diff --git a/src/print_run_watch.c b/src/print_run_watch.c
index f0a0746..d153da4 100644
--- a/src/print_run_watch.c
+++ b/src/print_run_watch.c
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <yajl/yajl_version.h>
 #include "i3status.h"
 
+#define STRING_SIZE 5
+
 void print_run_watch(yajl_gen json_gen, char *buffer, const char *title, const char *pidfile, const char *format, const char *format_down) {
     bool running = process_runs(pidfile);
     const char *walk;
@@ -21,22 +23,15 @@ void print_run_watch(yajl_gen json_gen, char *buffer, const char *title, const c
 
     START_COLOR((running ? "color_good" : "color_bad"));
 
-    for (; *walk != '\0'; walk++) {
-        if (*walk != '%') {
-            *(outwalk++) = *walk;
+    char string_status[STRING_SIZE];
+    snprintf(string_status, STRING_SIZE, "%s", (running ? "yes" : "no"));
 
-        } else if (BEGINS_WITH(walk + 1, "title")) {
-            outwalk += sprintf(outwalk, "%s", title);
-            walk += strlen("title");
+    placeholder_t placeholders[] = {
+        {.name = "%title", .value = title},
+        {.name = "%status", .value = string_status}};
 
-        } else if (BEGINS_WITH(walk + 1, "status")) {
-            outwalk += sprintf(outwalk, "%s", (running ? "yes" : "no"));
-            walk += strlen("status");
-
-        } else {
-            *(outwalk++) = '%';
-        }
-    }
+    const size_t num = sizeof(placeholders) / sizeof(placeholder_t);
+    buffer = format_placeholders(walk, &placeholders[0], num);
 
     END_COLOR;
     OUTPUT_FULL_TEXT(buffer);