diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index f8136a6..315884c 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ hilbish.multiprompt '-->'
 */
 func hlmultiprompt(t *rt.Thread, c *rt.GoCont) (rt.Cont, error) {
 	if err := c.Check1Arg(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return c.PushingNext1(t.Runtime, rt.StringValue(multilinePrompt)), nil
 	}
 	prompt, err := c.StringArg(0)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/exec.go b/exec.go
index 8fd92ea..4ed53a0 100644
--- a/exec.go
+++ b/exec.go
@@ -3,12 +3,9 @@ package main
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
-	"hilbish/util"
-
 	rt "github.com/arnodel/golua/runtime"
 	//"github.com/yuin/gopher-lua/parse"
 )
@@ -19,100 +16,11 @@ var runnerMode rt.Value = rt.NilValue
 
 func runInput(input string, priv bool) {
 	running = true
-	cmdString := aliases.Resolve(input)
-	hooks.Emit("command.preexec", input, cmdString)
-
-	// save incase it changes while prompting (For some reason)
-	currentRunner := runnerMode
-
-	rerun:
-	var exitCode uint8
-	var cont bool
-	var newline bool
-	input, exitCode, cont, newline, runnerErr, err := runLuaRunner(currentRunner, input)
+	runnerRun := hshMod.Get(rt.StringValue("runner")).AsTable().Get(rt.StringValue("run"))
+	_, err := rt.Call1(l.MainThread(), runnerRun, rt.StringValue(input), rt.BoolValue(priv))
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
-		cmdFinish(124, input, priv)
-		return
 	}
-	// we only use `err` to check for lua eval error
-	// our actual error should only be a runner provided error at this point
-	// command not found type, etc
-	err = runnerErr
-
-	if cont {
-		input, err = continuePrompt(input, newline)
-		if err == nil {
-			goto rerun
-		} else if err == io.EOF {
-			lr.SetPrompt(fmtPrompt(prompt))
-		}
-	}
-
-	if err != nil && err != io.EOF {
-		if exErr, ok := util.IsExecError(err); ok {
-			hooks.Emit("command." + exErr.Typ, exErr.Cmd)
-		} else {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
-		}
-	}
-	cmdFinish(exitCode, input, priv)
-}
-
-func reprompt(input string, newline bool) (string, error) {
-	for {
-		/*
-		if strings.HasSuffix(input, "\\") {
-			input = strings.TrimSuffix(input, "\\") + "\n"
-		}
-		*/
-		in, err := continuePrompt(input, newline)
-		if err != nil {
-			lr.SetPrompt(fmtPrompt(prompt))
-			return input, err
-		}
-
-		return in, nil
-	}
-}
-
-func runLuaRunner(runr rt.Value, userInput string) (input string, exitCode uint8, continued bool, newline bool, runnerErr, err error) {
-	term := rt.NewTerminationWith(l.MainThread().CurrentCont(), 3, false)
-	err = rt.Call(l.MainThread(), runr, []rt.Value{rt.StringValue(userInput)}, term)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", 124, false, false, nil, err
-	}
-
-	var runner *rt.Table
-	var ok bool
-	runnerRet := term.Get(0)
-	if runner, ok = runnerRet.TryTable(); !ok {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "runner did not return a table")
-		exitCode = 125
-		input = userInput
-		return
-	}
-
-	if code, ok := runner.Get(rt.StringValue("exitCode")).TryInt(); ok {
-		exitCode = uint8(code)
-	}
-
-	if inp, ok := runner.Get(rt.StringValue("input")).TryString(); ok {
-		input = inp
-	}
-
-	if errStr, ok := runner.Get(rt.StringValue("err")).TryString(); ok {
-		runnerErr = fmt.Errorf("%s", errStr)
-	}
-
-	if c, ok := runner.Get(rt.StringValue("continue")).TryBool(); ok {
-		continued = c
-	}
-
-	if nl, ok := runner.Get(rt.StringValue("newline")).TryBool(); ok {
-		newline = nl
-	}
-	return
 }
 
 func handleLua(input string) (string, uint8, error) {
@@ -142,34 +50,6 @@ func handleLua(input string) (string, uint8, error) {
 	return cmdString, 125, err
 }
 
-/*
-func execSh(cmdString string) (input string, exitcode uint8, cont bool, newline bool, e error) {
-	_, _, err := execCommand(cmdString, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		// If input is incomplete, start multiline prompting
-		if syntax.IsIncomplete(err) {
-			if !interactive {
-				return cmdString, 126, false, false, err
-			}
-
-			newline := false
-			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "unclosed here-document") {
-				newline = true
-			}
-			return cmdString, 126, true, newline, err
-		} else {
-			if code, ok := interp.IsExitStatus(err); ok {
-				return cmdString, code, false, false, nil
-			} else {
-				return cmdString, 126, false, false, err
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return cmdString, 0, false, false, nil
-}
-*/
-
 func splitInput(input string) ([]string, string) {
 	// end my suffering
 	// TODO: refactor this garbage
@@ -203,11 +83,3 @@ func splitInput(input string) ([]string, string) {
 
 	return cmdArgs, cmdstr.String()
 }
-
-func cmdFinish(code uint8, cmdstr string, private bool) {
-	util.SetField(l, hshMod, "exitCode", rt.IntValue(int64(code)))
-	// using AsValue (to convert to lua type) on an interface which is an int
-	// results in it being unknown in lua .... ????
-	// so we allow the hook handler to take lua runtime Values
-	hooks.Emit("command.exit", rt.IntValue(int64(code)), cmdstr, private)
-}
diff --git a/nature/runner.lua b/nature/runner.lua
index f854638..e05d16b 100644
--- a/nature/runner.lua
+++ b/nature/runner.lua
@@ -72,10 +72,8 @@ end
 --- Sets Hilbish's runner mode by name.
 --- @param name string
 function hilbish.runner.setCurrent(name)
-	local r = hilbish.runner.get(name)
+	hilbish.runner.get(name) -- throws if it doesnt exist.
 	currentRunner = name
-
-	hilbish.runner.setMode(r.run)
 end
 
 --- Returns the current runner by name.
@@ -84,6 +82,67 @@ function hilbish.runner.getCurrent()
 	return currentRunner
 end
 
+local function finishExec(exitCode, input, priv)
+	hilbish.exitCode = exitCode
+	bait.throw('command.exit', exitCode, input, priv)
+end
+
+local function continuePrompt(prev, newline)
+	local multilinePrompt = hilbish.multiprompt()
+	-- the return of hilbish.read is nil when error or ctrl-d
+	local cont = hilbish.read(multilinePrompt)
+	if not cont then
+		return
+	end
+
+	if newline then
+		cont = '\n' .. cont
+	end
+
+	if cont:match '\\$' then
+		cont = cont:gsub('\\$', '') .. '\n'
+	end
+
+	return prev .. cont
+end
+
+--- Runs `input` with the currently set Hilbish runner.
+--- This method is how Hilbish executes commands.
+--- `priv` is an optional boolean used to state if the input should be saved to history.
+-- @param input string
+-- @param priv bool
+function hilbish.runner.run(input, priv)
+	local command = hilbish.aliases.resolve(input)
+	bait.throw('command.preexec', input, command)
+
+	::rerun::
+	local runner = hilbish.runner.get(currentRunner)
+	local ok, out = pcall(runner.run, input)
+	if not ok then
+		io.stderr:write(out .. '\n')
+		finishExec(124, out.input, priv)
+		return
+	end
+
+	if out.continue then
+		local contInput = continuePrompt(input, out.newline)
+		if contInput then
+			input = contInput
+			goto rerun
+		end
+	end
+
+	if out.err then
+		local fields = string.split(out.err, ': ')
+		if fields[2] == 'not-found' or fields[2] == 'not-executable' then
+			bait.throw('command.' .. fields[2], fields[1])
+		else
+			io.stderr:write(out.err .. '\n')
+		end
+	end
+	finishExec(out.exitCode, out.input, priv)
+end
+
 function hilbish.runner.sh(input)
 	return hilbish.snail:run(input)
 end