diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index f6d6034983..3270e12bf5 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@ exports.createInterface = function (output, completer) {
 };
 
 function Interface (output, completer) {
+  if (!(this instanceof Interface)) return new Interface(output, completer);
+  EventEmitter.call(this);
+
   this.output = output;
   this.completer = completer;
 
-  this.setPrompt("node> ");
+  this.setPrompt("> ");
 
   this.enabled = output.fd < 3;  // Looks like a TTY.
 
@@ -266,7 +269,12 @@ Interface.prototype._ttyWrite = function (b) {
     /* ctrl+c */
     case 3:
       //process.kill(process.pid, "SIGINT");
-      this.close();
+      if (this.listeners('SIGINT').length) {
+        this.emit('SIGINT');
+      } else {
+        // default behavior, end the readline
+        this.close();
+      }
       break;
 
     case 4: // control-d, delete right or EOF
diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 6f9c01901d..e4b8a1797b 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -53,14 +53,26 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream) {
   var rli = self.rli = rl.createInterface(self.stream, function (text) {
     return self.complete(text);
   });
+
   if (rli.enabled) {
     // Turn on ANSI coloring.
     exports.writer = function(obj, showHidden, depth) {
       return sys.inspect(obj, showHidden, depth, true);
     }
   }
+
   rli.setPrompt(self.prompt);
 
+  rli.on("SIGINT", function () {
+    if (self.buffered_cmd && self.buffered_cmd.length > 0) {
+      rli.write("\n");
+      self.buffered_cmd = '';
+      self.displayPrompt();
+    } else {
+      rli.close();
+    }
+  });
+
   self.stream.addListener("data", function (chunk) {
     rli.write(chunk);
   });
@@ -136,7 +148,7 @@ exports.start = function (prompt, source) {
 };
 
 REPLServer.prototype.displayPrompt = function () {
-  this.rli.setPrompt(this.buffered_cmd.length ? '...   ' : this.prompt);
+  this.rli.setPrompt(this.buffered_cmd.length ? '... ' : this.prompt);
   this.rli.prompt();
 };
 
@@ -386,7 +398,8 @@ REPLServer.prototype.parseREPLKeyword = function (cmd) {
   var self = this;
 
   switch (cmd) {
-  case ".break":
+  case ".break": 
+    // TODO remove me after 0.3.x
     self.buffered_cmd = '';
     self.displayPrompt();
     return true;
@@ -400,7 +413,6 @@ REPLServer.prototype.parseREPLKeyword = function (cmd) {
     self.stream.destroy();
     return true;
   case ".help":
-    self.stream.write(".break\tSometimes you get stuck in a place you can't get out... This will get you out.\n");
     self.stream.write(".clear\tBreak, and also clear the local context.\n");
     self.stream.write(".exit\tExit the prompt\n");
     self.stream.write(".help\tShow repl options\n");