diff --git a/builtin.c b/builtin.c
index ca057ed17..4e30a51f9 100644
--- a/builtin.c
+++ b/builtin.c
@@ -2843,6 +2843,18 @@ static int builtin_break_continue( wchar_t **argv )
 	return STATUS_BUILTIN_OK;
 }
 
+static int builtin_breakpoint( wchar_t **argv )
+{
+	parser_push_block( BREAKPOINT );		
+	
+	reader_read( 0 );
+	
+	parser_pop_block();		
+	
+	return proc_get_last_status();
+}
+
+
 /**
    Function for handling the \c return builtin
 */
@@ -3108,6 +3120,10 @@ const static builtin_data_t builtin_data[]=
 		L"begin",  &builtin_begin, N_( L"Create a block of code" )  
 	}
 	,
+	{
+		L"breakpoint",  &builtin_breakpoint, N_( L"Temporarily halt execution and launch a new prompt" )  
+	}
+	,
 
 	/*
 	  Builtins that are handled directly by the parser. They are
diff --git a/parser.c b/parser.c
index 9707bab80..2b887f81c 100644
--- a/parser.c
+++ b/parser.c
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ The fish parser. Contains functions for parsing and evaluating code.
 */
 #define FOR_BLOCK N_( L"'for' block" )
 
+/**   
+   Breakpoint block 
+*/
+#define BREAKPOINT_BLOCK N_( L"Block created by breakpoint" ) 
+
+
 
 /**
    If block description
@@ -331,7 +337,11 @@ const static struct block_lookup_entry block_lookup[]=
 	}
 	,
 	{
-		0,0,0
+		BREAKPOINT, L"breakpoint", BREAKPOINT_BLOCK 
+	}
+	,
+	{
+		0, 0, 0
 	}
 }
 	;
diff --git a/parser.h b/parser.h
index 2fccf9750..b7c3ea684 100644
--- a/parser.h
+++ b/parser.h
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ enum block_type
 	BEGIN, /**< Unconditional block */
 	SOURCE, /**< Block created by the . (source) builtin */
 	EVENT, /**< Block created on event notifier invocation */
+	BREAKPOINT, /**< Breakpoint block */
 }
 ;
 
diff --git a/reader.c b/reader.c
index b76a9972e..c7fb7709f 100644
--- a/reader.c
+++ b/reader.c
@@ -1983,6 +1983,19 @@ static int read_i()
 		{
 			job_t *j;
 			int has_job=0;
+			int is_breakpoint=0;
+			block_t *b;
+			
+			for( b = current_block; 
+				 b; 
+				 b = b->outer )
+			{
+				if( b->type == BREAKPOINT )
+				{
+					is_breakpoint = 1;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
 			
 			for( j=first_job; j; j=j->next )
 			{
@@ -1992,8 +2005,8 @@ static int read_i()
 					break;
 				}
 			}
-			
-			if( !reader_exit_forced() && !data->prev_end_loop && has_job )
+						
+			if( !reader_exit_forced() && !data->prev_end_loop && has_job && !is_breakpoint )
 			{
 				writestr(_( L"There are stopped jobs\n" ));