diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 7bb0e72..fd85b61 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -40,11 +40,7 @@
 
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#if defined(USE_NCURSES) && !defined(RENAMED_NCURSES)
-# include <ncurses.h>
-#else
-# include <curses.h>
-#endif
+#include <ncurses.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
 /* These are strictly used to test how keys are suppose to behave.
@@ -52,7 +48,7 @@
  *  with the history, while in _mode mode_ it selects what operation
  *  to perform with the user input.
  * In the original version this was handled by
- *  "int selecting // whether the (upper) symbol list is being browsed".
+ *  `int selecting // whether the (upper) symbol list is being browsed`.
  */
 extern const void *const		winput;
 extern const void *const		wmode;
@@ -71,13 +67,13 @@ bool readrefs(char *filename) {
 	FILE *file;
 	int	  c;
 
-	if((file = myfopen(filename, "rb")) == NULL) {
+	if((file = myfopen(filename, "r")) == NULL) {
 		cannotopen(filename);
-		return (false);
+		return false;
 	}
 	if((c = getc(file)) == EOF) { /* if file is empty */
 		fclose(file);
-		return (false);
+		return false;
 	}
 	totallines = 0;
 	disprefs   = 0;
@@ -94,13 +90,15 @@ bool readrefs(char *filename) {
 			return (false);
 		}
 		countrefs();
-	} else
+	} else {
 		fclose(file);
+	}
 	return (true);
 }
 
 /* scrollbar actions */
 static void scrollbar(MOUSE *p) {
+	// XXX
 	///* reposition list if it makes sense */
 	// if (totallines == 0) {
 	// return;
diff --git a/src/input.c b/src/input.c
index 3be5b26..8e5677d 100644
--- a/src/input.c
+++ b/src/input.c
@@ -265,21 +265,10 @@ static int global_input(const int c) {
 			force_window();
 			break;
 		case '<':	  /* read lines from a file */
-			break;	  // XXX
-			// move(PRLINE, 0);
-			// addstr(readprompt); // XXX fix
-			// if (mygetline("", newpat, COLS - sizeof(readprompt), '\0', NO) > 0) {
-			//     clearprompt();
-			//     shellpath(filename, sizeof(filename), newpat);
-			//     if (readrefs(filename) == NO) {
-			//         postmsg2("Ignoring an empty file");
-			//         return(NO);
-			//     }
-			//     window_change |= CH_INPUT;
-			//     return(YES);
-			// }
-			// clearprompt();
-			return 0;
+			input_mode = INPUT_READ;
+			window_change |= CH_INPUT;
+			force_window();
+			break;
 		case '|':	  /* pipe the lines to a shell command */
 		case '^':
 			break;	  // XXX fix
@@ -503,9 +492,10 @@ int handle_input(const int c) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 	/* - Resize - */
-	/* it's treated specially because curses treat it specially.
-	   as far as i can tell this is the only key that does not
-	   flush after itself.
+	/* it's treated specially because curses treat it specially:
+	   + its valid without keypad()
+	   + as far as i can tell this is the only key that does not
+	      flush after itself
 	*/
 	if(c == KEY_RESIZE) {
 		redisplay();
@@ -530,6 +520,7 @@ int handle_input(const int c) {
 			break; /* NOTREACHED */
 		case INPUT_CHANGE_TO:
 		case INPUT_APPEND:
+		case INPUT_READ:
 			return interpret(c);
 		case INPUT_CHANGE:
 			return change_input(c);
diff --git a/src/readline.c b/src/readline.c
index eb8a0e3..3093506 100644
--- a/src/readline.c
+++ b/src/readline.c
@@ -85,20 +85,20 @@ static void callback_handler(char *line) {
 	add_history(line);
 
 	switch(input_mode) {
-		case INPUT_NORMAL:
+		case INPUT_NORMAL: {
 			strncpy(input_line, line, PATLEN);
 			search(input_line);
 			horswp_window();
 			curdispline = 0;
 			current_page = 0;
 			PCS_reset();
-			break;
-		case INPUT_CHANGE_TO:
+		} break;
+		case INPUT_CHANGE_TO: {
 			strncpy(newpat, line, PATLEN);
 			change	   = calloc(totallines, sizeof(*change));
 			input_mode = INPUT_CHANGE;
 			force_window();
-			return;
+		} return;
 		case INPUT_APPEND: {
 			char filename[PATHLEN + 1];
 			FILE* file;
@@ -111,8 +111,16 @@ static void callback_handler(char *line) {
 			}
 			fclose(file);
 			input_mode = INPUT_NORMAL;
-			return;
-		}
+		} return;
+		case INPUT_READ: {
+			char filename[PATHLEN + 1];
+			shellpath(filename, sizeof(filename), line);
+			if (!readrefs(filename)) {
+				postmsg("Ignoring an empty file");
+			}
+			window_change |= CH_INPUT | CH_RESULT;
+			input_mode = INPUT_NORMAL;
+		} return;
 	}
 
 	switch(field) {