diff --git a/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager.go b/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager.go
index 80dee5830..be8fef166 100644
--- a/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager.go
@@ -60,19 +60,21 @@ func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetDiffRendererType() DiffRendererType {
 	return currentDiffRendererConfig.getType()
 }
 
-func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetStdinFilterCommand(width int) string {
+// DiffRendererValues are what the command of a diff renderer can refer to.
+type DiffRendererValues struct {
+	// The width of the view that the diff is rendered into
+	Width int
+	// The number of lines of context around each hunk
+	DiffContext uint64
+}
+
+func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetStdinFilterCommand(values DiffRendererValues) string {
 	currentDiffRendererConfig := self.currentDiffRendererConfig()
 	if currentDiffRendererConfig == nil || currentDiffRendererConfig.getType() != DiffRendererType_StdinFilter {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	templateValues := map[string]string{
-		"width":       strconv.Itoa(width),
-		"columnWidth": strconv.Itoa(width/2 - 6),
-	}
-
-	commandTemplate := string(currentDiffRendererConfig.Command)
-	return utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(commandTemplate, templateValues)
+	return currentDiffRendererConfig.resolveCommand(values)
 }
 
 func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetColorArg() string {
@@ -88,18 +90,30 @@ func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetColorArg() string {
 	return colorArg
 }
 
-func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetExternalDiffCommand(diffContext uint64, width int) string {
+func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetExternalDiffCommand(values DiffRendererValues) string {
 	currentDiffRendererConfig := self.currentDiffRendererConfig()
 	if currentDiffRendererConfig == nil || currentDiffRendererConfig.getType() != DiffRendererType_ExtDiff {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	templateValues := map[string]string{
-		"diffContext": strconv.Itoa(int(diffContext)),
-		"width":       strconv.Itoa(width),
+	return currentDiffRendererConfig.resolveCommand(values)
+}
+
+// resolveCommand fills in the values that the renderer's command refers to.
+func (self *DiffRendererConfig) resolveCommand(values DiffRendererValues) string {
+	placeholders := map[string]string{
+		"width": strconv.Itoa(values.Width),
+	}
+	switch self.getType() {
+	case DiffRendererType_StdinFilter:
+		placeholders["columnWidth"] = strconv.Itoa(values.Width/2 - 6)
+	case DiffRendererType_ExtDiff:
+		placeholders["diffContext"] = strconv.Itoa(int(values.DiffContext))
+	case DiffRendererType_RawGit:
+		// has no command
 	}
 
-	return utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(string(currentDiffRendererConfig.Command), templateValues)
+	return utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(string(self.Command), placeholders)
 }
 
 func (self *DiffRendererConfigManager) GetRawGitArgs() []string {
diff --git a/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager_test.go b/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager_test.go
index e2d4a8e44..bcced5e5c 100644
--- a/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/config/diff_renderer_config_manager_test.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func TestGetStdinFilterCommand(t *testing.T) {
 			userConfig.Git.DiffRenderers = []DiffRendererConfig{s.diffRendererConfig}
 			config := NewDiffRendererConfigManager(func() *UserConfig { return userConfig })
 
-			assert.Equal(t, s.expected, config.GetStdinFilterCommand(s.width))
+			assert.Equal(t, s.expected, config.GetStdinFilterCommand(DiffRendererValues{Width: s.width}))
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func TestGetExternalDiffCommand(t *testing.T) {
 			userConfig.Git.DiffRenderers = []DiffRendererConfig{s.diffRendererConfig}
 			config := NewDiffRendererConfigManager(func() *UserConfig { return userConfig })
 
-			assert.Equal(t, s.expected, config.GetExternalDiffCommand(3, 120))
+			assert.Equal(t, s.expected, config.GetExternalDiffCommand(DiffRendererValues{Width: 120, DiffContext: 3}))
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/main_view_render.go b/pkg/gui/main_view_render.go
index bfeba9b16..234f327f2 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/main_view_render.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/main_view_render.go
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) newRenderTask(view *gocui.View, cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) er
 		// width to render at known, and with it the renderer command.
 		width := view.InnerWidth()
 		diffRendererConfigManager := gui.stateAccessor.GetDiffRendererConfigManager()
-		stdinFilter := diffRendererConfigManager.GetStdinFilterCommand(width)
-		externalDiff := diffRendererConfigManager.GetExternalDiffCommand(gui.c.UserConfig().Git.DiffContextSize, width)
+		values := config.DiffRendererValues{Width: width, DiffContext: gui.c.UserConfig().Git.DiffContextSize}
+		stdinFilter := diffRendererConfigManager.GetStdinFilterCommand(values)
+		externalDiff := diffRendererConfigManager.GetExternalDiffCommand(values)
 
 		cmdStr := strings.Join(cmd.Args, " ")