diff --git a/subsys/shell/shell.c b/subsys/shell/shell.c
index 7d9bde8c967..7016ef6e6dc 100644
--- a/subsys/shell/shell.c
+++ b/subsys/shell/shell.c
@@ -299,35 +299,12 @@ static int exit_module(int argc, char *argv[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static shell_cmd_function_t get_cb(int argc, char *argv[], int *module)
+static shell_cmd_function_t get_cb(int module, const char *command)
 {
 	const struct shell_module *shell_module;
-	const char *command;
 	int i;
 
-	if (!strcmp(argv[0], "help")) {
-		return show_help;
-	}
-
-	if (!strcmp(argv[0], "select")) {
-		return select_module;
-	}
-
-	if (!strcmp(argv[0], "exit")) {
-		return exit_module;
-	}
-
-	if ((argc == 1) && (default_module == -1)) {
-		printk("Missing parameter\n");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
-	command = get_command_and_module(argv, module);
-	if ((*module == -1) || (command == NULL)) {
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
-	shell_module = &__shell_cmd_start[*module];
+	shell_module = &__shell_cmd_start[module];
 	for (i = 0; shell_module->commands[i].cmd_name; i++) {
 		if (!strcmp(command, shell_module->commands[i].cmd_name)) {
 			return shell_module->commands[i].cb;
@@ -343,20 +320,61 @@ static inline void print_cmd_unknown(char *argv)
 	printk("Type 'help' for list of available commands\n");
 }
 
+static shell_cmd_function_t get_internal(const char *command)
+{
+	if (!strcmp(command, "help")) {
+		return show_help;
+	}
+
+	if (!strcmp(command, "select")) {
+		return select_module;
+	}
+
+	if (!strcmp(command, "exit")) {
+		return exit_module;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 int shell_exec(char *line)
 {
-	char *argv[ARGC_MAX + 1];
-	int argc;
-	int module = default_module;
-	int err;
+	char *argv[ARGC_MAX + 1], **argv_start = argv;
 	shell_cmd_function_t cb;
+	int argc, err;
 
 	argc = line2argv(line, argv, ARRAY_SIZE(argv));
 	if (!argc) {
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	cb = get_cb(argc, argv, &module);
+	cb = get_internal(argv[0]);
+	if (cb) {
+		return cb(argc, argv_start);
+	}
+
+	if (argc == 1 && default_module == -1) {
+		printk("No module selected. Use 'select' or 'help'.\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	if (default_module != -1) {
+		cb = get_cb(default_module, argv[0]);
+	}
+
+	if (!cb && argc > 1) {
+		int module;
+
+		module = get_destination_module(argv[0]);
+		if (module != -1) {
+			cb = get_cb(module, argv[1]);
+			if (cb) {
+				argc--;
+				argv_start++;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (!cb) {
 		if (app_cmd_handler != NULL) {
 			cb = app_cmd_handler;
@@ -366,14 +384,7 @@ int shell_exec(char *line)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* Execute callback with arguments */
-	if (module != -1 && module != default_module) {
-		/* Ajust parameters to point to the actual command */
-		err = cb(argc - 1, &argv[1]);
-	} else {
-		err = cb(argc, argv);
-	}
-
+	err = cb(argc, argv_start);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		show_cmd_help(argv, false);
 	}