diff --git a/src/evalvars.c b/src/evalvars.c
index fdc6f454a..2566a1703 100644
--- a/src/evalvars.c
+++ b/src/evalvars.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ static struct vimvar
     {VV_NAME("argv",		 VAR_LIST), VV_RO},
     {VV_NAME("collate",		 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
     {VV_NAME("disallow_let",	 VAR_NUMBER), 0}, // TODO: remove
+    {VV_NAME("cmd",	         VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
 };

 // shorthand
diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index 89eaabccc..8a2bdab43 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -1809,9 +1809,13 @@ clear_showcmd(void)
 # endif
 	    sprintf((char *)showcmd_buf, "%ldx%ld", lines,
 					      (long)(rightcol - leftcol + 1));
+	    set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
 	}
 	else if (VIsual_mode == 'V' || VIsual.lnum != curwin->w_cursor.lnum)
+	{
 	    sprintf((char *)showcmd_buf, "%ld", lines);
+	    set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+	}
 	else
 	{
 	    char_u  *s, *e;
@@ -1843,17 +1847,25 @@ clear_showcmd(void)
 		s += l;
 	    }
 	    if (bytes == chars)
+	    {
 		sprintf((char *)showcmd_buf, "%d", chars);
+		set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+	    }
 	    else
+	    {
 		sprintf((char *)showcmd_buf, "%d-%d", chars, bytes);
+		set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+	    }
 	}
 	showcmd_buf[SHOWCMD_COLS] = NUL;	// truncate
+	set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
 	showcmd_visual = TRUE;
     }
     else
     {
 	showcmd_buf[0] = NUL;
 	showcmd_visual = FALSE;
+	set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);

 	// Don't actually display something if there is nothing to clear.
 	if (showcmd_is_clear)
@@ -1916,6 +1928,7 @@ add_to_showcmd(int c)
 	mch_memmove(showcmd_buf, showcmd_buf + overflow,
 						      old_len - overflow + 1);
     STRCAT(showcmd_buf, p);
+    set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);

     if (char_avail())
 	return FALSE;
@@ -1947,6 +1960,8 @@ del_from_showcmd(int len)
     if (len > old_len)
 	len = old_len;
     showcmd_buf[old_len - len] = NUL;
+    set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+

     if (!char_avail())
 	display_showcmd();
@@ -1960,7 +1975,11 @@ del_from_showcmd(int len)
 push_showcmd(void)
 {
     if (p_sc)
+    {
 	STRCPY(old_showcmd_buf, showcmd_buf);
+	set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+
+    }
 }

     void
@@ -1970,6 +1989,8 @@ pop_showcmd(void)
 	return;

     STRCPY(showcmd_buf, old_showcmd_buf);
+    set_vim_var_string(VV_CMD, (char_u*)showcmd_buf, -1);
+

     display_showcmd();
 }
diff --git a/src/vim.h b/src/vim.h
index c43ec83e6..1c576a774 100644
--- a/src/vim.h
+++ b/src/vim.h
@@ -1993,7 +1993,8 @@ typedef int sock_T;
 #define VV_ARGV		94
 #define VV_COLLATE      95
 #define VV_DISALLOW_LET 96	// TODO: remove again
-#define VV_LEN		97	// number of v: vars
+#define VV_CMD          97
+#define VV_LEN		98	// number of v: vars

 // used for v_number in VAR_BOOL and VAR_SPECIAL
 #define VVAL_FALSE	0L	// VAR_BOOL