diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/event/external.rs b/espanso-engine/src/event/external.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91ae9d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/event/external.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of espanso.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Federico Terzi
+ *
+ * espanso is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * espanso is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with espanso.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub struct MatchExecRequestEvent {
+  pub trigger: Option<String>,
+  pub args: HashMap<String, String>,
+}
diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/event/mod.rs b/espanso-engine/src/event/mod.rs
index 8769e0e..43397e7 100644
--- a/espanso-engine/src/event/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/event/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 pub mod effect;
+pub mod external;
 pub mod input;
 pub mod internal;
 pub mod ui;
@@ -60,6 +61,9 @@ pub enum EventType {
   TrayIconClicked,
   ContextMenuClicked(input::ContextMenuClickedEvent),
 
+  // External requests
+  MatchExecRequest(external::MatchExecRequestEvent),
+
   // Internal
   MatchesDetected(internal::MatchesDetectedEvent),
   MatchSelected(internal::MatchSelectedEvent),
diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/process/default.rs b/espanso-engine/src/process/default.rs
index b0f85b8..0fc652f 100644
--- a/espanso-engine/src/process/default.rs
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/process/default.rs
@@ -33,16 +33,16 @@ use super::{
     render::RenderMiddleware,
   },
   DisableOptions, EnabledStatusProvider, MatchFilter, MatchInfoProvider, MatchProvider,
-  MatchSelector, Matcher, MatcherMiddlewareConfigProvider, Middleware, ModifierStateProvider,
-  Multiplexer, PathProvider, Processor, Renderer, UndoEnabledProvider,
+  MatchResolver, MatchSelector, Matcher, MatcherMiddlewareConfigProvider, Middleware,
+  ModifierStateProvider, Multiplexer, PathProvider, Processor, Renderer, UndoEnabledProvider,
 };
 use crate::{
   event::{Event, EventType},
   process::middleware::{
     context_menu::ContextMenuMiddleware, disable::DisableMiddleware, exit::ExitMiddleware,
     hotkey::HotKeyMiddleware, icon_status::IconStatusMiddleware,
-    image_resolve::ImageResolverMiddleware, search::SearchMiddleware, suppress::SuppressMiddleware,
-    undo::UndoMiddleware,
+    image_resolve::ImageResolverMiddleware, match_exec::MatchExecRequestMiddleware,
+    search::SearchMiddleware, suppress::SuppressMiddleware, undo::UndoMiddleware,
   },
 };
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ impl<'a> DefaultProcessor<'a> {
     undo_enabled_provider: &'a dyn UndoEnabledProvider,
     enabled_status_provider: &'a dyn EnabledStatusProvider,
     modifier_state_provider: &'a dyn ModifierStateProvider,
+    match_resolver: &'a dyn MatchResolver,
   ) -> DefaultProcessor<'a> {
     Self {
       event_queue: VecDeque::new(),
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ impl<'a> DefaultProcessor<'a> {
           matcher_options_provider,
           modifier_state_provider,
         )),
+        Box::new(MatchExecRequestMiddleware::new(match_resolver)),
         Box::new(SuppressMiddleware::new(enabled_status_provider)),
         Box::new(ContextMenuMiddleware::new()),
         Box::new(HotKeyMiddleware::new()),
diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/match_exec.rs b/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/match_exec.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b8a669
--- /dev/null
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/match_exec.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of espanso.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Federico Terzi
+ *
+ * espanso is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * espanso is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with espanso.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+use log::warn;
+
+use super::super::Middleware;
+use crate::event::{
+  internal::{DetectedMatch, MatchesDetectedEvent},
+  Event, EventType,
+};
+
+pub trait MatchResolver {
+  fn find_matches_from_trigger(&self, trigger: &str) -> Vec<DetectedMatch>;
+}
+
+pub struct MatchExecRequestMiddleware<'a> {
+  match_resolver: &'a dyn MatchResolver,
+}
+
+impl<'a> MatchExecRequestMiddleware<'a> {
+  pub fn new(match_resolver: &'a dyn MatchResolver) -> Self {
+    Self { match_resolver }
+  }
+}
+
+impl<'a> Middleware for MatchExecRequestMiddleware<'a> {
+  fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
+    "match_exec_request"
+  }
+
+  fn next(&self, event: Event, _: &mut dyn FnMut(Event)) -> Event {
+    if let EventType::MatchExecRequest(m_event) = &event.etype {
+      let mut matches = if let Some(trigger) = &m_event.trigger {
+        self.match_resolver.find_matches_from_trigger(trigger)
+      } else {
+        Vec::new()
+      };
+
+      // Inject the request args into the detected matches
+      matches.iter_mut().for_each(|m| {
+        for (key, value) in &m_event.args {
+          m.args.insert(key.to_string(), value.to_string());
+        }
+      });
+
+      if matches.is_empty() {
+        warn!("received match exec request, but no matches have been found for the given query.");
+        return Event::caused_by(event.source_id, EventType::NOOP);
+      }
+
+      return Event::caused_by(
+        event.source_id,
+        EventType::MatchesDetected(MatchesDetectedEvent {
+          matches,
+          is_search: false,
+        }),
+      );
+    }
+
+    event
+  }
+}
+
+// TODO: test
diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/mod.rs b/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/mod.rs
index 9ba98b3..5c72d6e 100644
--- a/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/process/middleware/mod.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ pub mod hotkey;
 pub mod icon_status;
 pub mod image_resolve;
 pub mod markdown;
+pub mod match_exec;
 pub mod match_select;
 pub mod matcher;
 pub mod multiplex;
diff --git a/espanso-engine/src/process/mod.rs b/espanso-engine/src/process/mod.rs
index 1e295f9..eb42768 100644
--- a/espanso-engine/src/process/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso-engine/src/process/mod.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ pub use middleware::action::{EventSequenceProvider, MatchInfoProvider};
 pub use middleware::delay_modifiers::ModifierStatusProvider;
 pub use middleware::disable::DisableOptions;
 pub use middleware::image_resolve::PathProvider;
+pub use middleware::match_exec::MatchResolver;
 pub use middleware::match_select::{MatchFilter, MatchSelector};
 pub use middleware::matcher::{
   MatchResult, Matcher, MatcherEvent, MatcherMiddlewareConfigProvider, ModifierState,
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ pub fn default<'a, MatcherState>(
   undo_enabled_provider: &'a dyn UndoEnabledProvider,
   enabled_status_provider: &'a dyn EnabledStatusProvider,
   modifier_state_provider: &'a dyn ModifierStateProvider,
+  match_resolver: &'a dyn MatchResolver,
 ) -> impl Processor + 'a {
   default::DefaultProcessor::new(
     matchers,
@@ -82,5 +84,6 @@ pub fn default<'a, MatcherState>(
     undo_enabled_provider,
     enabled_status_provider,
     modifier_state_provider,
+    match_resolver,
   )
 }