diff --git a/lib.nas b/lib.nas
index 8fab0c8..83569df 100644
--- a/lib.nas
+++ b/lib.nas
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ var system=func(str){
 }
 
 # input uses std::cin and returns what we input.
-var input=func(){
-    return __input();
+var input=func(end=nil){
+    return __input(end);
 }
 
 # split a string by separator for example:
diff --git a/nasal_builtin.h b/nasal_builtin.h
index e9d9cc2..4a322f1 100644
--- a/nasal_builtin.h
+++ b/nasal_builtin.h
@@ -277,8 +277,12 @@ nas_ref builtin_system(nas_ref* local,nasal_gc& gc)
 }
 nas_ref builtin_input(nas_ref* local,nasal_gc& gc)
 {
+    nas_ref end=local[1];
     nas_ref ret=gc.alloc(vm_str);
-    std::cin>>ret.str();
+    if(end.type!=vm_str || end.str().length()>1)
+        std::cin>>ret.str();
+    else
+        std::getline(std::cin,ret.str(),end.str()[0]);
     return ret;
 }
 nas_ref builtin_fin(nas_ref* local,nasal_gc& gc)
diff --git a/stl/lib.nas b/stl/lib.nas
index 8fab0c8..83569df 100644
--- a/stl/lib.nas
+++ b/stl/lib.nas
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ var system=func(str){
 }
 
 # input uses std::cin and returns what we input.
-var input=func(){
-    return __input();
+var input=func(end=nil){
+    return __input(end);
 }
 
 # split a string by separator for example: