diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 567032ef..3fe97fe9 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/mattn/go-shellwords v1.0.12 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/atomic v1.7.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220412211240-33da011f77ad // indirect
+	mvdan.cc/sh/v3 v3.5.1 // indirect
 )
 
 replace github.com/scripthaus-dev/mshell v0.0.0 => /Users/mike/work/gopath/src/github.com/scripthaus-dev/mshell/
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 809fecbb..1e458fc3 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1798,6 +1798,8 @@ modernc.org/token v1.0.0/go.mod h1:UGzOrNV1mAFSEB63lOFHIpNRUVMvYTc6yu1SMY/XTDM=
 modernc.org/z v1.0.1-0.20210308123920-1f282aa71362/go.mod h1:8/SRk5C/HgiQWCgXdfpb+1RvhORdkz5sw72d3jjtyqA=
 modernc.org/z v1.0.1/go.mod h1:8/SRk5C/HgiQWCgXdfpb+1RvhORdkz5sw72d3jjtyqA=
 modernc.org/zappy v1.0.0/go.mod h1:hHe+oGahLVII/aTTyWK/b53VDHMAGCBYYeZ9sn83HC4=
+mvdan.cc/sh/v3 v3.5.1 h1:hmP3UOw4f+EYexsJjFxvU38+kn+V/s2CclXHanIBkmQ=
+mvdan.cc/sh/v3 v3.5.1/go.mod h1:1JcoyAKm1lZw/2bZje/iYKWicU/KMd0rsyJeKHnsK4E=
 rsc.io/binaryregexp v0.2.0/go.mod h1:qTv7/COck+e2FymRvadv62gMdZztPaShugOCi3I+8D8=
 rsc.io/pdf v0.1.1/go.mod h1:n8OzWcQ6Sp37PL01nO98y4iUCRdTGarVfzxY20ICaU4=
 rsc.io/quote/v3 v3.1.0/go.mod h1:yEA65RcK8LyAZtP9Kv3t0HmxON59tX3rD+tICJqUlj0=
diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
index 86a3b652..ef042544 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
@@ -45,25 +45,6 @@ type resolvedIds struct {
 	RState            remote.RemoteState
 }
 
-func SubMetaCmd(cmd string) string {
-	switch cmd {
-	case "s":
-		return "screen"
-	case "w":
-		return "window"
-	case "r":
-		return "run"
-	case "c":
-		return "comment"
-	case "e":
-		return "eval"
-	case "export":
-		return "setenv"
-	default:
-		return cmd
-	}
-}
-
 var ValidCommands = []string{
 	"/run",
 	"/eval",
@@ -377,12 +358,11 @@ func EvalCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (sstore.
 	if len(pk.Args) == 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("usage: /eval [command], no command passed to eval")
 	}
-	// parse metacmd
-	commandStr := strings.TrimSpace(pk.Args[0])
-	if commandStr == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("/eval, invalid emtpty command")
+	newPk, err := EvalMetaCommand(ctx, pk)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	update, err := evalCommandInternal(ctx, pk)
+	update, err := HandleCommand(ctx, newPk)
 	if !resolveBool(pk.Kwargs["nohist"], false) {
 		err := addToHistory(ctx, pk, update, (err != nil))
 		if err != nil {
@@ -393,73 +373,6 @@ func EvalCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (sstore.
 	return update, err
 }
 
-func evalCommandInternal(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (sstore.UpdatePacket, error) {
-	commandStr := strings.TrimSpace(pk.Args[0])
-	metaCmd := ""
-	metaSubCmd := ""
-	if commandStr == "cd" || strings.HasPrefix(commandStr, "cd ") {
-		metaCmd = "cd"
-		commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[2:])
-	} else if commandStr == "cr" || strings.HasPrefix(commandStr, "cr ") {
-		metaCmd = "cr"
-		commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[2:])
-	} else if commandStr == "export" || strings.HasPrefix(commandStr, "export ") {
-		metaCmd = "setenv"
-		commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[6:])
-	} else if commandStr == "setenv" || strings.HasPrefix(commandStr, "setenv ") {
-		metaCmd = "setenv"
-		commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[6:])
-	} else if commandStr == "unset" || strings.HasPrefix(commandStr, "unset ") {
-		metaCmd = "unset"
-		commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[5:])
-	} else if commandStr[0] == '/' {
-		spaceIdx := strings.Index(commandStr, " ")
-		if spaceIdx == -1 {
-			metaCmd = commandStr[1:]
-			commandStr = ""
-		} else {
-			metaCmd = commandStr[1:spaceIdx]
-			commandStr = strings.TrimSpace(commandStr[spaceIdx+1:])
-		}
-		colonIdx := strings.Index(metaCmd, ":")
-		if colonIdx != -1 {
-			metaCmd, metaSubCmd = metaCmd[0:colonIdx], metaCmd[colonIdx+1:]
-		}
-		if metaCmd == "" {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid command, got bare '/', with no command")
-		}
-	}
-	if metaCmd == "" {
-		metaCmd = "run"
-	}
-	metaCmd = SubMetaCmd(metaCmd)
-	newPk := &scpacket.FeCommandPacketType{
-		MetaCmd:    metaCmd,
-		MetaSubCmd: metaSubCmd,
-		Kwargs:     pk.Kwargs,
-	}
-	if strings.HasSuffix(commandStr, " ?") {
-		newPk.Kwargs["ephemeral"] = "1"
-		commandStr = commandStr[0 : len(commandStr)-2]
-	}
-	if metaCmd == "run" || metaCmd == "comment" {
-		newPk.Args = []string{commandStr}
-	} else if (metaCmd == "setenv" || metaCmd == "unset") && metaSubCmd == "" {
-		newPk.Args = strings.Fields(commandStr)
-	} else {
-		allArgs := strings.Fields(commandStr)
-		for _, arg := range allArgs {
-			if strings.Index(arg, "=") == -1 {
-				newPk.Args = append(newPk.Args, arg)
-				continue
-			}
-			fields := strings.SplitN(arg, "=", 2)
-			newPk.Kwargs[fields[0]] = fields[1]
-		}
-	}
-	return HandleCommand(ctx, newPk)
-}
-
 func ScreenCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (sstore.UpdatePacket, error) {
 	if pk.MetaSubCmd == "close" {
 		ids, err := resolveIds(ctx, pk, R_Session|R_Screen)
@@ -976,6 +889,27 @@ func SessionCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (ssto
 		}
 		return update, nil
 	}
+	if pk.MetaSubCmd == "set" {
+		ids, err := resolveIds(ctx, pk, R_Session)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		bareSession, err := sstore.GetBareSessionById(ctx, ids.SessionId)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if bareSession == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("session '%s' not found", ids.SessionId)
+		}
+		update := sstore.ModelUpdate{
+			Sessions: nil,
+			Info: &sstore.InfoMsgType{
+				InfoMsg:   fmt.Sprintf("[%s]: update", bareSession.Name),
+				TimeoutMs: 2000,
+			},
+		}
+		return update, nil
+	}
 	if pk.MetaSubCmd != "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid /session subcommand '%s'", pk.MetaSubCmd)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96e84852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+package cmdrunner
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/sh2-server/pkg/scpacket"
+	"mvdan.cc/sh/v3/expand"
+	"mvdan.cc/sh/v3/syntax"
+)
+
+type parseEnviron struct {
+	Env map[string]string
+}
+
+func (e *parseEnviron) Get(name string) expand.Variable {
+	val, ok := e.Env[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return expand.Variable{}
+	}
+	return expand.Variable{
+		Exported: true,
+		Kind:     expand.String,
+		Str:      val,
+	}
+}
+
+func (e *parseEnviron) Each(fn func(name string, vr expand.Variable) bool) {
+	for key, _ := range e.Env {
+		rtn := fn(key, e.Get(key))
+		if !rtn {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func DumpPacket(pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) {
+	if pk == nil || pk.MetaCmd == "" {
+		fmt.Printf("[no metacmd]\n")
+		return
+	}
+	if pk.MetaSubCmd == "" {
+		fmt.Printf("/%s\n", pk.MetaCmd)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Printf("/%s:%s\n", pk.MetaCmd, pk.MetaSubCmd)
+	}
+	for _, arg := range pk.Args {
+		fmt.Printf("  %q\n", arg)
+	}
+	for key, val := range pk.Kwargs {
+		fmt.Printf("  [%s]=%q\n", key, val)
+	}
+}
+
+func doCmdSubst(commandStr string, w io.Writer, word *syntax.CmdSubst) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func doProcSubst(w *syntax.ProcSubst) (string, error) {
+	return "", nil
+}
+
+func isQuoted(source string, w *syntax.Word) bool {
+	if w == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	offset := w.Pos().Offset()
+	if int(offset) >= len(source) {
+		return false
+	}
+	return source[offset] == '"' || source[offset] == '\''
+}
+
+func getSourceStr(source string, w *syntax.Word) string {
+	if w == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	offset := w.Pos().Offset()
+	end := w.End().Offset()
+	return source[offset:end]
+}
+
+var ValidMetaCmdRe = regexp.MustCompile("^/([a-z][a-z0-9_-]*)(:[a-z][a-z0-9_-]*)?$")
+
+type BareMetaCmdDecl struct {
+	CmdStr  string
+	MetaCmd string
+}
+
+var BareMetaCmds = []BareMetaCmdDecl{
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"cd", "cd"},
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"cr", "cr"},
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"setenv", "setenv"},
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"export", "setenv"},
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"unset", "unset"},
+}
+
+func SubMetaCmd(cmd string) string {
+	switch cmd {
+	case "s":
+		return "screen"
+	case "w":
+		return "window"
+	case "r":
+		return "run"
+	case "c":
+		return "comment"
+	case "e":
+		return "eval"
+	case "export":
+		return "setenv"
+	default:
+		return cmd
+	}
+}
+
+// returns (metaCmd, metaSubCmd, rest)
+// if metaCmd is "" then this isn't a valid metacmd string
+func parseMetaCmd(origCommandStr string) (string, string, string) {
+	commandStr := strings.TrimSpace(origCommandStr)
+	if len(commandStr) < 2 {
+		return "run", "", origCommandStr
+	}
+	fields := strings.SplitN(commandStr, " ", 2)
+	firstArg := fields[0]
+	rest := ""
+	if len(fields) > 1 {
+		rest = strings.TrimSpace(fields[1])
+	}
+	for _, decl := range BareMetaCmds {
+		if firstArg == decl.CmdStr {
+			return decl.MetaCmd, "", rest
+		}
+	}
+	m := ValidMetaCmdRe.FindStringSubmatch(firstArg)
+	if m == nil {
+		return "run", "", origCommandStr
+	}
+	return SubMetaCmd(m[1]), m[2], rest
+}
+
+func onlyPositionalArgs(metaCmd string, metaSubCmd string) bool {
+	return (metaCmd == "setenv" || metaCmd == "unset") && metaSubCmd == ""
+}
+
+func onlyRawArgs(metaCmd string, metaSubCmd string) bool {
+	return metaCmd == "run" || metaCmd == "comment"
+}
+
+func EvalMetaCommand(ctx context.Context, origPk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (*scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, error) {
+	if len(origPk.Args) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty command (no fields)")
+	}
+	metaCmd, metaSubCmd, commandArgs := parseMetaCmd(origPk.Args[0])
+	rtnPk := scpacket.MakeFeCommandPacket()
+	rtnPk.MetaCmd = metaCmd
+	rtnPk.MetaSubCmd = metaSubCmd
+	rtnPk.Kwargs = make(map[string]string)
+	for key, val := range origPk.Kwargs {
+		rtnPk.Kwargs[key] = val
+	}
+	if onlyRawArgs(metaCmd, metaSubCmd) {
+		// don't evaluate arguments for /run or /comment
+		rtnPk.Args = []string{commandArgs}
+		return rtnPk, nil
+	}
+	commandReader := strings.NewReader(commandArgs)
+	parser := syntax.NewParser(syntax.Variant(syntax.LangBash))
+	var words []*syntax.Word
+	err := parser.Words(commandReader, func(w *syntax.Word) bool {
+		words = append(words, w)
+		return true
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing metacmd, position %v", err)
+	}
+	envMap := make(map[string]string) // later we can add vars like session, window, screen, remote, and user
+	cfg := &expand.Config{
+		Env:       &parseEnviron{Env: envMap},
+		GlobStar:  false,
+		NullGlob:  false,
+		NoUnset:   false,
+		CmdSubst:  func(w io.Writer, word *syntax.CmdSubst) error { return doCmdSubst(commandArgs, w, word) },
+		ProcSubst: doProcSubst,
+		ReadDir:   nil,
+	}
+	// process arguments
+	for idx, w := range words {
+		literalVal, err := expand.Literal(cfg, w)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error evaluating metacmd argument %d [%s]: %v", idx+1, getSourceStr(commandArgs, w), err)
+		}
+		if isQuoted(commandArgs, w) || onlyPositionalArgs(metaCmd, metaSubCmd) {
+			rtnPk.Args = append(rtnPk.Args, literalVal)
+			continue
+		}
+		eqIdx := strings.Index(literalVal, "=")
+		if eqIdx != -1 && eqIdx != 0 {
+			varName := literalVal[:eqIdx]
+			varVal := literalVal[eqIdx+1:]
+			rtnPk.Kwargs[varName] = varVal
+			continue
+		}
+		rtnPk.Args = append(rtnPk.Args, literalVal)
+	}
+	return rtnPk, nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/remote/remote.go b/pkg/remote/remote.go
index 3f94c0b4..0c31ad8d 100644
--- a/pkg/remote/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/remote/remote.go
@@ -250,6 +250,12 @@ func (proc *MShellProc) GetRemoteState() RemoteState {
 	return state
 }
 
+func (msh *MShellProc) NotifyUpdate() {
+	rstate := msh.GetRemoteState()
+	update := &sstore.ModelUpdate{Remote: rstate}
+	sstore.MainBus.SendUpdate("", update)
+}
+
 func GetAllRemoteState() []RemoteState {
 	GlobalStore.Lock.Lock()
 	defer GlobalStore.Lock.Unlock()
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
index 735c9275..7fd0d8c1 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
@@ -142,6 +142,22 @@ func GetBareSessions(ctx context.Context) ([]*SessionType, error) {
 	return rtn, nil
 }
 
+func GetBareSessionById(ctx context.Context, sessionId string) (*SessionType, error) {
+	var rtn SessionType
+	txErr := WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
+		query := `SELECT * FROM session WHERE sessionid = ?`
+		tx.GetWrap(&rtn, query, sessionId)
+		return nil
+	})
+	if txErr != nil {
+		return nil, txErr
+	}
+	if rtn.SessionId == "" {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return &rtn, nil
+}
+
 func GetAllSessions(ctx context.Context) ([]*SessionType, error) {
 	var rtn []*SessionType
 	err := WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
@@ -636,3 +652,54 @@ func UpdateCurRemote(ctx context.Context, sessionId string, windowId string, rem
 	})
 	return txErr
 }
+
+func reorderStrings(strs []string, toMove string, newIndex int) []string {
+	if toMove == "" {
+		return strs
+	}
+	var newStrs []string
+	if newIndex < 0 {
+		newStrs = append(newStrs, toMove)
+	}
+	for _, sval := range strs {
+		if len(newStrs) == newIndex {
+			newStrs = append(newStrs, toMove)
+		}
+		if sval != toMove {
+			newStrs = append(newStrs, sval)
+		}
+	}
+	if newIndex >= len(newStrs) {
+		newStrs = append(newStrs, toMove)
+	}
+	return newStrs
+}
+
+func ReIndexSessions(ctx context.Context, sessionId string, newIndex int) error {
+	txErr := WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
+		query := `SELECT sessionid FROM sessions ORDER BY sessionidx, name, sessionid`
+		ids := tx.SelectStrings(query)
+		if sessionId != "" {
+			ids = reorderStrings(ids, sessionId, newIndex)
+		}
+		query = `UPDATE sessions SET sessionid = ? WHERE sessionid = ?`
+		for idx, id := range ids {
+			tx.ExecWrap(query, id, idx+1)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+	return txErr
+}
+
+func SetSessionName(ctx context.Context, sessionId string, name string) error {
+	txErr := WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
+		query := `SELECT sessionid FROM sessions WHERE sessionid = ?`
+		if !tx.Exists(query, sessionId) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("session does not exist")
+		}
+		query = `UPDATE sessions SET name = ? WHERE sessionid = ?`
+		tx.ExecWrap(query, name, sessionId)
+		return nil
+	})
+	return txErr
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/updatebus.go b/pkg/sstore/updatebus.go
index 911dd138..47057778 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/updatebus.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/updatebus.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type ModelUpdate struct {
 	Cmd             *CmdType       `json:"cmd,omitempty"`
 	CmdLine         *CmdLineType   `json:"cmdline,omitempty"`
 	Info            *InfoMsgType   `json:"info,omitempty"`
+	Remote          interface{}    `json:"remote,omitempty"` // *remote.RemoteState
 }
 
 func (ModelUpdate) UpdateType() string {