diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3d59722..2452c04 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ all:
 	@echo Compiled
 
 install: all
-	@echo Installing zod executable to ${PREFIX}/bin
+	@echo Installing zod executables to ${PREFIX}/bin
 	@mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/bin
 	@cp bin/zod ${PREFIX}/bin
+	@cp bin/zod_render ${PREFIX}/bin
 	@echo Installing awk lib files to ${AWKLIB}
 	@mkdir -p ${AWKLIB}
 	@cp lib/render.awk ${AWKLIB}
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ install: all
 uninstall:
 	@echo Uninstalling zod executable
 	@rm ${PREFIX}/bin/zod
+	@rm ${PREFIX}/bin/zod_render
 	@echo Uninstalling awk lib files
 	@rm -rf ${AWKLIB}
 	@echo Uninstallation Complete
diff --git a/bin/zod.template b/bin/zod.template
index f1b0e26..ea89fb6 100644
--- a/bin/zod.template
+++ b/bin/zod.template
@@ -3,67 +3,23 @@
 # ZODIAC - a simple static site generator
 # Copyright (c) 2011 Chase Allen James <nx-zodiac@nu-ex.com>
 
-zod_lib=ZODLIB_PATH
-markdown_filter_cmd="awk -f $zod_lib/markdown.awk"
-
-proj=$1
-target=$2
+ZOD_LIB=ZODLIB_PATH
+ZOD_PROJECT=$1
+ZOD_TARGET=$2
 
 _zod_error() {
   echo -e ">>> ERROR: $*" >&2
   exit 1
 }
 
-[ ! "$1" ] || [ ! "$2" ] && { echo "usage: zod projectdir targetdir"; exit; }
-[ ! -d $proj ] && _zod_error "project directory does not exist"
-[ ! -d $target ] && _zod_error "target directory does not exist"
+[ "$#" -ne 2 ] && { echo "usage: zod projectdir targetdir"; exit; }
+[ ! -d "$ZOD_PROJECT" ] && _zod_error "project directory does not exist"
+[ ! -d "$ZOD_TARGET" ] && _zod_error "target directory does not exist"
 
-helpers=$proj/helpers.awk
-[ -f $helpers ] && helper_opts="-f $(pwd)/$helpers"
+export ZOD_LIB ZOD_PROJECT ZOD_TARGET
 
-global_meta=$proj/global.meta
-[ -f $global_meta ] && global_meta_opts=$global_meta
-
-layout=$proj/main.layout
-[ -f $layout ] && layout_opts=$layout
-
-files=$(find $proj -type f \
-            ! -name "*.layout" \
-            ! -name "*.meta" \
-            ! -name "helpers.awk")
-
-for f in $files; do
-
-  # Find the target directory if one must be created
-  subdir=${f%/*}
-  subdir=${subdir#$proj}
-  if [ "$subdir" ]; then
-    destination="$target$subdir"
-    mkdir -p "$destination"
-  else
-    # There is no directory to create in target,
-    # i.e. file is in the root of the project
-    destination=$target
-  fi
-
-  ext=${f##*.}
-  if [ $ext == "md" ] || [ $ext == "html" ]; then
-
-    meta=${f%.$ext}.meta
-    [ -f $meta ] && page_meta_opts=$meta
-
-    page=${f##*/}
-    page=${page%.$ext}.html
-
-    awk -f $zod_lib/render.awk \
-        -v markdown_filter_cmd="$markdown_filter_cmd" \
-        $helper_opts \
-        "$global_meta_opts" \
-        "$page_meta_opts" \
-        "$f" \
-        "$layout_opts" > "$destination/$page"
-
-  else
-    cp "$f" "$destination" # Copying a non-template file
-  fi
-done
+find "$ZOD_PROJECT" -type f \
+              ! -name "*.layout" \
+              ! -name "*.meta" \
+              ! -name "helpers.awk" \
+              -exec /home/nuex/_dev/zodiac/bin/zod_render {} \;
diff --git a/bin/zod_render b/bin/zod_render
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5a27682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/zod_render
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# render a zodiac page
+# used internally by zod (uses file as single argument)
+
+f="$*"
+markdown_filter_cmd="awk -f $ZOD_LIB/markdown.awk"
+
+[ -f "$ZOD_PROJECT/helpers.awk" ] && helper_opts="$ZOD_PROJECT/helpers.awk"
+[ -f "$ZOD_PROJECT/global.meta" ] && global_meta_opts="$ZOD_PROJECT/global.meta"
+[ -f "$ZOD_PROJECT/main.layout" ] && layout_opts="$ZOD_PROJECT/main.layout"
+
+# Find the target directory if one must be created
+subdir=${f%/*}
+subdir=${subdir#$ZOD_PROJECT}
+if [ "$subdir" ]; then
+  destination="$ZOD_TARGET$subdir"
+  mkdir -p "$destination"
+else
+  # There is no directory to create in target,
+  # i.e. file is in the root of the project
+  destination="$ZOD_TARGET"
+fi
+
+ext=${f##*.}
+if [ $ext == "md" ] || [ $ext == "html" ]; then
+
+  meta=${f%.$ext}.meta
+  [ -f "$meta" ] && page_meta_opts="$meta"
+
+  page=${f##*/}
+  page=${page%.$ext}.html
+
+  set -- -f "$ZOD_LIB/render.awk"
+  [ "$helper_opts" ] && set -- "$@" -f "$helper_opts"
+  set -- "$@" -v markdown_filter_cmd="$markdown_filter_cmd" \
+              "$global_meta_opts" \
+              "$page_meta_opts" \
+              "$f" \
+              "$layout_opts"
+
+  awk "$@" > "$destination/$page"
+
+else
+  cp "$f" "$destination" # Copying a non-template file
+fi