diff --git a/server/actions.mjs b/server/actions.mjs
index 5c18f58..576e34a 100644
--- a/server/actions.mjs
+++ b/server/actions.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // policy: "auto-accept" | "auto-deny" | "queue"
 
 
-import { resolve_path, exec } from './helpers.mjs';
+import { resolve_path } from './helpers.mjs';
 import { check_can_approve } from './auth.mjs';
 
 export const actions = {
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export const actions = {
 		description: "Open a file in the editor",
 		params: [{ name: "filename", required: true, type: "path" }],
 		policy: "auto-accept",
-		handler: ({ filename }) => {
+		handler: ({ filename }, { exec }) => {
 			const resolved = resolve_path(filename);
 			exec('subl3', [resolved]);
 			return { opened: resolved };
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export const actions = {
 		description: "Open a URL in the web browser",
 		params: [{ name: "url", required: true, type: "string" }],
 		policy: "queue",
-		handler: ({ url }) => {
+		handler: ({ url }, { exec }) => {
 			const parsed = new URL(url);
 			if (parsed.protocol !== 'http:' && parsed.protocol !== 'https:') {
 				throw new Error(`Disallowed protocol: ${parsed.protocol}`);
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export const actions = {
 		description: "Open a terminal in a given directory",
 		params: [{ name: "path", required: false, type: "path" }],
 		policy: 'queue',
-		handler: ({ path }) => {
+		handler: ({ path }, { exec }) => {
 			const resolved = resolve_path(path ?? 'workspace');
 			exec('konsole', ['--workdir', resolved, '-e', 'bash']);
 			return { opened: resolved };
diff --git a/server/index.mjs b/server/index.mjs
index 35c5082..822024e 100644
--- a/server/index.mjs
+++ b/server/index.mjs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { enqueue, get_entry, list_pending, resolve } from './queue.mjs';
 import { load_secrets } from './secrets.mjs';
 import { create_auth_middleware, check_can_approve } from './auth.mjs';
 import { create_mailer } from './mailer.mjs';
+import { exec as real_exec } from './helpers.mjs';
 import { load_mail_perms } from './mail_perms.mjs';
 
 function get_arg(argv, flag) {
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ if (!mail_perms_path) {
 	console.warn('Warning: --mail-perms not set; mail permissions will not persist across restarts');
 }
 
-const mailer_send = create_mailer(smtp);
+const real_mailer_send = create_mailer(smtp);
 
 const app = express();
 app.use(express.json({
@@ -62,13 +63,17 @@ app.use((req, _res, next) => {
 	next();
 });
 
-async function run_action(def, action, params, ctx) {
-	if (DRY_RUN) {
-		console.log(`[${ts()}] [DRY-RUN] action: ${action}`);
-		console.log(`[${ts()}] [DRY-RUN] caller: ${ctx.caller}`);
-		console.log(`[${ts()}] [DRY-RUN] params: ${JSON.stringify(params, null, 2)}`);
-		return { dry_run: true, action, params };
-	}
+function make_ctx(caller) {
+	const exec = DRY_RUN
+		? (bin, args) => console.log(`[${ts()}] [DRY-RUN] exec: ${bin} ${JSON.stringify(args)}`)
+		: real_exec;
+	const mailer_send = DRY_RUN
+		? async (to, subject) => console.log(`[${ts()}] [DRY-RUN] send-mail: to=${to} subject=${JSON.stringify(subject)}`)
+		: real_mailer_send;
+	return { caller, users, mail_perm_store, exec, mailer_send };
+}
+
+async function run_action(def, params, ctx) {
 	return def.handler(params, ctx);
 }
 
@@ -104,11 +109,11 @@ app.post('/action', async (req, res) => {
 		return res.status(403).json({ status: 'denied', reason: 'Policy: auto-deny' });
 	}
 
-	const ctx = { caller: req.conduit_user, users, mail_perm_store, mailer_send };
+	const ctx = make_ctx(req.conduit_user);
 
 	if (def.policy === 'auto-accept') {
 		try {
-			const result = await run_action(def, action, params, ctx);
+			const result = await run_action(def, params, ctx);
 			return res.json({ status: 'accepted', result });
 		} catch (err) {
 			return res.status(500).json({ status: 'error', error: err.message });
@@ -142,10 +147,10 @@ app.post('/queue/:id/approve', async (req, res) => {
 	entry.resolved_by = req.conduit_user;
 	resolve(req.params.id, 'approved');
 
-	const ctx = { caller: entry.submitted_by, users, mail_perm_store, mailer_send };
+	const ctx = make_ctx(entry.submitted_by);
 	const def = actions[entry.action];
 	try {
-		const result = await run_action(def, entry.action, entry.params, ctx);
+		const result = await run_action(def, entry.params, ctx);
 		res.json({ status: 'approved', result });
 	} catch (err) {
 		res.status(500).json({ status: 'error', error: err.message });