diff --git a/mitogen/core.py b/mitogen/core.py
index 19a305a3..eb6701b1 100644
--- a/mitogen/core.py
+++ b/mitogen/core.py
@@ -657,6 +657,7 @@ class Stream(BasicStream):
         LOG.debug('%r.on_shutdown(%r)', self, broker)
 
     def accept(self, rfd, wfd):
+        # TODO: what is this os.dup for?
         self.receive_side = Side(self, os.dup(rfd))
         self.transmit_side = Side(self, os.dup(wfd))
         set_cloexec(self.receive_side.fd)
@@ -1184,7 +1185,7 @@ class ExternalContext(object):
 
                 self.router.register(self.parent, self.stream)
 
-                sys.executable, = eval(os.environ.pop('ARGV0'))
+                sys.executable = os.environ.pop('ARGV0', sys.executable)
                 LOG.debug('Connected to %s; my ID is %r, PID is %r',
                           self.parent, context_id, os.getpid())
                 LOG.debug('Recovered sys.executable: %r', sys.executable)
diff --git a/mitogen/fakessh.py b/mitogen/fakessh.py
index c1b2b7c9..71b9bd6f 100644
--- a/mitogen/fakessh.py
+++ b/mitogen/fakessh.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ def run(dest, router, args, deadline=None, econtext=None):
         env = os.environ.copy()
         env.update({
             'PATH': '%s:%s' % (tmp_path, env.get('PATH', '')),
-            'ARGV0': `[sys.executable]`,
+            'ARGV0': sys.executable,
             'SSH_PATH': ssh_path,
         })
 
diff --git a/mitogen/master.py b/mitogen/master.py
index e9cad282..a02caece 100644
--- a/mitogen/master.py
+++ b/mitogen/master.py
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ class Stream(mitogen.core.Stream):
             os.dup2(R,0)
             os.dup2(R2,101)
             for f in R,R2,W,W2: os.close(f)
-            os.environ['ARGV0'] = `[sys.executable]`
+            os.environ['ARGV0'] = sys.executable
             os.execv(sys.executable,['mitogen:CONTEXT_NAME'])
         else:
             os.write(1, 'EC0\n')