diff --git a/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/prelude/eval.rs b/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/prelude/eval.rs
index cae0c668..b3517b98 100644
--- a/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/prelude/eval.rs
+++ b/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/prelude/eval.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     vm::{
         Value,
         env::Environment,
-        value::{IdentifierValue, NativeObject, convert::TryFromValue},
+        value::{IdentifierValue, NativeObject, StringValue, convert::TryFromValue},
     },
 };
 
@@ -60,6 +60,30 @@ pub fn load(env: &Rc<Environment>) {
             };
         Ok(outcome)
     });
+    env.defun_native(
+        "read-eval",
+        "Evaluates the given expression, passed as a string",
+        |vm, env, args| {
+            let (env, input) = match args {
+                [input] => (env.clone(), input),
+                [env, input] => (env.as_native()?, input),
+                _ => return Err(MachineError::InvalidArgumentCount),
+            };
+            let input = StringValue::try_from_value(input)?;
+            let mut input = String::from(&*input);
+            input.push('\n');
+            let outcome =
+                match vm.evaluate_str(Default::default(), Some("eval".into()), &env, &input) {
+                    Ok(result) => Value::list_or_nil([Value::Identifier("ok".into()), result]),
+                    Err(error) => Value::list_or_nil([
+                        Value::Identifier("err".into()),
+                        Value::String(format!("{error}").into()),
+                    ]),
+                };
+
+            Ok(outcome)
+        },
+    );
     env.defun_native("env/create", "Create a new environment", |_, env, args| {
         let parent = match args {
             [] => Some(env.clone()),
diff --git a/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/value/convert.rs b/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/value/convert.rs
index 09a15f89..297fc7ef 100644
--- a/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/value/convert.rs
+++ b/userspace/lib/lysp/src/vm/value/convert.rs
@@ -133,6 +133,12 @@ impl From<IdentifierValue> for Value {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<StringValue> for Value {
+    fn from(value: StringValue) -> Self {
+        Value::String(value)
+    }
+}
+
 impl TryFromValue<'_> for IdentifierValue {
     fn try_from_value(value: &'_ Value) -> Result<Self, ValueConversionError> {
         match value {
diff --git a/userspace/tools/red/runtime/command.lysp b/userspace/tools/red/runtime/command.lysp
index ba4e0cd0..f4da6efa 100644
--- a/userspace/tools/red/runtime/command.lysp
+++ b/userspace/tools/red/runtime/command.lysp
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+;; TODO prelude
+(defun string/join (xs)
+  (let (accumulator "")
+    (while (cons? xs)
+      (if accumulator
+        (setq accumulator (+ accumulator " " (car xs)))
+        (setq accumulator (car xs))
+        )
+      (setq xs (cdr xs))
+      )
+    accumulator
+    )
+  )
+
 (declare-command "q" () (red/quit))
 (declare-command "q!" () (red/quit #t))
 (declare-command
@@ -28,3 +42,37 @@
   "source" (filename)
   (import filename)
   )
+
+;; TODO only allow some keys to be set
+;; TODO at least check that the key is defined
+(declare-command
+  "set" (key &rest value)
+  (let* (
+         key-symbol (symbol (+ "red/" key))
+         expression (string/join value)
+         eval-result (if (nil? value) '(ok #t) (read-eval expression))
+         )
+    (cond
+      ((result/ok? eval-result) (set key-symbol (cadr eval-result)))
+      (&otherwise (red/message (+ "error: " (cadr eval-result))))
+      )
+    )
+  )
+(declare-command
+  "unset" (key)
+  (let (key-symbol (symbol (+ "red/" key)))
+    (set key-symbol nil)
+    )
+  )
+(declare-command
+  "eval" (&rest expressions)
+  (let*  (
+          expression (string/join expressions)
+          eval-result (read-eval expression)
+          )
+    (cond
+      ((result/ok? eval-result) (red/status (+ "ok: " (cadr eval-result))))
+      (&otherwise (red/message (+ "error: " (cadr eval-result))))
+      )
+    )
+  )
diff --git a/userspace/tools/red/runtime/core.lysp b/userspace/tools/red/runtime/core.lysp
index 053e22fd..9845ec55 100644
--- a/userspace/tools/red/runtime/core.lysp
+++ b/userspace/tools/red/runtime/core.lysp
@@ -9,16 +9,39 @@
   )
 
 (defmacro declare-command
-  (command args body-head &rest body-tail)
-  ;; TODO auto-rest?
-  `(setq
-     _red/command-table
-     (cons
-       (list ,command (lambda (,@args &rest _) ,body-head ,@body-tail))
-       _red/command-table
-       )
+  (command args &rest body)
+  (unless (cons? body)
+    (error "No body provided in declare-command"))
+  (unless (list? args)
+    (error "Argument list must either be a NIL or a list"))
+  (let*
+    (
+     args-has-rest (find (lambda (x) (= x '&rest)) args)
+     lambda-args (if args-has-rest
+                   `(,@args)
+                   `(,@args &rest _)
+                   )
      )
+    `(setq
+       _red/command-table
+       (cons
+         (list ,command (lambda ,lambda-args ,@body))
+         _red/command-table
+         )
+       )
+    )
   )
+;; (defmacro declare-command
+;;   (command args body-head &rest body-tail)
+;;   ;; TODO auto-rest?
+;;   `(setq
+;;      _red/command-table
+;;      (cons
+;;        (list ,command (lambda (,@args &rest _) ,body-head ,@body-tail))
+;;        _red/command-table
+;;        )
+;;      )
+;;   )
 
 (defun try-import (path)
   (when (fs/file? path) (import path) #t))
diff --git a/userspace/tools/red/src/main.rs b/userspace/tools/red/src/main.rs
index a6ed89f7..afe423f9 100644
--- a/userspace/tools/red/src/main.rs
+++ b/userspace/tools/red/src/main.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use std::{
     cell::RefCell,
     env,
     io::{self, IsTerminal},
-    path::Path,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
     rc::Rc,
 };
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use lysp::{
         Value,
         env::{Environment, EnvironmentAccessHook},
         machine::Machine,
-        value::{IdentifierValue, convert::AnyFunction},
+        value::{IdentifierValue, StringValue, convert::AnyFunction},
     },
 };
 
@@ -148,15 +148,22 @@ impl Editor {
     pub fn run(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
         script::setup_env(self);
 
-        #[cfg(any(feature = "runtime", rust_analyzer))]
+        let runtime_directory: PathBuf;
+        #[cfg(feature = "runtime")]
         {
-            self.evaluate_file("runtime/core.lysp");
+            runtime_directory = PathBuf::from("runtime").canonicalize().unwrap();
         }
         #[cfg(any(not(feature = "runtime"), rust_analyzer))]
         {
-            self.evaluate_file("/usr/share/red/runtime/core.lysp");
+            runtime_directory = "/usr/share/red/runtime".into();
         }
 
+        self.env.set_global_value(
+            "red/runtime-directory",
+            StringValue::from(format!("{}", runtime_directory.display())),
+        );
+        self.evaluate_file(runtime_directory.join("core.lysp"));
+
         loop {
             let exited = self.state.borrow().exited();
 
diff --git a/userspace/tools/red/src/script/mod.rs b/userspace/tools/red/src/script/mod.rs
index f18d79a1..d30abecd 100644
--- a/userspace/tools/red/src/script/mod.rs
+++ b/userspace/tools/red/src/script/mod.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,17 @@ fn editor_api(editor: &mut Editor) {
         state.borrow_mut().set_message(message);
         Ok(Value::Nil)
     });
+    editor.defun("red/status", |_, _, state, args| {
+        let mut message = String::new();
+        for (i, arg) in args.iter().enumerate() {
+            if i != 0 {
+                message.push(' ');
+            }
+            message.push_str(&format!("{arg}"));
+        }
+        state.borrow_mut().set_status(message);
+        Ok(Value::Nil)
+    });
 }
 
 fn syntax_api(editor: &mut Editor) {