diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index ae2c253..6c1fdd0 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ LIBS	= @READLINE_LIBS@ @LIBS@ $(ADDLIBS)
 HFILES	= config.h es.h gc.h input.h prim.h print.h sigmsgs.h \
 	  stdenv.h syntax.h term.h token.h var.h
 CFILES	= access.c closure.c conv.c dict.c eval.c except.c fd.c gc.c glob.c \
-	  glom.c input.c heredoc.c history.c list.c main.c match.c open.c opt.c \
+	  glom.c input.c heredoc.c list.c main.c match.c open.c opt.c \
 	  prim-ctl.c prim-etc.c prim-io.c prim-sys.c prim.c print.c proc.c \
 	  readline.c sigmsgs.c signal.c split.c status.c str.c syntax.c term.c \
 	  token.c tree.c util.c var.c vec.c version.c y.tab.c dump.c
 OFILES	= access.o closure.o conv.o dict.o eval.o except.o fd.o gc.o glob.o \
-	  glom.o input.o heredoc.o history.o list.o main.o match.o open.o opt.o \
+	  glom.o input.o heredoc.o list.o main.o match.o open.o opt.o \
 	  prim-ctl.o prim-etc.o prim-io.o prim-sys.o prim.o print.o proc.o \
 	  readline.o sigmsgs.o signal.o split.o status.o str.o syntax.o term.o \
 	  token.o tree.o util.o var.o vec.o version.o y.tab.o
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ glob.o : glob.c es.h config.h stdenv.h gc.h
 glom.o : glom.c es.h config.h stdenv.h gc.h
 input.o : input.c es.h config.h stdenv.h input.h token.h
 heredoc.o : heredoc.c es.h config.h stdenv.h gc.h input.h syntax.h token.h
-history.o : history.c es.h config.h stdenv.h gc.h input.h token.h
 list.o : list.c es.h config.h stdenv.h gc.h
 main.o : main.c es.h config.h stdenv.h
 match.o : match.c es.h config.h stdenv.h
diff --git a/es.h b/es.h
index 08f58b4..a291660 100644
--- a/es.h
+++ b/es.h
@@ -288,14 +288,13 @@ extern Boolean streq2(const char *s, const char *t1, const char *t2);
 
 /* input.c */
 
-extern Tree *parse(char *prompt1, char *prompt2);
+extern Tree *parse(List *reader);
 extern Tree *parsestring(const char *str);
 extern Boolean isinteractive(void);
 extern Boolean isfromfd(void);
-extern void initinput(void);
 
 extern List *runfd(int fd, const char *name, int flags);
-extern List *runstring(const char *str, const char *name, int flags);
+extern List *runstring(const char *str, int flags);
 
 /* eval_* flags are also understood as runflags */
 #define	run_interactive		 4	/* -i or $0[0] = '-' */
@@ -305,27 +304,6 @@ extern List *runstring(const char *str, const char *name, int flags);
 #define	run_lisptrees		64	/* -L and defined(LISPTREES) */
 
 
-#if HAVE_READLINE
-/* readline.c */
-
-extern Boolean resetterminal;
-extern char *callreadline(char *prompt);
-
-extern void inithistory(void);
-
-extern void sethistory(char *file);
-extern void loghistory(char *cmd);
-extern void setmaxhistorylength(int length);
-extern void checkhistory(void);
-#endif
-
-
-/* history.c */
-extern void newhistbuffer(void);
-extern void addhistbuffer(char c);
-extern char *dumphistbuffer(void);
-
-
 /* opt.c */
 
 extern void esoptbegin(List *list, const char *caller, const char *usage, Boolean throws);
diff --git a/heredoc.c b/heredoc.c
index 3e1dace..2dcb667 100644
--- a/heredoc.c
+++ b/heredoc.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ extern Tree *snarfheredoc(Parser *p, const char *eof, Boolean quoted) {
 
 	for (tree = NULL, tailp = &tree, buf = openbuffer(0);;) {
 		int c;
-		print_prompt2(p);
+		p->input->lineno++;
 		for (s = (unsigned char *) eof; (c = get(p)) == *s; s++)
 			;
 		if (*s == '\0' && (c == '\n' || c == EOF)) {
diff --git a/history.c b/history.c
deleted file mode 100644
index b4f4cec..0000000
--- a/history.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-/* history.c -- control the history file ($Revision: 1.1.1.1 $) */
-
-#include "es.h"
-#include "gc.h"
-#include "input.h"
-
-
-/*
- * constants
- */
-
-#define	BUFSIZE		((size_t) 4096)		/* buffer size to fill reads into */
-
-
-/*
- * globals
- */
-
-static Buffer *histbuffer = NULL;
-
-
-/*
- * histbuffer -- build the history line during input and dump it as a gc-string
- */
-
-
-extern void newhistbuffer(void) {
-	assert(histbuffer == NULL);
-	histbuffer = openbuffer(BUFSIZE);
-}
-
-extern void addhistbuffer(char c) {
-	if (histbuffer == NULL)
-		return;
-	histbuffer = bufputc(histbuffer, c);
-}
-
-extern char *dumphistbuffer(void) {
-	char *s;
-        size_t len;
-	assert(histbuffer != NULL);
-
-	s = sealcountedbuffer(histbuffer);
-	histbuffer = NULL;
-
-	len = strlen(s);
-	if (len > 0 && s[len - 1] == '\n')
-		s[len - 1] = '\0';
-	return s;
-}
diff --git a/initial.es b/initial.es
index 4551bec..88a1de3 100644
--- a/initial.es
+++ b/initial.es
@@ -653,10 +653,39 @@ if {~ <=$&primitives writehistory} {
 #	The parsed code is executed only if it is non-empty, because otherwise
 #	result gets set to zero when it should not be.
 
-fn-%parse		= $&parse
 fn-%batch-loop		= $&batchloop
 fn-%is-interactive	= $&isinteractive
 
+if {~ <=$&primitives readline} {
+	fn-%read-line = $&readline
+} {
+	fn %read-line prompt {
+		echo -n $prompt
+		$&read
+	}
+}
+
+fn %parse {
+	if %is-interactive {
+		let (in = (); p = $*(1))
+		unwind-protect {
+			$&parse {
+				let (r = <={%read-line $p}) {
+					in = $in $r
+					p = $*(2)
+					result $r
+				}
+			}
+		} {
+			if {!~ $#fn-%write-history 0 && !~ $#in 0} {
+				%write-history <={%flatten \n $in}
+			}
+		}
+	} {
+		$&parse	# fall back to built-in read with no prompt
+	}
+}
+
 fn %interactive-loop {
 	let (result = <=true) {
 		catch @ e type msg {
@@ -690,6 +719,7 @@ fn %interactive-loop {
 	}
 }
 
+
 #	These functions are potentially passed to a REPL as the %dispatch
 #	function.  (For %eval-noprint, note that an empty list prepended
 #	to a command just causes the command to be executed.)
diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 9d08753..74e291f 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@
  */
 
 static Input *input = NULL;
-Boolean resetterminal = FALSE;	/* TODO: localize to readline code */
-
-#if HAVE_READLINE
-#include <readline/readline.h>
-#endif
 
 
 /*
@@ -41,32 +36,56 @@ extern void yyerror(Parser *p, const char *s) {
 		p->error = locate(p->input, s);
 }
 
-/* warn -- print a warning */
-static void warn(Input *in, char *s) {
-	eprint("warning: %s\n", locate(in, s));
-}
-
 
 /*
  * getting and ungetting characters
  */
 
-static int fill(Input *in);
-static void cleanup(Input *in);
+/* fill -- fill input buffer by running a command */
+static int fill(Parser *p) {
+	List *result;
+	char *read;
+	size_t nread;
+	Input *in = p->input;
+
+	assert(p->buf == p->bufend);
+
+	if (p->reader != NULL) {
+		result = eval(p->reader, NULL, 0);
+		read = str("%L\n", result, " ");
+	} else {
+		result = prim("read", NULL, 0);
+		RefAdd(result);
+		if (length(result) > 1)
+			eprint("%s\n", locate(in, "null character ignored"));
+		read = str("%L\n", result, "");
+		RefRemove(result);
+	}
+	if (result == NULL) {	/* eof */
+		in->eof = TRUE;
+		return EOF;
+	}
+	if ((nread = strlen(read)) > p->buflen) {
+		p->bufbegin = erealloc(p->bufbegin, nread);
+		p->buflen = nread;
+	}
+	memcpy(p->bufbegin, read, nread);
+
+	p->buf = p->bufbegin;
+	p->bufend = &p->buf[nread];
+
+	return *p->buf++;
+}
 
 /* get -- get a character, filter out nulls */
 extern int get(Parser *p) {
 	int c;
-	Input *in = p->input;
 	if (p->ungot > 0)
 		return p->unget[--p->ungot];
-	while ((c = (in->buf < in->bufend ? *in->buf++ : fill(in))) == '\0')
-		warn(in, "null character ignored");
-	if (c != EOF) {
-		char buf = c;
-		addhistbuffer(buf);
-		if (p->input->runflags & run_echoinput)
-			ewrite(2, &buf, 1);
+	c = p->buf < p->bufend ? *p->buf++ : fill(p);
+	if (c != EOF && p->input->runflags & run_echoinput) {
+		char buf = (char)c;
+		ewrite(2, &buf, 1);
 	}
 	return c;
 }
@@ -77,65 +96,22 @@ extern void unget(Parser *p, int c) {
 	p->unget[p->ungot++] = c;
 }
 
-
-
-static int fill(Input *in) {
-	long nread;
-	assert(in->buf == in->bufend);
-
-	if (in->fd < 0) {
-		in->eof = TRUE;
-		return EOF;
-	}
-
-#if HAVE_READLINE
-	if (in->runflags & run_interactive && in->fd == 0) {
-		char *rlinebuf = NULL;
-		rl_instream = stdin;
-		rl_outstream = stdout;
-		do {
-			rlinebuf = callreadline(in->prompt);
-		} while (rlinebuf == NULL && errno == EINTR);
-		if (rlinebuf == NULL)
-			nread = 0;
-		else {
-			nread = strlen(rlinebuf) + 1;
-			if (in->buflen < (unsigned int)nread) {
-				while (in->buflen < (unsigned int)nread)
-					in->buflen *= 2;
-				in->bufbegin = erealloc(in->bufbegin, in->buflen);
-			}
-			memcpy(in->bufbegin, rlinebuf, nread - 1);
-			in->bufbegin[nread - 1] = '\n';
-			efree(rlinebuf);
-		}
+static void initbuf(Parser *p) {
+	const char *initial = p->input->str;
+	p->buflen = initial == NULL ? BUFSIZE : strlen(initial);
+	p->bufbegin = p->buf = ealloc(p->buflen);
+	if (initial != NULL) {
+		memcpy(p->buf, initial, p->buflen);
+		p->bufend = p->bufbegin + p->buflen;
 	} else
-#endif
-	do {
-		nread = read(in->fd, (char *) in->bufbegin, in->buflen);
-		SIGCHK();
-	} while (nread == -1 && errno == EINTR);
-
-	if (nread == -1)
-		fail("$&parse", "%s: %s", in->name == NULL ? "es" : in->name, esstrerror(errno));
-	if (nread == 0) {
-		in->eof = TRUE;
-		return EOF;
-	}
-
-	in->buf = in->bufbegin;
-	in->bufend = &in->buf[nread];
-	return *in->buf++;
+		p->bufend = p->bufbegin;
 }
 
-
 /*
- * the input loop
+ * parse -- wrapper around yyparse()
  */
-
-/* parse -- yyparse() wrapper */
-extern Tree *parse(char *pr1, char *pr2) {
-	int result;
+extern Tree *parse(List *reader) {
+	int result, fd, ticket = UNREGISTERED;
 	Parser p;
 	void *oldpspace;
 
@@ -146,24 +122,39 @@ extern Tree *parse(char *pr1, char *pr2) {
 
 	memzero(&p, sizeof (Parser));
 	p.input = input;
+	p.reader = reader;
+	RefAdd(p.reader);
 	p.space = createpspace();
 	oldpspace = setpspace(p.space);
 
 	inityy(&p);
+	initbuf(&p);
 	p.tokenbuf = ealloc(p.bufsize);
 
-	RefAdd(pr2);
-	input->prompt  = pr1 == NULL ? NULL : pstr("%s", pr1);
-	input->prompt2 = pr2 == NULL ? NULL : pstr("%s", pr2);
-	RefRemove(pr2);
-#if !HAVE_READLINE
-	if (input->prompt != NULL)
-		eprint("%s", input->prompt);
-#endif
+	fd = (input->fd == -1)
+		? eopen("/dev/null", oOpen)
+		: dup(input->fd);
+	ticket = defer_mvfd(TRUE, fd, 0);
 
-	result = yyparse(&p);
+	ExceptionHandler
+
+		result = yyparse(&p);
+
+	CatchException (e)
+
+		undefer(ticket);
+		pseal(NULL);
+		setpspace(oldpspace);
+		throw(e);
 
+	EndExceptionHandler
+
+	undefer(ticket);
+
+	RefRemove(p.reader);
 	assert(p.ungot == 0);
+	if (p.bufbegin != NULL)
+		efree(p.bufbegin);
 	if (p.tokenbuf != NULL)
 		efree(p.tokenbuf);
 
@@ -185,6 +176,19 @@ extern Tree *parse(char *pr1, char *pr2) {
 	RefReturn(tree);
 }
 
+
+/*
+ * the input loop
+ */
+
+/* cleanup -- clean up after an input source */
+static void cleanup(Input *in) {
+	if (in->fd != -1) {
+		unregisterfd(&in->fd);
+		close(in->fd);
+	}
+}
+
 /* runinput -- run from an input source */
 extern List *runinput(Input *in, int runflags) {
 	volatile int flags = runflags;
@@ -243,14 +247,6 @@ extern List *runinput(Input *in, int runflags) {
  * pushing new input sources
  */
 
-static void cleanup(Input *in) {
-	if (in->fd != -1) {
-		unregisterfd(&in->fd);
-		close(in->fd);
-	}
-	efree(in->bufbegin);
-}
-
 /* runfd -- run commands from a file descriptor */
 extern List *runfd(int fd, const char *name, int flags) {
 	Input in;
@@ -260,9 +256,6 @@ extern List *runfd(int fd, const char *name, int flags) {
 	in.lineno = 1;
 	in.fd = fd;
 	registerfd(&in.fd, TRUE);
-	in.buflen = BUFSIZE;
-	in.bufbegin = in.buf = ealloc(in.buflen);
-	in.bufend = in.bufbegin;
 	in.name = (name == NULL) ? str("fd %d", fd) : name;
 
 	RefAdd(in.name);
@@ -273,25 +266,22 @@ extern List *runfd(int fd, const char *name, int flags) {
 }
 
 /* runstring -- run commands from a string */
-extern List *runstring(const char *str, const char *name, int flags) {
+extern List *runstring(const char *str, int flags) {
 	Input in;
 	List *result;
-	unsigned char *buf;
 
 	assert(str != NULL);
 
 	memzero(&in, sizeof (Input));
 	in.fd = -1;
 	in.lineno = 1;
-	in.name = (name == NULL) ? str : name;
-	in.buflen = strlen(str);
-	buf = ealloc(in.buflen + 1);
-	memcpy(buf, str, in.buflen);
-	in.bufbegin = in.buf = buf;
-	in.bufend = in.buf + in.buflen;
+	in.name = str;
+	in.str = str;
 
 	RefAdd(in.name);
+	RefAdd(in.str);
 	result = runinput(&in, flags);
+	RefRemove(in.str);
 	RefRemove(in.name);
 	return result;
 }
@@ -305,7 +295,7 @@ extern Tree *parseinput(Input *in) {
 	input = in;
 
 	ExceptionHandler
-		result = parse(NULL, NULL);
+		result = parse(NULL);
 		if (!in->eof)
 			fail("$&parse", "more than one value in term");
 	CatchException (e)
@@ -323,24 +313,19 @@ extern Tree *parseinput(Input *in) {
 extern Tree *parsestring(const char *str) {
 	Input in;
 	Tree *result;
-	unsigned char *buf;
 
 	assert(str != NULL);
 
-	/* TODO: abstract out common code with runstring */
-
 	memzero(&in, sizeof (Input));
 	in.fd = -1;
 	in.lineno = 1;
 	in.name = str;
-	in.buflen = strlen(str);
-	buf = ealloc(in.buflen + 1);
-	memcpy(buf, str, in.buflen);
-	in.bufbegin = in.buf = buf;
-	in.bufend = in.buf + in.buflen;
+	in.str = str;
 
 	RefAdd(in.name);
+	RefAdd(in.str);
 	result = parseinput(&in);
+	RefRemove(in.str);
 	RefRemove(in.name);
 	return result;
 }
diff --git a/input.h b/input.h
index 656ee1d..f96f72e 100644
--- a/input.h
+++ b/input.h
@@ -6,19 +6,11 @@
 
 /* Input contains state that lasts longer than a $&parse. */
 struct Input {
-	/* input buffer */
-	size_t buflen;
-	unsigned char *buf, *bufend, *bufbegin;
-
-	/* input metadata and flags */
-	const char *name;
+	const char *name, *str;
 	int lineno;
 	int fd;
-	int runflags;
 	Boolean eof;
-
-	/* TODO: these belong in Parser */
-	char *prompt, *prompt2;	/* pspace-allocated */
+	int runflags;
 };
 
 typedef enum { NW, RW, KW } WordState;	/* nonword, realword, keyword */
@@ -26,20 +18,24 @@ typedef enum { NW, RW, KW } WordState;	/* nonword, realword, keyword */
 /* Parser contains state that lasts for one call to $&parse or less. */
 struct Parser {
 	Input *input;
-	void *space;	/* where the parse tree is kept in memory */
+	List *reader;
+	void *space;	/* pspace, for parser-related allocations */
 
 	/* these variables are all allocated in pspace */
 	Tree *tree;		/* the final parse tree */
 	Here *hereq;		/* pending here document queue */
 	const char *error;	/* syntax error, if it exists */
 
+	/* read buffer */
+	size_t buflen;
+	unsigned char *buf, *bufend, *bufbegin;
+
 	/* token pushback buffer */
-	int unget[MAXUNGET];
-	int ungot;
+	int ungot, unget[MAXUNGET];
 
 	/* lexer state */
 	WordState ws;
-	Boolean newline, goterror, dollar;
+	Boolean dollar;
 	size_t bufsize;
 	char *tokenbuf;
 };
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 623ec70..3c8e941 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv0) {
 		vardef("*", NULL, argp);
 		vardef("0", NULL, mklist(mkstr(argv[0]), NULL));
 		if (cmd != NULL)
-			status = exitstatus(runstring(cmd, NULL, runflags));
+			status = exitstatus(runstring(cmd, runflags));
 		else
 			status = exitstatus(runfd(0, "stdin", runflags));
 
diff --git a/prim-etc.c b/prim-etc.c
index 60a9137..2c91f8e 100644
--- a/prim-etc.c
+++ b/prim-etc.c
@@ -149,54 +149,16 @@ PRIM(var) {
 	return list;
 }
 
-static void loginput(char *input) {
-	char *c;
-	List *fn = varlookup("fn-%write-history", NULL);
-	if (!isinteractive() || !isfromfd() || fn == NULL)
-		return;
-	for (c = input;; c++)
-		switch (*c) {
-		case '#': case '\n': return;
-		case ' ': case '\t': break;
-		default: goto writeit;
-		}
-writeit:
-	gcdisable();
-	Ref(List *, list, append(fn, mklist(mkstr(input), NULL)));
-	gcenable();
-	eval(list, NULL, 0);
-	RefEnd(list);
-}
-
 PRIM(parse) {
 	List *result;
-	Ref(char *, prompt1, NULL);
-	Ref(char *, prompt2, NULL);
-	Ref(List *, lp, list);
-	if (lp != NULL) {
-		prompt1 = getstr(lp->term);
-		if ((lp = lp->next) != NULL)
-			prompt2 = getstr(lp->term);
-	}
-	RefEnd(lp);
-	newhistbuffer();
-
+	Ref(List *, reader, list);
 	Ref(Tree *, tree, NULL);
-	ExceptionHandler
-		tree = parse(prompt1, prompt2);
-	CatchException (ex)
-		Ref(List *, e, ex);
-		loginput(dumphistbuffer());
-		throw(e);
-		RefEnd(e);
-	EndExceptionHandler
-
-	loginput(dumphistbuffer());
+	tree = parse(reader);
 	result = (tree == NULL)
 		   ? NULL
 		   : mklist(mkterm(NULL, mkclosure(gcmk(nThunk, tree), NULL)),
 			    NULL);
-	RefEnd3(tree, prompt2, prompt1);
+	RefEnd2(tree, reader);
 	return result;
 }
 
@@ -303,6 +265,7 @@ PRIM(setmaxevaldepth) {
 	RefReturn(lp);
 }
 
+
 /*
  * initialization
  */
diff --git a/prim.h b/prim.h
index 76416ca..898c04f 100644
--- a/prim.h
+++ b/prim.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ typedef struct { List *(*prim)(List *, int); } Prim;
 extern Dict *initprims_controlflow(Dict *primdict);	/* prim-ctl.c */
 extern Dict *initprims_io(Dict *primdict);		/* prim-io.c */
 extern Dict *initprims_etc(Dict *primdict);		/* prim-etc.c */
+extern Dict *initprims_readline(Dict *primdict);	/* prim-readline.c */
 extern Dict *initprims_sys(Dict *primdict);		/* prim-sys.c */
 extern Dict *initprims_proc(Dict *primdict);		/* proc.c */
 extern Dict *initprims_access(Dict *primdict);		/* access.c */
diff --git a/readline.c b/readline.c
index ff58dac..1ca0242 100644
--- a/readline.c
+++ b/readline.c
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@
 #include <readline/readline.h>
 #include <readline/history.h>
 
-Boolean reloadhistory = FALSE;
-static char *history;
+
+/*
+ * globals
+ */
+
+static Boolean reloadhistory = FALSE;
+static Boolean resetterminal = FALSE;
+static char *history = NULL;
 
 #if 0
 /* These split history file entries by timestamp, which allows readline to pick up
@@ -19,6 +25,7 @@ static int history_write_timestamps = 1;
 static char history_comment_char = '#';
 #endif
 
+
 /*
  * history functions
  */
@@ -78,7 +85,16 @@ static void reload_history(void) {
 	reloadhistory = FALSE;
 }
 
+static void inithistory(void) {
+	static Boolean initialized = FALSE;
+	if (initialized)
+		return;
+	globalroot(&history);
+	initialized = TRUE;
+}
+
 extern void sethistory(char *file) {
+	inithistory();
 	if (reloadhistory)
 		reload_history();
 	reloadhistory = TRUE;
@@ -106,7 +122,7 @@ extern void checkhistory(void) {
 
 
 /*
- * readline library functions
+ * readline functions
  */
 
 /* quote -- teach readline how to quote a word during completion.
@@ -324,12 +340,33 @@ static int es_complete_primitive(int UNUSED count, int UNUSED key) {
 	return rl_complete_internal(rl_completion_mode(es_complete_primitive));
 }
 
-/* callreadline -- readline wrapper */
-extern char *callreadline(char *prompt0) {
-	char *r;
-	Ref(char *volatile, prompt, prompt0);
-	if (prompt == NULL)
-		prompt = ""; /* bug fix for readline 2.0 */
+static void initreadline(void) {
+	rl_readline_name = "es";
+
+	/* this word_break_characters excludes '&' due to primitive completion */
+	rl_basic_word_break_characters = " \t\n`$><=;|{()}";
+	rl_filename_quote_characters = " \t\n\\`'$><=;|&{()}";
+	rl_basic_quote_characters = "";
+	rl_special_prefixes = "$";
+
+	rl_completion_word_break_hook = completion_start;
+	rl_filename_stat_hook = unquote_for_stat;
+	rl_attempted_completion_function = builtin_completion;
+	rl_completion_display_matches_hook = display_matches;
+
+	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-filename", es_complete_filename);
+	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-variable", es_complete_variable);
+	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-primitive", es_complete_primitive);
+	rl_bind_keyseq("\033/", es_complete_filename);
+	rl_bind_keyseq("\033$", es_complete_variable);
+}
+
+static void prepreadline(void) {
+	static Boolean initialized = FALSE;
+	if (!initialized) {
+		initreadline();
+		initialized = TRUE;
+	}
 	checkhistory();
 	if (resetterminal) {
 		rl_reset_terminal(NULL);
@@ -337,6 +374,15 @@ extern char *callreadline(char *prompt0) {
 	}
 	if (RL_ISSTATE(RL_STATE_INITIALIZED))
 		rl_reset_screen_size();
+}
+
+/* callreadline -- readline wrapper */
+static char *callreadline(char *prompt0) {
+	char *r;
+	Ref(char *volatile, prompt, prompt0);
+	prepreadline();
+	if (prompt == NULL)
+		prompt = ""; /* bug fix for readline 2.0 */
 	if (!sigsetjmp(slowlabel, 1)) {
 		slow = TRUE;
 		r = readline(prompt);
@@ -373,6 +419,13 @@ PRIM(readline) {
 	if (list != NULL && list->next != NULL)
 		fail("$&readline", "usage: %read-line [prompt]");
 
+	if (!isatty(fdmap(0))) {
+		list = prim("read", NULL, 0);
+		if (length(list) <= 1)
+			return list;
+		return mklist(mkstr(str("%L", list, "")), NULL);
+	}
+
 	rl_instream = fdmapopen(0, "r");
 	ExceptionHandler
 		rl_outstream = fdmapopen(2, "w");
@@ -444,39 +497,12 @@ PRIM(resetterminal) {
 	return ltrue;
 }
 
-
-/*
- * initialization
- */
-
 extern Dict *initprims_readline(Dict *primdict) {
-	rl_readline_name = "es";
-
-	/* this word_break_characters excludes '&' due to primitive completion */
-	rl_basic_word_break_characters = " \t\n`$><=;|{()}";
-	rl_filename_quote_characters = " \t\n\\`'$><=;|&{()}";
-	rl_basic_quote_characters = "";
-	rl_special_prefixes = "$";
-
-	rl_completion_word_break_hook = completion_start;
-	rl_filename_stat_hook = unquote_for_stat;
-	rl_attempted_completion_function = builtin_completion;
-	rl_completion_display_matches_hook = display_matches;
-
-	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-filename", es_complete_filename);
-	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-variable", es_complete_variable);
-	rl_add_funmap_entry("es-complete-primitive", es_complete_primitive);
-	rl_bind_keyseq("\033/", es_complete_filename);
-	rl_bind_keyseq("\033$", es_complete_variable);
-
-	globalroot(&history);		/* history file */
-
 	X(readline);
 	X(sethistory);
 	X(writehistory);
 	X(resetterminal);
 	X(setmaxhistorylength);
-
 	return primdict;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/test/tests/parse.es b/test/tests/parse.es
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca2c6c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tests/parse.es
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# tests/parse.es -- test that $&parse works with the chaos of various reader commands
+
+test 'parser' {
+	let (ex = ()) {
+		catch @ e {
+			ex = $e
+		} {
+			$&parse {throw test-exception}
+		}
+		assert {~ $ex test-exception}
+	}
+
+	let ((e type msg) = ()) {
+		catch @ exc {
+			(e type msg) = $exc
+		} {
+			$&parse {result ')'}
+		}
+		assert {~ $e error && ~ $msg *'syntax error'*} \
+			'parser handles syntax error'
+	}
+
+	# run these two in subshells, they cause their inputs to go "eof"
+	let (msg = `` \n {catch @ exc {
+			echo $exc
+		} {
+			$&parse {result '('}
+		}
+	}) {
+		assert {~ $msg 'error'*'memory exhausted'* || ~ $msg 'error'*'stack overflow'*} \
+			'parser handles infinite recursion'
+	}
+
+	let (msg = `` \n {
+		catch @ exc {
+			echo 'caught' $exc
+		} {
+			let (line = 'aaaa ( bbbbb')
+			echo 'parsed' <={$&parse {let (l = $line) {line = (); result $l}}}
+		}
+	}) {
+		assert {~ $msg 'caught'*'syntax error'*}
+	}
+
+	# test parsing from string while parsing from input
+	let (e = ()) {
+		catch @ exc {
+			e = $exc
+		} {
+			$&parse {eval result true}
+		}
+		assert {~ $e ()}
+	}
+
+	# do normal cases last to see if previous ones broke anything
+	assert {~ <={$&parse {result 'echo >[1=2]'}} '{%dup 1 2 {echo}}'}
+
+	# force GCs during parsing
+	let (lines = 'fn zoom {' 'this is one' 'let (z = a a a) {' 'this is three' '}' '}')
+	assert {~ <={$&parse {
+		let (l = ()) {
+			(l lines) = $lines
+			$&collect
+			result $l
+		}
+	}} '{fn-^zoom=@ *{%seq {this is one} {let(z=a a a){this is three}}}}'}
+}
diff --git a/test/tests/read.es b/test/tests/read.es
index 605b03a..a278079 100644
--- a/test/tests/read.es
+++ b/test/tests/read.es
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ test 'fd error handling' {
 	if {~ <=$&primitives readline} {
 		assert {catch @ {true}  {$&readline <<< '' <[0=]; false}}
 		assert {catch @ {false} {$&readline <<< '' >[1=]; true}}
-		assert {catch @ {true}  {$&readline <<< '' >[2=]; false}}
+		# Only while $&read fallback is performed
+		assert {catch @ {false}  {$&readline <<< '' >[2=]; true}}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/token.c b/token.c
index 0a454c3..05de5d8 100644
--- a/token.c
+++ b/token.c
@@ -57,23 +57,11 @@ const char dnw[] = {
 };
 
 
-/* print_prompt2 -- called before all continuation lines */
-extern void print_prompt2(Parser *p) {
-	Input *in = p->input;
-	in->lineno++;
-#if HAVE_READLINE
-	in->prompt = in->prompt2;
-#else
-	if ((p->input->runflags & run_interactive) && in->prompt2 != NULL)
-		eprint("%s", in->prompt2);
-#endif
-}
-
 /* scanerror -- called for lexical errors */
 static void scanerror(Parser *p, int c, char *s) {
 	while (c != '\n' && c != EOF)
 		c = get(p);
-	p->goterror = TRUE;
+	unget(p, '\n');
 	yyerror(p, s);
 }
 
@@ -140,19 +128,9 @@ extern int yylex(YYSTYPE *y, Parser *p) {
 	const char *meta;		/* allow optimizing compilers like gcc to load these	*/
 	char *buf = p->tokenbuf;	/* values into registers. */
 
-	if (p->goterror) {
-		p->goterror = FALSE;
-		return NL;
-	}
-
 	/* rc variable-names may contain only alnum, '*' and '_', so use dnw if we are scanning one. */
 	meta = (p->dollar ? dnw : nw);
 	p->dollar = FALSE;
-	if (p->newline) {
-		--p->input->lineno; /* slight space optimization; print_prompt2() always increments lineno */
-		print_prompt2(p);
-		p->newline = FALSE;
-	}
 top:	while ((c = get(p)) == ' ' || c == '\t')
 		p->ws = NW;
 	if (c == EOF)
@@ -224,7 +202,7 @@ top:	while ((c = get(p)) == ' ' || c == '\t')
 		while ((c = get(p)) != '\'' || (c = get(p)) == '\'') {
 			buf[i++] = c;
 			if (c == '\n')
-				print_prompt2(p);
+				p->input->lineno++;
 			if (c == EOF) {
 				p->ws = NW;
 				scanerror(p, c, "eof in quoted string");
@@ -239,7 +217,7 @@ top:	while ((c = get(p)) == ' ' || c == '\t')
 		return QWORD;
 	case '\\':
 		if ((c = get(p)) == '\n') {
-			print_prompt2(p);
+			p->input->lineno++;
 			unget(p, ' ');
 			goto top; /* Pretend it was just another space. */
 		}
@@ -306,7 +284,6 @@ top:	while ((c = get(p)) == ' ' || c == '\t')
 		FALLTHROUGH;
 	case '\n':
 		p->input->lineno++;
-		p->newline = TRUE;
 		p->ws = NW;
 		return NL;
 	case '(':
@@ -402,7 +379,7 @@ top:	while ((c = get(p)) == ' ' || c == '\t')
 }
 
 extern void inityy(Parser *p) {
-	p->newline = p->dollar = p->goterror = FALSE;
+	p->dollar = FALSE;
 	p->ws = NW;
 	p->bufsize = BUFSIZE;
 }