diff --git a/core/parser/parser-docs.factor b/core/parser/parser-docs.factor
index 23363c30ad..b69985fb1d 100755
--- a/core/parser/parser-docs.factor
+++ b/core/parser/parser-docs.factor
@@ -51,9 +51,11 @@ ARTICLE: "vocabulary-search-errors" "Word lookup errors"
 ARTICLE: "vocabulary-search" "Vocabulary search path"
 "When the parser reads a token, it attempts to look up a word named by that token. The lookup is performed by searching each vocabulary in the search path, in order."
 $nl
-"For a source file the vocabulary search path starts off with two vocabularies:"
-{ $code "syntax\nscratchpad" }
-"The " { $vocab-link "syntax" } " vocabulary consists of a set of parsing words for reading Factor data and defining new words. The " { $vocab-link "scratchpad" } " vocabulary is the default vocabulary for new word definitions."
+"For a source file the vocabulary search path starts off with one vocabulary:"
+{ $code "syntax" }
+"The " { $vocab-link "syntax" } " vocabulary consists of a set of parsing words for reading Factor data and defining new words."
+$nl
+"In the listener, the " { $vocab-link "scratchpad" } " is the default vocabulary for new word definitions. However, when loading source files, there is no default vocabulary. Defining words before declaring a vocabulary with " { $link POSTPONE: IN: } " results in an error."
 $nl
 "At the interactive listener, the default search path contains many more vocabularies. Details on the default search path and parser invocation are found in " { $link "parser" } "."
 $nl
@@ -294,6 +296,10 @@ HELP: use
 HELP: in
 { $var-description "A variable holding the name of the current vocabulary for new definitions." } ;
 
+HELP: current-vocab
+{ $values { "str" "a vocabulary" } }
+{ $description "Returns the vocabulary stored in the " { $link in } " symbol. Throws an error if the current vocabulary is " { $link f } "." } ;
+
 HELP: (use+)
 { $values { "vocab" "an assoc mapping strings to words" } }
 { $description "Adds an assoc at the front of the search path." }
@@ -323,7 +329,7 @@ HELP: set-in
 $parsing-note ;
 
 HELP: create-in
-{ $values { "string" "a word name" } { "word" "a new word" } }
+{ $values { "str" "a word name" } { "word" "a new word" } }
 { $description "Creates a word in the current vocabulary. Until re-defined, the word throws an error when invoked." }
 $parsing-note ;
 
@@ -451,7 +457,7 @@ HELP: bootstrap-syntax
 
 HELP: with-file-vocabs
 { $values { "quot" quotation } }
-{ $description "Calls the quotation in a scope with the initial the vocabulary search path for parsing a file. This consists of the " { $snippet "syntax" } " vocabulary together with the " { $snippet "scratchpad" } " vocabulary." } ;
+{ $description "Calls the quotation in a scope with the initial the vocabulary search path for parsing a file. This consists of just the " { $snippet "syntax" } " vocabulary." } ;
 
 HELP: parse-fresh
 { $values { "lines" "a sequence of strings" } { "quot" quotation } }
diff --git a/core/parser/parser.factor b/core/parser/parser.factor
index 7639ebaa69..961fa89d8f 100755
--- a/core/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/parser/parser.factor
@@ -233,8 +233,16 @@ PREDICATE: unexpected-eof < unexpected
 : parse-tokens ( end -- seq )
     100 <vector> swap (parse-tokens) >array ;
 
-: create-in ( string -- word )
-    in get create dup set-word dup save-location ;
+ERROR: no-current-vocab ;
+
+M: no-current-vocab summary ( obj -- )
+    drop "Current vocabulary is f, use IN:" ;
+
+: current-vocab ( -- str )
+    in get [ no-current-vocab ] unless* ;
+
+: create-in ( str -- word )
+    current-vocab create dup set-word dup save-location ;
 
 : CREATE ( -- word ) scan create-in ;
 
@@ -243,7 +251,7 @@ PREDICATE: unexpected-eof < unexpected
 : CREATE-WORD ( -- word ) CREATE dup reset-generic ;
 
 : create-class-in ( word -- word )
-    in get create
+    current-vocab create
     dup save-class-location
     dup predicate-word dup set-word save-location ;
 
@@ -440,8 +448,7 @@ SYMBOL: bootstrap-syntax
 
 : with-file-vocabs ( quot -- )
     [
-        "scratchpad" in set
-        { "syntax" "scratchpad" } set-use
+        f in set { "syntax" } set-use
         bootstrap-syntax get [ use get push ] when*
         call
     ] with-scope ; inline