diff --git a/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh b/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
index ba33e2aa..cc0a22cc 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+if test -z "${POWERLINE_COMMAND}" ; then
+	if which powerline-client &>/dev/null ; then
+		export POWERLINE_COMMAND=powerline-client
+	else
+		export POWERLINE_COMMAND=powerline
+	fi
+fi
+
 _powerline_tmux_setenv() {
 	if [[ -n "$TMUX" ]]; then
 		tmux setenv -g TMUX_"$1"_$(tmux display -p "#D" | tr -d %) "$2"
@@ -22,7 +30,7 @@ _powerline_prompt() {
 	local last_exit_code=$?
 	[[ -z "$POWERLINE_OLD_PROMPT_COMMAND" ]] ||
 		eval $POWERLINE_OLD_PROMPT_COMMAND
-	PS1="$(powerline shell left -r bash_prompt --last_exit_code=$last_exit_code)"
+	PS1="$($POWERLINE_COMMAND shell left -r bash_prompt --last_exit_code=$last_exit_code)"
 	_powerline_tmux_set_pwd
 	return $last_exit_code
 }
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
index 5951848c..81eda186 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
+if-shell 'test -z "$POWERLINE_COMMAND"' 'if-shell "which powerline-client" "set-environment -g POWERLINE_COMMAND powerline-client" "set-environment -g POWERLINE_COMMAND powerline"'
 set -g status on
 set -g status-utf8 on
 set -g status-interval 2
 set -g status-fg colour231
 set -g status-bg colour234
 set -g status-left-length 20
-set -g status-left '#[fg=colour16,bg=colour254,bold] #S #[fg=colour254,bg=colour234,nobold]#(powerline tmux left)'
-set -g status-right '#(powerline tmux right -R pane_id=`tmux display -p "#D"`)'
+set -g status-left '#[fg=colour16,bg=colour254,bold] #S #[fg=colour254,bg=colour234,nobold]#($POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux left)'
+set -g status-right '#($POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux right -R pane_id=`tmux display -p "#D"`)'
 set -g status-right-length 150
 set -g window-status-format "#[fg=colour244,bg=colour234]#I #[fg=colour240] #[fg=colour249]#W "
 set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=colour234,bg=colour31]#[fg=colour117,bg=colour31] #I  #[fg=colour231,bold]#W #[fg=colour31,bg=colour234,nobold]"
+# vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh b/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
index 89b86cff..e5b8d6d8 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+if test -z "${POWERLINE_COMMAND}" ; then
+	if which powerline-client &>/dev/null ; then
+		export POWERLINE_COMMAND=powerline-client
+	else
+		export POWERLINE_COMMAND=powerline
+	fi
+fi
+
 _powerline_tmux_setenv() {
 	emulate -L zsh
 	if [[ -n "$TMUX" ]]; then
@@ -27,8 +35,8 @@ _powerline_install_precmd() {
 		zpython 'powerline_setup()'
 		zpython 'del powerline_setup'
 	else
-		PS1='$(powerline shell left -r zsh_prompt --last_exit_code=$? --last_pipe_status="$pipestatus")'
-		RPS1='$(powerline shell right -r zsh_prompt --last_exit_code=$? --last_pipe_status="$pipestatus")'
+		PS1='$($POWERLINE_COMMAND shell left -r zsh_prompt --last_exit_code=$? --last_pipe_status="$pipestatus")'
+		RPS1='$($POWERLINE_COMMAND shell right -r zsh_prompt --last_exit_code=$? --last_pipe_status="$pipestatus")'
 	fi
 }