diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yaml b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
index 71e0fa7..6d5ecf6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ jobs:
       if: ${{ matrix.os != 'macos' }}
       run: makim smoke-tests.containers
 
+    - name: Run smoke tests using different interpreters
+      run: makim smoke-tests.shell-app
+
     - name: Run smoke tests using unittest makim file
       run: makim smoke-tests.unittest
 
diff --git a/.makim.yaml b/.makim.yaml
index b33674e..94c2ad4 100644
--- a/.makim.yaml
+++ b/.makim.yaml
@@ -167,6 +167,21 @@ groups:
           cd ./tests/
           makim $VERBOSE_FLAG --file $MAKIM_FILE containers.run
 
+      shell-app:
+        help: Test makim with working-directory for global no-path and its various combinations with group and target working-directory
+        args:
+          verbose-mode:
+            help: Run the all the tests in verbose mode
+            type: bool
+            action: store_true
+        env:
+          MAKIM_FILE: tests/.makim-interpreters.yaml
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          export VERBOSE_FLAG='{{ "--verbose" if args.verbose_mode else "" }}'
+          export MAKIM_FILE="$(pwd)/${MAKIM_FILE}"
+          makim $VERBOSE_FLAG --file $MAKIM_FILE main.all
+
       unittest:
         help: Test makim using a unittest makimfile
         args:
diff --git a/conda/dev.yaml b/conda/dev.yaml
index 37f7eb9..91a4d3d 100644
--- a/conda/dev.yaml
+++ b/conda/dev.yaml
@@ -3,5 +3,14 @@ channels:
   - nodefaults
   - conda-forge
 dependencies:
+  - bash
   - python 3.8.1  # min version supported
   - poetry >=1.5
+  - nodejs
+  - perl
+  - r-base
+  - sh
+  - pip
+  - pip:
+    # note: workaround ci issue for macos
+    - setuptools >= 40.8.0
diff --git a/src/makim/core.py b/src/makim/core.py
index 15a9d4a..144d8ba 100644
--- a/src/makim/core.py
+++ b/src/makim/core.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 the way to define targets and dependencies. Instead of using the
 `Makefile` format, it uses `yaml` format.
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import io
 import os
 import pprint
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@
 
 from copy import deepcopy
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Dict, Optional, Tuple, Union
+from typing import Optional, Union
 
 import dotenv
 import sh
@@ -30,6 +32,12 @@
 SCOPE_TARGET = 2
 
 
+KNOWN_SHELL_APP_ARGS = {
+    'bash': ['-e'],
+    'php': ['-f'],
+}
+
+
 def escape_template_tag(v: str) -> str:
     """Escape template tag when processing the template config file."""
     return v.replace('{{', r'\{\{').replace('}}', r'\}\}')
@@ -61,6 +69,7 @@ class Makim(PrintPlugin):
     verbose: bool = False
     global_data: dict = {}
     shell_app: sh.Command = sh.xonsh
+    shell_args: list[str] = []
 
     # temporary variables
     env: dict = {}  # initial env
@@ -84,6 +93,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.file = '.makim.yaml'
         self.dry_run = False
         self.verbose = False
+        self.shell_args: list[str] = []
 
     def _call_shell_app(self, cmd):
         fd, filepath = tempfile.mkstemp(suffix='.makim', text=True)
@@ -228,10 +238,17 @@ def update_working_directory(
 
         return working_dir
 
-    def _load_shell_app(self, shell_app: str = ''):
+    def _load_shell_app(self, shell_app: str = '') -> None:
         if not shell_app:
             shell_app = self.global_data.get('shell', 'xonsh')
-        self.shell_app = getattr(sh, shell_app)
+            return
+
+        cmd = shell_app.split(' ')
+        cmd_name = cmd[0]
+        self.shell_app = getattr(sh, cmd_name)
+
+        args: list[str] = KNOWN_SHELL_APP_ARGS.get(cmd_name, [])
+        self.shell_args = args + cmd[1:]
 
     def _load_dotenv(self, data_scope: dict) -> dict:
         env_file = data_scope.get('env-file')
@@ -251,7 +268,7 @@ def _load_dotenv(self, data_scope: dict) -> dict:
 
     def _load_scoped_data(
         self, scope: str
-    ) -> Tuple[Dict[str, str], Dict[str, str]]:
+    ) -> tuple[dict[str, str], dict[str, str]]:
         scope_options = ('global', 'group', 'target')
         if scope not in scope_options:
             raise Exception(f'The given scope `{scope}` is not valid.')
@@ -332,13 +349,6 @@ def _load_target_args(self):
                 default if default is not None else False if is_bool else None
             )
 
-    @property
-    def shell_args(self):
-        """Return the arguments for the defined shell app."""
-        if self.shell_app.__dict__['__name__'].endswith('bash'):
-            return ['-e']
-        return []
-
     # run commands
 
     def _run_dependencies(self, args: dict):
diff --git a/tests/.makim-interpreters.yaml b/tests/.makim-interpreters.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8114c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/.makim-interpreters.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+version: 1.0
+env-file: .env
+groups:
+  main:
+    targets:
+      node:
+        help: Test using nodejs
+        shell: node
+        run: console.log("Hello, World!");
+      perl:
+        help: Test using perl
+        shell: perl
+        run: print "Hello, World!\n";
+
+      php:
+        help: Test using php
+        shell: php
+        run: print "Hello, World!\n";
+
+      python:
+        help: Test using php
+        shell: python
+        run: print("Hello, World!")
+
+      r:
+        help: Test using R
+        shell: Rscript
+        run: print("Hello World!")
+
+      sh:
+        help: Test using sh
+        shell: sh
+        run: echo "Hello, World!"
+
+      all:
+        dependencies:
+          - target: node
+          - target: perl
+          # note: php from conda-forge has conflicts with r-base
+          # - target: php
+          - target: python
+          - target: r
+          - target: sh