diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 943652f..755b6f2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,11 +31,9 @@ intake
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "<absolute path to program or name on intake's PATH>",
-      "args": ["list", "of", "program", "arguments"]
+      "args": ["program name", "and", "list", "of", "arguments"]
     },
     "<action name>": {
-      "exe": "...",
       "args": "..."
     }
   },
@@ -46,9 +44,9 @@ intake
 }
 ```
 
-Each key under `action` defines an action that can be taken for the source. An action must contain `exe` and may contain `args`. A source must have a `fetch` action. If an action named `on_create` is defined for the source, it is executed once for an item when that item is created.
+Each key under `action` defines an action that can be taken for the source. A source must at least have a `fetch` action. If an action named `on_create` is defined for the source, it is executed once for an item when that item is created, that is, the first time the item is returned from the source.
 
-Each key under `env` defines an environment variable that will be set when actions are executed.
+Each key under `env` defines an environment variable that will be set when `fetch` or other actions are executed.
 
 If `cron` is present, it must define a crontab schedule. Intake will automatically create crontab entries to update each source according to its cron schedule.
 
@@ -56,7 +54,7 @@ If `cron` is present, it must define a crontab schedule. Intake will automatical
 
 Intake interacts with sources by executing the actions defined in the source's `intake.json`. The `fetch` action is required and used to check for new feed items when `intake update` is executed.
 
-To execute an action, intake executes the `exe` program for the action with the corresponding `args` (if present) as arguments. The process's working directory is set to the source's folder, i.e. the folder containing `intake.json`. The process's environment is as follows:
+To execute an action, intake executes the command given by `args`. The process's working directory is set to the source's folder, i.e. the folder containing `intake.json`. The process's environment is as follows:
 
 * intake's environment is inherited.
 * `STATE_PATH` is set to the absolute path of `state`.
diff --git a/intake/app.py b/intake/app.py
index a37f961..6ec7f18 100644
--- a/intake/app.py
+++ b/intake/app.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def _parse_source_config(config_str: str):
     if "fetch" not in action:
         return ("No fetch action defined", {})
     fetch = action["fetch"]
-    if "exe" not in fetch:
+    if "exe" not in fetch and not fetch.get("args"):
         return ("No fetch exe", {})
     config = {"action": parsed["action"]}
     if "env" in parsed:
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ def fetch(source_name: str):
         update_items(source, items)
         titles = "\n".join(f"<li>{item.display_title}</li>" for item in items)
         source_url = url_for("source_feed", name=source_name)
-        return f"Update returned {len(items)} items:<ul>{titles}</ul><p><a href=\"{source_url}\">{source_name}</a></p>"
+        return f'Update returned {len(items)} items:<ul>{titles}</ul><p><a href="{source_url}">{source_name}</a></p>'
     except InvalidConfigException as ex:
         abort(500, f"Could not fetch {source_name}:\n{ex}")
     except SourceUpdateException as ex:
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ def add_item():
     config_path = source_path / "intake.json"
     if not config_path.exists():
         config_path.write_text(
-            json.dumps({"action": {"fetch": {"exe": "true"}}}, indent=2)
+            json.dumps({"action": {"fetch": {"args": ["true"]}}}, indent=2)
         )
     source = LocalSource(source_path.parent, source_path.name)
 
diff --git a/intake/cli.py b/intake/cli.py
index a1a6d8b..c83c758 100644
--- a/intake/cli.py
+++ b/intake/cli.py
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ def cmd_edit(cmd_args):
                 {
                     "action": {
                         "fetch": {
-                            "exe": "",
                             "args": [],
                         },
                     },
diff --git a/intake/source.py b/intake/source.py
index 69ff033..eec6590 100644
--- a/intake/source.py
+++ b/intake/source.py
@@ -229,10 +229,13 @@ def _execute_source_action(
 
     if not action_cfg:
         raise InvalidConfigException(f"No such action {action}")
-    if "exe" not in action_cfg:
+
+    exe = [action_cfg["exe"]] if "exe" in action_cfg else []
+    command = exe + action_cfg.get("args", [])
+
+    if not command:
         raise InvalidConfigException(f"No exe for action {action}")
 
-    command = [action_cfg["exe"], *action_cfg.get("args", [])]
     config_env = {key: str(value) for key, value in config.get("env", {}).items()}
     env = {
         **os.environ.copy(),
diff --git a/tests/default/intake.json b/tests/default/intake.json
index 8feca31..c880a12 100644
--- a/tests/default/intake.json
+++ b/tests/default/intake.json
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "true"
+      "args": [
+        "true"
+      ]
     }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/demo_basic_callback/intake.json b/tests/demo_basic_callback/intake.json
index d1dd617..85c7830 100644
--- a/tests/demo_basic_callback/intake.json
+++ b/tests/demo_basic_callback/intake.json
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "./increment.py",
       "args": [
+        "./increment.py",
         "fetch"
       ]
     },
     "increment": {
-      "exe": "./increment.py",
       "args": [
+        "./increment.py",
         "increment"
       ]
     },
     "decrement": {
-      "exe": "./increment.py",
       "args": [
+        "./increment.py",
         "decrement"
       ]
     }
diff --git a/tests/demo_logging/intake.json b/tests/demo_logging/intake.json
index 20675ed..28ec14d 100644
--- a/tests/demo_logging/intake.json
+++ b/tests/demo_logging/intake.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "python3",
       "args": [
+        "python3",
         "update.py"
       ]
     }
diff --git a/tests/demo_oncreate/intake.json b/tests/demo_oncreate/intake.json
index 6bfbaa1..4d66043 100644
--- a/tests/demo_oncreate/intake.json
+++ b/tests/demo_oncreate/intake.json
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "./update.py",
       "args": [
+        "./update.py",
         "fetch"
       ]
     },
     "update": {
-      "exe": "./update.py",
       "args": [
+        "./update.py",
         "update"
       ]
     },
     "on_create": {
-      "exe": "./update.py",
       "args": [
+        "./update.py",
         "update"
       ]
     }
diff --git a/tests/demo_raw_sh/intake.json b/tests/demo_raw_sh/intake.json
index c93b584..1fd535d 100644
--- a/tests/demo_raw_sh/intake.json
+++ b/tests/demo_raw_sh/intake.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "sh",
       "args": [
+        "sh",
         "-c",
         "echo {\\\"id\\\": \\\"$(date +%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M)\\\"}"
       ]
     }
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_inbox/intake.json b/tests/test_inbox/intake.json
index a8c70a3..2254224 100644
--- a/tests/test_inbox/intake.json
+++ b/tests/test_inbox/intake.json
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 {
   "action": {
     "fetch": {
-      "exe": "./update.py",
-      "args": ["fetch"]
+      "args": [
+        "./update.py",
+        "fetch"
+      ]
     }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file