146,10 +146,8 @@ class CommandParser:
 
         if len(parts) == 1:
             args = []
-        elif cmd.split_args:
-            args = parts[1].split()
         else:
-            args = [parts[1]]
+            args = parts[1].split(maxsplit=cmd.maxsplit)
         self._cmd = cmd
         self._args = args
         return [cmdstr] + args
diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py b/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
index bb36b5a19..622335e73 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
@@ -37,13 +37,16 @@ class register:  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
         instance: The instance to be used as "self", as a dotted string.
         name: The name (as string) or names (as list) of the command.
         nargs: A (minargs, maxargs) tuple of valid argument counts, or an int.
-        split_args: Whether to split the arguments or not.
+        maxsplit: Maximum count of splits to be made.
+            -1: Split everything (default)
+            0:  Don't split.
+            n:  Split a maximum of n times.
         hide: Whether to hide the command or not.
         completion: Which completion to use for arguments, as a list of
                     strings.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, instance=None, name=None, nargs=None, split_args=True,
+    def __init__(self, instance=None, name=None, nargs=None, maxsplit=-1,
                  hide=False, completion=None):
         """Save decorator arguments.
 
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ class register:  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
             See class attributes.
         """
         self.name = name
-        self.split_args = split_args
+        self.maxsplit = maxsplit
         self.hide = hide
         self.nargs = nargs
         self.instance = instance
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ class register:  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
             names += name
         count, nargs = self._get_nargs_count(func)
         desc = func.__doc__.splitlines()[0].strip().rstrip('.')
-        cmd = Command(name=mainname, split_args=self.split_args,
+        cmd = Command(name=mainname, maxsplit=self.maxsplit,
                       hide=self.hide, nargs=nargs, count=count, desc=desc,
                       instance=self.instance, handler=func,
                       completion=self.completion)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/tabbedbrowser.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/tabbedbrowser.py
index 3bca8b0b0..847e97ef3 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/tabbedbrowser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/tabbedbrowser.py
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
         elif last_close == 'blank':
             tab.openurl('about:blank')
 
-    @cmdutils.register(instance='mainwindow.tabs', split_args=False)
+    @cmdutils.register(instance='mainwindow.tabs', maxsplit=0)
     def tabopen(self, url):
         """Open a new tab with a given url.