diff --git a/src/libstd/fileinput.rs b/src/libstd/fileinput.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..df733425f3ef0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libstd/fileinput.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,611 @@
+// Copyright 2013 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT
+// file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at
+// http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license
+// <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your
+// option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
+// except according to those terms.
+
+/*!
+A library for iterating through the lines in a series of
+files. Very similar to [the Python module of the same
+name](http://docs.python.org/3.3/library/fileinput.html).
+
+It allows the programmer to automatically take filenames from the
+command line arguments (via `input` and `input_state`), as well as
+specify them as a vector directly (`input_vec` and
+`input_vec_state`). The files are opened as necessary, so any files
+that can't be opened only cause an error when reached in the
+iteration.
+
+On the command line, `stdin` is represented by a filename of `-` (a
+single hyphen) and in the functions that take a vector directly
+(e.g. `input_vec`) it is represented by `None`. Note `stdin` is *not*
+reset once it has been finished, so attempting to iterate on `[None,
+None]` will only take input once unless `io::stdin().seek(0, SeekSet)`
+is called between.
+
+The `pathify` function handles converting a list of file paths as
+strings to the appropriate format, including the (optional) conversion
+of `"-"` to `stdin`.
+
+# Basic
+
+In many cases, one can use the `input_*` functions without having
+to handle any `FileInput` structs. E.g. a simple `cat` program
+
+    for input |line| {
+        io::println(line)
+    }
+
+or a program that numbers lines after concatenating two files
+
+    for input_vec_state(pathify([~"a.txt", ~"b.txt"])) |line, state| {
+        io::println(fmt!("%u: %s", state.line_num,
+                                   line));
+    }
+
+The two `input_vec*` functions take a vec of file names (where empty
+means read from `stdin`), the other two functions use the command line
+arguments.
+
+# Advanced
+
+For more complicated uses (e.g. if one needs to pause iteration and
+resume it later), a `FileInput` instance can be constructed via the
+`from_vec`, `from_vec_raw` and `from_args` functions.
+
+Once created, the `each_line` (from the `core::io::ReaderUtil` trait)
+and `each_line_state` methods allow one to iterate on the lines; the
+latter provides more information about the position within the
+iteration to the caller.
+
+It is possible (and safe) to skip lines and files using the
+`read_line` and `next_file` methods. Also, `FileInput` implements
+`core::io::Reader`, and the state will be updated correctly while
+using any of those methods.
+
+E.g. the following program reads until an empty line, pauses for user
+input, skips the current file and then numbers the remaining lines
+(where the numbers are from the start of each file, rather than the
+total line count).
+
+    let in = FileInput::from_vec(pathify([~"a.txt", ~"b.txt", ~"c.txt"],
+                                             true));
+
+    for in.each_line |line| {
+        if line.is_empty() {
+            break
+        }
+        io::println(line);
+    }
+
+    io::println("Continue?");
+
+    if io::stdin().read_line() == ~"yes" {
+        in.next_file(); // skip!
+
+        for in.each_line_state |line, state| {
+           io::println(fmt!("%u: %s", state.line_num_file,
+                                      line))
+        }
+    }
+*/
+
+#[allow(deprecated_mutable_fields)];
+
+use core::prelude::*;
+use core::io::ReaderUtil;
+
+/**
+A summary of the internal state of a `FileInput` object. `line_num`
+and `line_num_file` represent the number of lines read in total and in
+the current file respectively. `current_path` is `None` if the current
+file is `stdin`.
+*/
+pub struct FileInputState {
+    current_path: Option<Path>,
+    line_num: uint,
+    line_num_file: uint
+}
+
+impl FileInputState {
+    fn is_stdin(&self) -> bool {
+        self.current_path.is_none()
+    }
+
+    fn is_first_line(&self) -> bool {
+        self.line_num_file == 1
+    }
+}
+
+struct FileInput_ {
+    /**
+    `Some(path)` is the file represented by `path`, `None` is
+    `stdin`. Consumed as the files are read.
+    */
+    priv files: ~[Option<Path>],
+    /**
+    The current file: `Some(r)` for an open file, `None` before
+    starting and after reading everything.
+    */
+    priv current_reader: Option<@io::Reader>,
+    priv state: FileInputState,
+
+    /**
+    Used to keep track of whether we need to insert the newline at the
+    end of a file that is missing it, which is needed to separate the
+    last and first lines.
+    */
+    priv previous_was_newline: bool
+}
+
+// XXX: remove this when Reader has &mut self. Should be removable via
+// "self.fi." -> "self." and renaming FileInput_. Documentation above
+// will likely have to be updated to use `let mut in = ...`.
+pub struct FileInput  {
+    priv mut fi: FileInput_
+}
+
+impl FileInput {
+    /**
+    Create a `FileInput` object from a vec of files. An empty
+    vec means lines are read from `stdin` (use `from_vec_raw` to stop
+    this behaviour). Any occurence of `None` represents `stdin`.
+    */
+    pub fn from_vec(files: ~[Option<Path>]) -> FileInput {
+        FileInput::from_vec_raw(
+            if files.is_empty() {
+                ~[None]
+            } else {
+                files
+            })
+    }
+
+    /**
+    Identical to `from_vec`, but an empty `files` vec stays
+    empty. (`None` is `stdin`.)
+    */
+    pub fn from_vec_raw(files: ~[Option<Path>])
+                                         -> FileInput {
+        FileInput{
+            fi: FileInput_ {
+                files: files,
+                current_reader: None,
+                state: FileInputState {
+                    current_path: None,
+                    line_num: 0,
+                    line_num_file: 0
+                },
+                // there was no previous unended line
+                previous_was_newline: true
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+    Create a `FileInput` object from the command line
+    arguments. `"-"` represents `stdin`.
+    */
+    pub fn from_args() -> FileInput {
+        let args = os::args(),
+            pathed = pathify(args.tail(), true);
+        FileInput::from_vec(pathed)
+    }
+
+    priv fn current_file_eof(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.fi.current_reader {
+            None => false,
+            Some(r) => r.eof()
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+    Skip to the next file in the queue. Can `fail` when opening
+    a file.
+
+    Returns `false` if there is no more files, and `true` when it
+    successfully opens the next file.
+    */
+
+    pub fn next_file(&self) -> bool {
+        // No more files
+
+        // Compiler whines about "illegal borrow unless pure" for
+        // files.is_empty()
+        if unsafe { self.fi.files.is_empty() } {
+            self.fi.current_reader = None;
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        let path_option = self.fi.files.shift(),
+            file = match path_option {
+                None => io::stdin(),
+                Some(ref path) => io::file_reader(path).get()
+            };
+
+        self.fi.current_reader = Some(file);
+        self.fi.state.current_path = path_option;
+        self.fi.state.line_num_file = 0;
+        true
+    }
+
+    /**
+    Attempt to open the next file if there is none currently open,
+    or if the current one is EOF'd.
+
+    Returns `true` if it had to move to the next file and did
+    so successfully.
+    */
+    priv fn next_file_if_eof(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.fi.current_reader {
+            None => self.next_file(),
+            Some(r) => {
+                if r.eof() {
+                    self.next_file()
+                } else {
+                    false
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+    Apply `f` to each line successively, along with some state
+    (line numbers and file names, see documentation for
+    `FileInputState`). Otherwise identical to `lines_each`.
+    */
+    pub fn each_line_state(&self,
+                            f: &fn(&str, FileInputState) -> bool) {
+         self.each_line(|line| f(line, copy self.fi.state));
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+    Retrieve the current `FileInputState` information.
+    */
+    pub fn state(&self) -> FileInputState {
+        copy self.fi.state
+    }
+}
+
+impl io::Reader for FileInput {
+    fn read_byte(&self) -> int {
+        loop {
+            let stepped = self.next_file_if_eof();
+
+            // if we moved to the next file, and the previous
+            // character wasn't \n, then there is an unfinished line
+            // from the previous file. This library models
+            // line-by-line processing and the trailing line of the
+            // previous file and the leading of the current file
+            // should be considered different, so we need to insert a
+            // fake line separator
+            if stepped && !self.fi.previous_was_newline {
+                self.fi.state.line_num += 1;
+                self.fi.state.line_num_file += 1;
+                self.fi.previous_was_newline = true;
+                return '\n' as int;
+            }
+
+            match self.fi.current_reader {
+                None => return -1,
+                Some(r) => {
+                    let b = r.read_byte();
+
+                    if b < 0 {
+                        loop;
+                    }
+
+                    if b == '\n' as int {
+                        self.fi.state.line_num += 1;
+                        self.fi.state.line_num_file += 1;
+                        self.fi.previous_was_newline = true;
+                    } else {
+                        self.fi.previous_was_newline = false;
+                    }
+
+                    return b;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    fn read(&self, buf: &mut [u8], len: uint) -> uint {
+        let mut count = 0;
+        while count < len {
+            let b = self.read_byte();
+            if b < 0 { break }
+
+            buf[count] = b as u8;
+            count += 1;
+        }
+
+        count
+    }
+    fn eof(&self) -> bool {
+        // we've run out of files, and current_reader is either None or eof.
+
+        // compiler whines about illegal borrows for files.is_empty()
+        (unsafe { self.fi.files.is_empty() }) &&
+            match self.fi.current_reader { None => true, Some(r) => r.eof() }
+
+    }
+    fn seek(&self, offset: int, whence: io::SeekStyle) {
+        match self.fi.current_reader {
+            None => {},
+            Some(r) => r.seek(offset, whence)
+        }
+    }
+    fn tell(&self) -> uint {
+        match self.fi.current_reader {
+            None => 0,
+            Some(r) => r.tell()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+Convert a list of strings to an appropriate form for a `FileInput`
+instance. `stdin_hyphen` controls whether `-` represents `stdin` or
+a literal `-`.
+*/
+// XXX: stupid, unclear name
+pub fn pathify(vec: &[~str], stdin_hyphen : bool) -> ~[Option<Path>] {
+    vec::map(vec, |&str : & ~str| {
+        if stdin_hyphen && str == ~"-" {
+            None
+        } else {
+            Some(Path(str))
+        }
+    })
+}
+
+/**
+Iterate directly over the command line arguments (no arguments implies
+reading from `stdin`).
+
+Fails when attempting to read from a file that can't be opened.
+*/
+pub fn input(f: &fn(&str) -> bool) {
+    let mut i = FileInput::from_args();
+    i.each_line(f);
+}
+
+/**
+Iterate directly over the command line arguments (no arguments
+implies reading from `stdin`) with the current state of the iteration
+provided at each call.
+
+Fails when attempting to read from a file that can't be opened.
+*/
+pub fn input_state(f: &fn(&str, FileInputState) -> bool) {
+    let mut i = FileInput::from_args();
+    i.each_line_state(f);
+}
+
+/**
+Iterate over a vector of files (an empty vector implies just `stdin`).
+
+Fails when attempting to read from a file that can't be opened.
+*/
+pub fn input_vec(files: ~[Option<Path>], f: &fn(&str) -> bool) {
+    let mut i = FileInput::from_vec(files);
+    i.each_line(f);
+}
+
+/**
+Iterate over a vector of files (an empty vector implies just `stdin`)
+with the current state of the iteration provided at each call.
+
+Fails when attempting to read from a file that can't be opened.
+*/
+pub fn input_vec_state(files: ~[Option<Path>],
+                       f: &fn(&str, FileInputState) -> bool) {
+    let mut i = FileInput::from_vec(files);
+    i.each_line_state(f);
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use core::io::WriterUtil;
+    use core::prelude::*;
+    use super::{FileInput, pathify, input_vec, input_vec_state};
+
+    fn make_file(path : &Path, contents: &[~str]) {
+        let file = io::file_writer(path, [io::Create, io::Truncate]).get();
+
+        for contents.each |&str| {
+            file.write_str(str);
+            file.write_char('\n');
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_pathify() {
+        let strs = [~"some/path",
+                    ~"some/other/path"],
+            paths = ~[Some(Path("some/path")),
+                      Some(Path("some/other/path"))];
+
+        assert_eq!(pathify(strs, true), copy paths);
+        assert_eq!(pathify(strs, false), paths);
+
+        assert_eq!(pathify([~"-"], true), ~[None]);
+        assert_eq!(pathify([~"-"], false), ~[Some(Path("-"))]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_fileinput_read_byte() {
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-fileinput-read-byte-%u.tmp", i)), true);
+
+        // 3 files containing 0\n, 1\n, and 2\n respectively
+        for filenames.eachi |i, &filename| {
+            make_file(filename.get_ref(), ~[fmt!("%u", i)]);
+        }
+
+        let fi = FileInput::from_vec(copy filenames);
+
+        for "012".each_chari |line, c| {
+            assert_eq!(fi.read_byte(), c as int);
+            assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num, line);
+            assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num_file, 0);
+            assert_eq!(fi.read_byte(), '\n' as int);
+            assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num, line + 1);
+            assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num_file, 1);
+
+            assert_eq!(copy fi.state().current_path, copy filenames[line]);
+        }
+
+        assert_eq!(fi.read_byte(), -1);
+        assert!(fi.eof());
+        assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num, 3)
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_fileinput_read() {
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-fileinput-read-%u.tmp", i)), true);
+
+        // 3 files containing 1\n, 2\n, and 3\n respectively
+        for filenames.eachi |i, &filename| {
+            make_file(filename.get_ref(), ~[fmt!("%u", i)]);
+        }
+
+        let fi = FileInput::from_vec(filenames);
+        let mut buf : ~[u8] = vec::from_elem(6, 0u8);
+        let count = fi.read(buf, 10);
+        assert_eq!(count, 6);
+        assert_eq!(buf, "0\n1\n2\n".to_bytes());
+        assert!(fi.eof())
+        assert_eq!(fi.state().line_num, 3);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_input_vec() {
+        let mut all_lines = ~[];
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-input-vec-%u.tmp", i)), true);
+
+        for filenames.eachi |i, &filename| {
+            let contents =
+                vec::from_fn(3, |j| fmt!("%u %u", i, j));
+            make_file(filename.get_ref(), contents);
+            all_lines.push_all(contents);
+        }
+
+        let mut read_lines = ~[];
+        for input_vec(filenames) |line| {
+            read_lines.push(line.to_owned());
+        }
+        assert_eq!(read_lines, all_lines);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_input_vec_state() {
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-input-vec-state-%u.tmp", i)),true);
+
+        for filenames.eachi |i, &filename| {
+            let contents =
+                vec::from_fn(3, |j| fmt!("%u %u", i, j + 1));
+            make_file(filename.get_ref(), contents);
+        }
+
+        for input_vec_state(filenames) |line, state| {
+            let nums = do vec::build |p| {
+                for str::each_split_char(line, ' ') |s| { p(s.to_owned()); }
+            };
+            let file_num = uint::from_str(nums[0]).get();
+            let line_num = uint::from_str(nums[1]).get();
+            assert_eq!(line_num, state.line_num_file);
+            assert_eq!(file_num * 3 + line_num, state.line_num);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_empty_files() {
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-next-file-%u.tmp", i)),true);
+
+        make_file(filenames[0].get_ref(), ~[~"1", ~"2"]);
+        make_file(filenames[1].get_ref(), ~[]);
+        make_file(filenames[2].get_ref(), ~[~"3", ~"4"]);
+
+        let mut count = 0;
+        for input_vec_state(copy filenames) |line, state| {
+            let expected_path = match line {
+                "1" | "2" => copy filenames[0],
+                "3" | "4" => copy filenames[2],
+                _ => fail!(~"unexpected line")
+            };
+            assert_eq!(copy state.current_path, expected_path);
+            count += 1;
+        }
+        assert_eq!(count, 4);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_no_trailing_newline() {
+        let f1 = Some(Path("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-no-trailing-newline-1.tmp")),
+            f2 = Some(Path("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-no-trailing-newline-2.tmp"));
+
+        let wr = io::file_writer(f1.get_ref(), [io::Create, io::Truncate]).get();
+        wr.write_str("1\n2");
+        let wr = io::file_writer(f2.get_ref(), [io::Create, io::Truncate]).get();
+        wr.write_str("3\n4");
+
+        let mut lines = ~[];
+        for input_vec(~[f1, f2]) |line| {
+            lines.push(line.to_owned());
+        }
+        assert_eq!(lines, ~[~"1", ~"2", ~"3", ~"4"]);
+    }
+
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_next_file() {
+        let filenames = pathify(vec::from_fn(
+            3,
+            |i| fmt!("tmp/lib-fileinput-test-next-file-%u.tmp", i)),true);
+
+        for filenames.eachi |i, &filename| {
+            let contents =
+                vec::from_fn(3, |j| fmt!("%u %u", i, j + 1));
+            make_file(&filename.get(), contents);
+        }
+
+        let mut in = FileInput::from_vec(filenames);
+
+        // read once from 0
+        assert_eq!(in.read_line(), ~"0 1");
+        in.next_file(); // skip the rest of 1
+
+        // read all lines from 1 (but don't read any from 2),
+        for uint::range(1, 4) |i| {
+            assert_eq!(in.read_line(), fmt!("1 %u", i));
+        }
+        // 1 is finished, but 2 hasn't been started yet, so this will
+        // just "skip" to the beginning of 2 (Python's fileinput does
+        // the same)
+        in.next_file();
+
+        assert_eq!(in.read_line(), ~"2 1");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[should_fail]
+    fn test_input_vec_missing_file() {
+        for input_vec(pathify([~"this/file/doesnt/exist"], true)) |line| {
+            io::println(line);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/libstd/std.rc b/src/libstd/std.rc
index 89bdc750c2277..74ef229a03353 100644
--- a/src/libstd/std.rc
+++ b/src/libstd/std.rc
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ pub mod workcache;
 pub mod bigint;
 pub mod stats;
 pub mod semver;
+pub mod fileinput;
 
 #[cfg(unicode)]
 mod unicode;