diff --git a/udev.c b/udev.c
index 4762ab1cef..f808abf427 100644
--- a/udev.c
+++ b/udev.c
@@ -161,8 +161,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		list_for_each_entry(name_loop, &udev->run_list, node) {
 			if (strncmp(name_loop->name, "socket:", strlen("socket:")) == 0)
 				pass_env_to_socket(&name_loop->name[strlen("socket:")], devpath, action);
-			else
-				run_program(name_loop->name, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL, (udev_log_priority >= LOG_INFO));
+			else {
+				char program[PATH_SIZE];
+
+				strlcpy(program, name_loop->name, sizeof(program));
+				apply_format(udev, program, sizeof(program));
+				run_program(program, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL, (udev_log_priority >= LOG_INFO));
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/udev_rules.c b/udev_rules.c
index e9d8d7560e..fbcbbe0083 100644
--- a/udev_rules.c
+++ b/udev_rules.c
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ static int wait_for_sysfs(struct udevice *udev, const char *file, int timeout)
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static void apply_format(struct udevice *udev, char *string, size_t maxsize)
+void apply_format(struct udevice *udev, char *string, size_t maxsize)
 {
 	char temp[PATH_SIZE];
 	char temp2[PATH_SIZE];
@@ -1017,7 +1017,6 @@ int udev_rules_get_name(struct udev_rules *rules, struct udevice *udev)
 					name_list_cleanup(&udev->run_list);
 				}
 				strlcpy(program, key_val(rule, &rule->run), sizeof(program));
-				apply_format(udev, program, sizeof(program));
 				dbg("add run '%s'", program);
 				name_list_add(&udev->run_list, program, 0);
 			}
diff --git a/udev_rules.h b/udev_rules.h
index 125babf1c5..b183d9b531 100644
--- a/udev_rules.h
+++ b/udev_rules.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ struct udev_rules {
 extern int udev_rules_init(struct udev_rules *rules, int resolve_names);
 extern void udev_rules_cleanup(struct udev_rules *rules);
 
-extern void udev_apply_format(struct udevice *udev, char *string, size_t maxsize);
+extern void apply_format(struct udevice *udev, char *string, size_t maxsize);
 
 extern void udev_rules_iter_init(struct udev_rules *rules);
 extern struct udev_rule *udev_rules_iter_next(struct udev_rules *rules);
diff --git a/udevd.c b/udevd.c
index ffa81bbb75..8a352e1eb9 100644
--- a/udevd.c
+++ b/udevd.c
@@ -123,10 +123,15 @@ static int udev_event_process(struct uevent_msg *msg)
 		list_for_each_entry(name_loop, &udev->run_list, node) {
 			if (strncmp(name_loop->name, "socket:", strlen("socket:")) == 0)
 				pass_env_to_socket(&name_loop->name[strlen("socket:")], msg->devpath, msg->action);
-			else
-				if (run_program(name_loop->name, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL,
+			else {
+				char program[PATH_SIZE];
+
+				strlcpy(program, name_loop->name, sizeof(program));
+				apply_format(udev, program, sizeof(program));
+				if (run_program(program, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL,
 						(udev_log_priority >= LOG_INFO)))
 					retval = -1;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/udevstart.c b/udevstart.c
index 8c414f1acb..11bdf79183 100644
--- a/udevstart.c
+++ b/udevstart.c
@@ -160,8 +160,13 @@ run:
 		list_for_each_entry(name_loop, &udev->run_list, node) {
 			if (strncmp(name_loop->name, "socket:", strlen("socket:")) == 0)
 				pass_env_to_socket(&name_loop->name[strlen("socket:")], udev->dev->devpath, "add");
-			else
-				run_program(name_loop->name, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL, (udev_log_priority >= LOG_INFO));
+			else {
+				char program[PATH_SIZE];
+
+				strlcpy(program, name_loop->name, sizeof(program));
+				apply_format(udev, program, sizeof(program));
+				run_program(program, udev->dev->subsystem, NULL, 0, NULL, (udev_log_priority >= LOG_INFO));
+			}
 		}
 	}
 exit: