diff --git a/.config/kak/scripts/kakfilter.sh b/.config/kak/scripts/kakfilter.sh
index f5b45b77..80ff6f2c 100755
--- a/.config/kak/scripts/kakfilter.sh
+++ b/.config/kak/scripts/kakfilter.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ while getopts "f:" opt; do
             echo "accepts file over stdin or as argument"
             echo "applies <percent><keys> and prints buffer content to stdout"
             echo "kakrc is not loaded"
+            ;;
         \?)
             echo "Invalid option"
             exit 1
@@ -26,8 +27,11 @@ if [ -z "$filter" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# create temp files
 tempdir="$(mktemp -d kakpipe-XXXXXX)"
 fifo="${tempdir}/fifo"
+# prioritize arg if it exists
+# use stdin otherwise
 if [ -z "$1" ]; then
     input="$(mktemp -p ${tempdir} input.XXXXXX)"
     cat >"$input"
@@ -35,7 +39,11 @@ else
     input="$1"
 fi
 
-kak -n -e "exec <percent>; execute-keys \"$filter\"; execute-keys <esc>; write $fifo; quit!" "$input"
+# run kak as a filter
+# write buffer to fifo before quitting
+# cmd="$(printf 'exec <percent>; execute-keys "%s"')"
+kak -n -e "exec <percent>; execute-keys %{ $filter } ; execute-keys <esc>; write $fifo; quit!" "$input"
+# print kak output to stdout
 cat "$fifo"
 # cleanup
 rm -r "$tempdir"
diff --git a/.config/kak/scripts/kakpipe-11nWu0/input.eXucbL b/.config/kak/scripts/kakpipe-11nWu0/input.eXucbL
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce013625
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/kak/scripts/kakpipe-11nWu0/input.eXucbL
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+hello