diff --git a/core/bootstrap/syntax.factor b/core/bootstrap/syntax.factor
index db70416931..d5e3ac071c 100644
--- a/core/bootstrap/syntax.factor
+++ b/core/bootstrap/syntax.factor
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ! Copyright (C) 2007, 2008 Slava Pestov.
 ! See http://factorcode.org/license.txt for BSD license.
 USING: words words.symbol sequences vocabs kernel
-compiler.units ;
+compiler.units multiline ;
 in: bootstrap.syntax
 
 [
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ in: bootstrap.syntax
         "("
         ":"
         ";"
+        "![[" "![=[" "![==["
         "PRIVATE<"
         "B{"
         "BV{"
diff --git a/core/modern/lexer/lexer-tests.factor b/core/modern/lexer/lexer-tests.factor
index ced7d1c4a2..2dfc2fe099 100644
--- a/core/modern/lexer/lexer-tests.factor
+++ b/core/modern/lexer/lexer-tests.factor
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 USING: kernel modern.lexer sequences tools.test ;
 in: modern.lexer.tests
 
-! { T{ slice f 0 8 "dinosaur" } f } [
-!    "dinosaur" <modern-lexer> lex-til-whitespace
-! ] unit-test
+![[
+{ T{ slice f 0 8 "dinosaur" } f } [
+    "dinosaur" <modern-lexer> lex-til-whitespace
+] unit-test
 
-! { f f } [
-!     "dinosaur" <modern-lexer>
-!     [ lex-til-whitespace 2drop ] [ lex-til-whitespace ] bi
-! ] unit-test
\ No newline at end of file
+{ f f } [
+    "dinosaur" <modern-lexer>
+    [ lex-til-whitespace 2drop ] [ lex-til-whitespace ] bi
+] unit-test
+]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/language/multiline/authors.txt b/core/multiline/authors.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/authors.txt
rename to core/multiline/authors.txt
diff --git a/language/multiline/multiline-docs.factor b/core/multiline/multiline-docs.factor
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/multiline-docs.factor
rename to core/multiline/multiline-docs.factor
diff --git a/language/multiline/multiline-tests.factor b/core/multiline/multiline-tests.factor
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/multiline-tests.factor
rename to core/multiline/multiline-tests.factor
diff --git a/language/multiline/multiline.factor b/core/multiline/multiline.factor
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/multiline.factor
rename to core/multiline/multiline.factor
diff --git a/language/multiline/summary.txt b/core/multiline/summary.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/summary.txt
rename to core/multiline/summary.txt
diff --git a/language/multiline/tags.txt b/core/multiline/tags.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from language/multiline/tags.txt
rename to core/multiline/tags.txt
diff --git a/core/syntax/syntax.factor b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
index 7dfbc4d8b3..990ec84a87 100644
--- a/core/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ lexer locals.errors locals.parser macros math memoize namespaces
 parser quotations sbufs sequences slots source-files splitting
 stack-checker strings strings.parser strings.parser.private
 typed vectors vocabs vocabs.parser words words.alias
-words.constant words.symbol delegate.private hints ;
+words.constant words.symbol delegate.private hints multiline ;
 in: bootstrap.syntax
 
 ! These words are defined as a top-level form, instead of with
@@ -58,6 +58,18 @@ in: bootstrap.syntax
     { "_" "@" } define-fry-specifiers
     ! "@" [ "Only valid inside a fry" throw ] ( -- * ) define-fry-specifier
 
+     "![[" [
+        "]]" parse-multiline-string drop
+    ] define-core-syntax
+
+     "![=[" [
+        "]=]" parse-multiline-string drop
+    ] define-core-syntax
+
+     "![==[" [
+        "]==]" parse-multiline-string drop
+    ] define-core-syntax
+
     "PRIMITIVE:" [
         current-vocab name>>
         scan-word scan-effect ";" expect ensure-primitive
diff --git a/language/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor b/language/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
index 020c55df9d..91630f705b 100644
--- a/language/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
+++ b/language/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ gc
 
     {
         unify-variables
-        (balance-actual-depth)
+        balance-actual-depth
     } compile-unoptimized
 
     {