diff --git a/input.cpp b/input.cpp
index 7ef8402a1..1c60b93c2 100644
--- a/input.cpp
+++ b/input.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ static int interrupt_handler()
     /*
       Tell the reader an event occured
     */
-    if (reader_interrupted())
+    if (reader_reading_interrupted())
     {
         /*
           Return 3, i.e. the character read by a Control-C.
diff --git a/reader.cpp b/reader.cpp
index 49030aded..2e4867b19 100644
--- a/reader.cpp
+++ b/reader.cpp
@@ -657,11 +657,17 @@ void reader_reset_interrupted()
 
 int reader_interrupted()
 {
-    int res=interrupted;
+    int res = interrupted;
     if (res)
     {
         interrupted=0;
     }
+    return res;
+}
+
+int reader_reading_interrupted()
+{
+    int res = reader_interrupted();
     if (res && data && data->interruptible)
     {
         reader_exit(1, 0);
diff --git a/reader.h b/reader.h
index f94d8a896..0c10fb695 100644
--- a/reader.h
+++ b/reader.h
@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@ void reader_set_buffer(const wcstring &b, size_t p);
 */
 size_t reader_get_cursor_pos();
 
+/**
+   Return the value of the interrupted flag, which is set by the sigint
+   handler, and clear it if it was set.
+*/
+int reader_interrupted();
+
 /**
    Clear the interrupted flag unconditionally without handling anything. The 
    flag could have been set e.g. when an interrupt arrived just as we were 
@@ -124,7 +130,7 @@ void reader_reset_interrupted();
    handler, and clear it if it was set. If the current reader is interruptible,
    call \c reader_exit(). 
 */
-int reader_interrupted();
+int reader_reading_interrupted();
 
 /**
    Read one line of input. Before calling this function, reader_push()