diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index ba6eaccc..39fdc25f 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -440,6 +440,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     shell_manager.register_env_var("opt_.+",
                                    [](const String& name, const Context& context)
                                    { return context.option_manager()[name.substr(4)].as_string(); });
+
+    register_manager.register_dynamic_register('%', [&]() { return std::vector<String>(1, main_context.buffer().name()); });
+    register_manager.register_dynamic_register('.', [&]() { return main_context.window().selections_content(); });
+
     register_commands();
     register_highlighters();
     register_filters();
diff --git a/src/register.cc b/src/register.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index af0852ea..00000000
--- a/src/register.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-#include "register.hh"
-
-namespace Kakoune
-{
-
-const String Register::ms_empty;
-
-Register& Register::operator=(const memoryview<String>& values)
-{
-    m_content = std::vector<String>(values.begin(), values.end());
-    return *this;
-}
-
-const String& Register::operator[](size_t index) const
-{
-    if (m_content.size() > index)
-        return m_content[index];
-    else
-        return ms_empty;
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/src/register.hh b/src/register.hh
index fc50e44f..c90b7233 100644
--- a/src/register.hh
+++ b/src/register.hh
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef register_hh_INCLUDED
 #define register_hh_INCLUDED
 
-#include <vector>
-
 #include "string.hh"
 #include "memoryview.hh"
 
@@ -12,16 +10,12 @@ namespace Kakoune
 class Register
 {
 public:
-    Register& operator=(const memoryview<String>& values);
+    virtual ~Register() {}
+    virtual Register& operator=(const memoryview<String>& values) = 0;
 
-    const String& operator[](size_t index) const;
+    virtual const String& operator[](size_t index) = 0;
 
-    operator memoryview<String>() const
-    { return memoryview<String>(m_content); }
-private:
-    std::vector<String> m_content;
-
-    static const String ms_empty;
+    virtual operator memoryview<String>() = 0;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/register_manager.cc b/src/register_manager.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..857f7324
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/register_manager.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#include "register_manager.hh"
+
+#include "utils.hh"
+#include "assert.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+// static value register, which can be modified
+// using operator=, so should be user modifiable
+class StaticRegister : public Register
+{
+public:
+    Register& operator=(const memoryview<String>& values)
+    {
+        m_content = std::vector<String>(values.begin(), values.end());
+        return *this;
+    }
+
+    const String& operator[](size_t index)
+    {
+        if (m_content.size() > index)
+            return m_content[index];
+        else
+            return ms_empty;
+    }
+
+    operator memoryview<String>()
+    {
+        return memoryview<String>(m_content);
+    }
+protected:
+    std::vector<String> m_content;
+
+    static const String ms_empty;
+};
+
+const String StaticRegister::ms_empty;
+
+// Dynamic value register, use it's RegisterRetriever
+// to get it's value when needed.
+class DynamicRegister : public StaticRegister
+{
+public:
+    DynamicRegister(RegisterRetriever function)
+        : m_function(std::move(function)) {}
+
+    Register& operator=(const memoryview<String>& values)
+    {
+        throw runtime_error("this register is not assignable");
+    }
+
+    const String& operator[](size_t index)
+    {
+        m_content = m_function();
+        return StaticRegister::operator[](index);
+    }
+
+    operator memoryview<String>()
+    {
+        m_content = m_function();
+        return StaticRegister::operator memoryview<String>();
+    }
+
+private:
+    RegisterRetriever   m_function;
+};
+
+Register& RegisterManager::operator[](char reg)
+{
+    auto& reg_ptr = m_registers[reg];
+    if (not reg_ptr)
+        reg_ptr.reset(new StaticRegister());
+    return *reg_ptr;
+}
+
+void RegisterManager::register_dynamic_register(char reg, RegisterRetriever function)
+{
+    auto& reg_ptr = m_registers[reg];
+    assert(not reg_ptr);
+    reg_ptr.reset(new DynamicRegister(std::move(function)));
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/register_manager.hh b/src/register_manager.hh
index d37ed2dd..9f125b9f 100644
--- a/src/register_manager.hh
+++ b/src/register_manager.hh
@@ -2,20 +2,26 @@
 #define register_manager_hh_INCLUDED
 
 #include "register.hh"
+
 #include "utils.hh"
 
 #include <unordered_map>
+#include <vector>
+#include <functional>
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
+typedef std::function<std::vector<String> ()> RegisterRetriever;
+
 class RegisterManager : public Singleton<RegisterManager>
 {
 public:
-    Register& operator[](char reg) { return m_registers[reg]; }
+    Register& operator[](char reg);
+    void register_dynamic_register(char reg, RegisterRetriever function);
 
 protected:
-    std::unordered_map<char, Register> m_registers;
+    std::unordered_map<char, std::unique_ptr<Register>> m_registers;
 };
 
 }