diff --git a/book/src/languages.md b/book/src/languages.md
index 8db121ce1..ea18e9c39 100644
--- a/book/src/languages.md
+++ b/book/src/languages.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ These configuration keys are available:
 | `indent`              | The indent to use. Has sub keys `unit` (the text inserted into the document when indenting; usually set to N spaces or `"\t"` for tabs) and `tab-width` (the number of spaces rendered for a tab) |
 | `language-servers`    | The Language Servers used for this language. See below for more information in the section [Configuring Language Servers for a language](#configuring-language-servers-for-a-language)   |
 | `grammar`             | The tree-sitter grammar to use (defaults to the value of `name`) |
-| `formatter`           | The formatter for the language, it will take precedence over the lsp when defined. The formatter must be able to take the original file as input from stdin and write the formatted file to stdout |
+| `formatter`           | The formatter for the language, it will take precedence over the lsp when defined. The formatter must be able to take the original file as input from stdin and write the formatted file to stdout. The filename of the current buffer can be passed as argument by using the `%{buffer_name}` expansion variable. See below for more information in the [Configuring the formatter command](#configuring-the-formatter-command) |
 | `soft-wrap`           | [editor.softwrap](./editor.md#editorsoft-wrap-section)
 | `text-width`          |  Maximum line length. Used for the `:reflow` command and soft-wrapping if `soft-wrap.wrap-at-text-width` is set, defaults to `editor.text-width`   |
 | `rulers`              | Overrides the `editor.rulers` config key for the language. |
@@ -102,6 +102,16 @@ with the following priorities:
    the file extension of a given file wins. In the example above, the `"toml"`
    config matches files like `Cargo.toml` or `languages.toml`.
 
+### Configuring the formatter command
+
+[Command line expansions](./command-line.md#expansions) are supported in the arguments
+of the formatter command. In particular, the `%{buffer_name}` variable can be passed as
+argument to the formatter:
+
+```toml
+formatter = { command = "mylang-formatter" , args = ["--stdin", "--stdin-filename %{buffer_name}"] }
+```
+
 ## Language Server configuration
 
 Language servers are configured separately in the table `language-server` in the same file as the languages `languages.toml`
diff --git a/helix-core/src/command_line.rs b/helix-core/src/command_line.rs
index 960b247df..8e209d618 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/command_line.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/command_line.rs
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ pub struct Token<'a> {
     pub is_terminated: bool,
 }
 
-impl Token<'_> {
+impl<'a> Token<'a> {
     pub fn empty_at(content_start: usize) -> Self {
         Self {
             kind: TokenKind::Unquoted,
@@ -366,6 +366,15 @@ impl Token<'_> {
             is_terminated: false,
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn expand(content: impl Into<Cow<'a, str>>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            kind: TokenKind::Expand,
+            content_start: 0,
+            content: content.into(),
+            is_terminated: true,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index 8b58c7e0b..c35ff714a 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -339,8 +339,9 @@ fn write_impl(cx: &mut compositor::Context, path: Option<&str>, force: bool) ->
     // Save an undo checkpoint for any outstanding changes.
     doc.append_changes_to_history(view);
 
+    let (view, doc) = current_ref!(cx.editor);
     let fmt = if config.auto_format {
-        doc.auto_format().map(|fmt| {
+        doc.auto_format(cx.editor).map(|fmt| {
             let callback = make_format_callback(
                 doc.id(),
                 doc.version(),
@@ -483,8 +484,8 @@ fn format(cx: &mut compositor::Context, _args: Args, event: PromptEvent) -> anyh
         return Ok(());
     }
 
-    let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
-    let format = doc.format().context(
+    let (view, doc) = current_ref!(cx.editor);
+    let format = doc.format(cx.editor).context(
         "A formatter isn't available, and no language server provides formatting capabilities",
     )?;
     let callback = make_format_callback(doc.id(), doc.version(), view.id, format, None);
@@ -752,7 +753,8 @@ pub fn write_all_impl(
         doc.append_changes_to_history(view);
 
         let fmt = if options.auto_format && config.auto_format {
-            doc.auto_format().map(|fmt| {
+            let doc = doc!(cx.editor, &doc_id);
+            doc.auto_format(cx.editor).map(|fmt| {
                 let callback = make_format_callback(
                     doc_id,
                     doc.version(),
diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index 92c1e3ca0..ae31bab60 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use futures_util::future::BoxFuture;
 use futures_util::FutureExt;
 use helix_core::auto_pairs::AutoPairs;
 use helix_core::chars::char_is_word;
+use helix_core::command_line::Token;
 use helix_core::diagnostic::DiagnosticProvider;
 use helix_core::doc_formatter::TextFormat;
 use helix_core::encoding::Encoding;
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ use helix_core::{
 use crate::{
     editor::Config,
     events::{DocumentDidChange, SelectionDidChange},
+    expansion,
     view::ViewPosition,
     DocumentId, Editor, Theme, View, ViewId,
 };
@@ -777,9 +779,12 @@ impl Document {
 
     /// The same as [`format`], but only returns formatting changes if auto-formatting
     /// is configured.
-    pub fn auto_format(&self) -> Option<BoxFuture<'static, Result<Transaction, FormatterError>>> {
+    pub fn auto_format(
+        &self,
+        editor: &Editor,
+    ) -> Option<BoxFuture<'static, Result<Transaction, FormatterError>>> {
         if self.language_config()?.auto_format {
-            self.format()
+            self.format(editor)
         } else {
             None
         }
@@ -789,7 +794,10 @@ impl Document {
     /// to format it nicely.
     // We can't use anyhow::Result here since the output of the future has to be
     // clonable to be used as shared future. So use a custom error type.
-    pub fn format(&self) -> Option<BoxFuture<'static, Result<Transaction, FormatterError>>> {
+    pub fn format(
+        &self,
+        editor: &Editor,
+    ) -> Option<BoxFuture<'static, Result<Transaction, FormatterError>>> {
         if let Some((fmt_cmd, fmt_args)) = self
             .language_config()
             .and_then(|c| c.formatter.as_ref())
@@ -814,8 +822,20 @@ impl Document {
                 process.current_dir(doc_dir);
             }
 
+            let args = match fmt_args
+                .iter()
+                .map(|content| expansion::expand(editor, Token::expand(content)))
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()
+            {
+                Ok(args) => args,
+                Err(err) => {
+                    log::error!("Failed to expand formatter arguments: {err}");
+                    return None;
+                }
+            };
+
             process
-                .args(fmt_args)
+                .args(args.iter().map(AsRef::as_ref))
                 .stdin(Stdio::piped())
                 .stdout(Stdio::piped())
                 .stderr(Stdio::piped());