diff --git a/builtin.c b/builtin.c
index 52f5c65a7..e54c25d11 100644
--- a/builtin.c
+++ b/builtin.c
@@ -2084,29 +2084,6 @@ static int builtin_status( wchar_t **argv )
 }
 
 
-/**
-   The eval builtin. Concatenates the arguments and calls eval on the
-   result.
-*/
-static int builtin_eval( wchar_t **argv )
-{
-	string_buffer_t sb;
-	int i;
-	int argc = builtin_count_args( argv );
-	sb_init( &sb );
-
-	for( i=1; i<argc; i++ )
-	{
-		sb_append( &sb, argv[i] );
-		sb_append( &sb, L" " );
-	}
-
-	eval( (wchar_t *)sb.buff, block_io, TOP );
-	sb_destroy( &sb );
-
-	return proc_get_last_status();
-}
-
 /**
    The exit builtin. Calls reader_exit to exit and returns the value specified.
 */
@@ -3092,10 +3069,6 @@ const static builtin_data_t builtin_data[]=
 		L"else",  &builtin_else, N_( L"Evaluate block if condition is false" )  
 	}
 	,
-	{
-		L"eval",  &builtin_eval, N_( L"Evaluate parameters as a command" )  
-	}
-	,
 	{
 		L"for",  &builtin_for, N_( L"Perform a set of commands multiple times" )  
 	}
diff --git a/doc_src/eval.txt b/doc_src/eval.txt
index a662ebd69..68fc6fc93 100644
--- a/doc_src/eval.txt
+++ b/doc_src/eval.txt
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-\section eval eval - eval the specified commands
+\section eval eval - evaluate the specified commands
 
 \subsection eval-synopsis Synopsis
 <tt>eval [COMMANDS...]</tt>
 
 \subsection eval-description Description
-The <tt>eval</tt> builtin causes fish to evaluate the specified parameters as a command. If more than one parameter is specified, all parameters will be joined using a space character as a separator.
+The <tt>eval</tt> function causes fish to evaluate the specified parameters as a command. If more than one parameter is specified, all parameters will be joined using a space character as a separator.
 
 \subsection eval-example Example
 
diff --git a/share/functions/eval.fish b/share/functions/eval.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a8a8897da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/functions/eval.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+function eval -d "Evaluate parameters as a command"
+	echo -n $argv | .
+end