diff --git a/README.asciidoc b/README.asciidoc
index 5a839039..b07c336a 100644
--- a/README.asciidoc
+++ b/README.asciidoc
@@ -473,9 +473,12 @@ When entering a command, parameters are separated by whitespace (shell like),
 if you want to give parameters with spaces, you should quote them.
 
 Kakoune support three string syntax:
+ 
+ * +\'strings\'+: uninterpreted strings, you can use \' to escape the separator,
+     every other char is itself.
 
- * +"strings" and \'strings\'+: classic strings, use \' or \" to escape the
-     separator.
+ * +"strings"+: expended strings, % strings (see %sh, %opt or %reg) contained
+     are expended. Use \% to escape a % inside them, and \\ to escape a slash.
 
  * +%\{strings\}+: these strings are very useful when entering commands
 
diff --git a/rc/clang.kak b/rc/clang.kak
index 927b2026..b2c9c220 100644
--- a/rc/clang.kak
+++ b/rc/clang.kak
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def clang-complete %{
 }
 
 def clang-enable-autocomplete %{
-    set window completers %rec{option=clang_completions:%opt{completers}}
+    set window completers "option=clang_completions:%opt{completers}"
     hook window -group clang-autocomplete InsertIdle .* %{ try %{
         exec -draft <a-h><a-k>(\.|->|::).\'<ret>
         echo 'completing...'
diff --git a/rc/cpp.kak b/rc/cpp.kak
index 72c2c890..be6c807c 100644
--- a/rc/cpp.kak
+++ b/rc/cpp.kak
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ addhl -group /cpp/comment fill comment
 addhl -group /cpp/disabled fill rgb:666666
 addhl -group /cpp/macro fill meta
 
-addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(this|true|false|NULL|nullptr|)\>|\<-?\d+[fdiu]?|'((\\.)?|[^'\\])'" 0:value
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex %{\<(this|true|false|NULL|nullptr|)\>|\<-?\d+[fdiu]?|'((\\.)?|[^'\\])'} 0:value
 addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(void|int|char|unsigned|float|bool|size_t)\>" 0:type
 addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(while|for|if|else|do|switch|case|default|goto|break|continue|return|using|try|catch|throw|new|delete|and|or|not|operator|explicit|(?:reinterpret|const|static|dynamic)_cast)\>" 0:keyword
 addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(const|constexpr|mutable|auto|namespace|inline|static|volatile|class|struct|enum|union|public|protected|private|template|typedef|virtual|friend|extern|typename|override|final)\>" 0:attribute
diff --git a/rc/ctags.kak b/rc/ctags.kak
index 7cd8b9c7..8741659d 100644
--- a/rc/ctags.kak
+++ b/rc/ctags.kak
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ def funcinfo %{
 }
 
 def ctags-enable-autoinfo %{
-     hook window -group ctags-autoinfo NormalIdle .* funcinfo
-     hook window -group ctags-autoinfo InsertIdle .* funcinfo
+     hook window -group ctags-autoinfo NormalKey .* funcinfo
+     hook window -group ctags-autoinfo InsertKey .* funcinfo
 }
 
 def ctags-disable-autoinfo %{ rmhooks window ctags-autoinfo }
diff --git a/rc/grep.kak b/rc/grep.kak
index 502b8bdf..575ef461 100644
--- a/rc/grep.kak
+++ b/rc/grep.kak
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def jump %{
 def next -docstring 'Jump to next grep match' %{
     eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %{
         buffer '*grep*'
-        exec %rec{%opt{_grep_current_line}ggl/^[^:]+:\d+:<ret>}
+        exec "%opt{_grep_current_line}ggl/^[^:]+:\d+:<ret>"
         jump
     }
 }
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def next -docstring 'Jump to next grep match' %{
 def prev -docstring 'Jump to previous grep match' %{
     eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %{
         buffer '*grep*'
-        exec %rec{%opt{_grep_current_line}g<a-/>^[^:]+:\d+:<ret>}
+        exec "%opt{_grep_current_line}g<a-/>^[^:]+:\d+:<ret>"
         jump
     }
 }
diff --git a/rc/jedi.kak b/rc/jedi.kak
index b6644db8..584022db 100644
--- a/rc/jedi.kak
+++ b/rc/jedi.kak
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def jedi-complete %{
 }
 
 def jedi-enable-autocomplete %{
-    set window completers %rec{option=jedi_completions:%opt{completers}}
+    set window completers "option=jedi_completions:%opt{completers}"
     hook window -group jedi-autocomplete InsertIdle .* %{ try %{
         exec -draft <a-h><a-k>\..\'<ret>
         echo 'completing...'
diff --git a/rc/make.kak b/rc/make.kak
index d66f89b6..55191ce0 100644
--- a/rc/make.kak
+++ b/rc/make.kak
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ def errjump -docstring 'Jump to error location' %{
         exec gll<a-?> "Entering directory" <ret>
         exec s "Entering directory '([^']+)'.*\n([^:]+):(\d+):(?:(\d+):)?([^\n]+)\'" <ret>l
         set buffer _make_current_error_line %val{cursor_line}
-        eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %rec{edit -existing %reg{1}/%reg{2} %reg{3} %reg{4}; echo -color Information '%reg{5}'}
+        eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} "edit -existing %reg{1}/%reg{2} %reg{3} %reg{4}; echo -color Information '%reg{5}'"
         try %{ focus %opt{jumpclient} }
     } catch %{
         exec ghgl s "([^:]+):(\d+):(?:(\d+):)?([^\n]+)\'" <ret>l
         set buffer _make_current_error_line %val{cursor_line}
-        eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %rec{edit -existing %reg{1} %reg{2} %reg{3}; echo -color Information '%reg{4}'}
+        eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} "edit -existing %reg{1} %reg{2} %reg{3}; echo -color Information '%reg{4}'"
         try %{ focus %opt{jumpclient} }
     }
 }
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def errjump -docstring 'Jump to error location' %{
 def errnext -docstring 'Jump to next error' %{
     eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %{
         buffer '*make*'
-        exec %rec{%opt{_make_current_error_line}ggl/[0-9]+: (?:fatal )?error:<ret>}
+        exec "%opt{_make_current_error_line}ggl/[0-9]+: (?:fatal )?error:<ret>"
         errjump
     }
 }
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def errnext -docstring 'Jump to next error' %{
 def errprev -docstring 'Jump to previous error' %{
     eval -try-client %opt{jumpclient} %{
         buffer '*make*'
-        exec %rec{%opt{_make_current_error_line}ggh<a-/>[0-9]+: (?:fatal )?error:<ret>}
+        exec "%opt{_make_current_error_line}ggh<a-/>[0-9]+: (?:fatal )?error:<ret>"
         errjump
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/command_manager.cc b/src/command_manager.cc
index a771ddeb..aa966161 100644
--- a/src/command_manager.cc
+++ b/src/command_manager.cc
@@ -139,8 +139,6 @@ Token::Type token_type(StringView type_name)
         return Token::Type::OptionExpand;
     else if (type_name == "val")
         return Token::Type::ValExpand;
-    else if (type_name == "rec")
-        return Token::Type::RawEval;
     else if (throw_on_invalid)
         throw unknown_expand{type_name};
     else
@@ -239,8 +237,9 @@ TokenList parse(StringView line)
             if (throw_on_unterminated and pos == length)
                 throw unterminated_string(String{delimiter},
                                           String{delimiter});
-            result.emplace_back(Token::Type::Raw, token_start,
-                                pos, std::move(token));
+            result.emplace_back(delimiter == '"' ? Token::Type::RawEval
+                                                 : Token::Type::Raw,
+                                token_start, pos, std::move(token));
         }
         else if (line[pos] == '%')
             result.push_back(