diff --git a/src/fish_tests.cpp b/src/fish_tests.cpp
index 151488367..5ace2a730 100644
--- a/src/fish_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/fish_tests.cpp
@@ -2997,11 +2997,11 @@ static void test_input() {
 
     // Now test.
     auto evt = input_readch();
-    if (!evt.is_char()) {
-        err(L"Event is not a char");
-    } else if (evt.get_char() != R_DOWN_LINE) {
+    if (!evt.is_readline()) {
+        err(L"Event is not a readline");
+    } else if (evt.get_readline() != R_DOWN_LINE) {
         err(L"Expected to read char R_DOWN_LINE, but instead got %ls\n",
-            describe_char(evt.get_char()).c_str());
+            describe_char(evt.get_readline()).c_str());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index 4b183b80c..227620dd7 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ void input_function_push_args(int code) {
         wchar_t arg{};
         for (;;) {
             auto evt = input_common_readch();
-            if (evt.is_char() && !evt.is_readline()) {
+            if (evt.is_char()) {
                 arg = evt.get_char();
                 break;
             }
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ char_event_t input_readch(bool allow_commands) {
         auto evt = input_common_readch();
 
         if (evt.is_readline()) {
-            switch (evt.get_char()) {
+            switch (evt.get_readline()) {
                 case R_SELF_INSERT: {
                     // Issue #1595: ensure we only insert characters, not readline functions. The
                     // common case is that this will be empty.
diff --git a/src/input_common.cpp b/src/input_common.cpp
index 29826459a..df3bbfcd1 100644
--- a/src/input_common.cpp
+++ b/src/input_common.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ char_event_t input_common_readch() {
     mbstate_t state = {};
     while (1) {
         auto evt = readb();
-        if (!evt.is_char() || evt.is_readline()) {
+        if (!evt.is_char()) {
             return evt;
         }
 
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ char_event_t input_common_readch_timed(bool dequeue_timeouts) {
         if (!dequeue_timeouts) lookahead_push_front(char_event_type_t::timeout);
         return char_event_type_t::timeout;
     }
-    return result.get_char();
+    return result;
 }
 
 void input_common_queue_ch(char_event_t ch) { lookahead_push_back(ch); }
diff --git a/src/input_common.h b/src/input_common.h
index 85db7b5c6..550143ce3 100644
--- a/src/input_common.h
+++ b/src/input_common.h
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ enum class char_event_type_t {
     /// A character was entered.
     charc,
 
+    /// A readline event.
+    readline,
+
     /// A timeout was hit.
     timeout,
 
@@ -94,7 +97,7 @@ enum class char_event_type_t {
 };
 
 class char_event_t {
-    /// Set if the type is charc.
+    /// Set if the type is charc or readline.
     wchar_t c_;
 
    public:
@@ -108,19 +111,26 @@ class char_event_t {
 
     bool is_check_exit() const { return type == char_event_type_t::check_exit; }
 
-    bool is_readline() const {
-        return is_char() && c_ >= R_BEGIN_INPUT_FUNCTIONS && c_ < R_END_INPUT_FUNCTIONS;
-    }
+    bool is_readline() const { return type == char_event_type_t::readline; }
 
     wchar_t get_char() const {
         assert(type == char_event_type_t::charc && "Not a char type");
         return c_;
     }
 
-    /* implicit */ char_event_t(wchar_t c) : c_(c), type(char_event_type_t::charc) {}
+    wchar_t get_readline() const {
+        assert(type == char_event_type_t::readline && "Not a readline type");
+        return c_;
+    }
+
+    /* implicit */ char_event_t(wchar_t c)
+        : c_(c),
+          type(R_BEGIN_INPUT_FUNCTIONS <= c && c < R_END_INPUT_FUNCTIONS
+                   ? char_event_type_t::readline
+                   : char_event_type_t::charc) {}
 
     /* implicit */ char_event_t(char_event_type_t type) : c_(0), type(type) {
-        assert(type != char_event_type_t::charc &&
+        assert(type != char_event_type_t::charc && type != char_event_type_t::readline &&
                "Cannot create a char event with this constructor");
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/reader.cpp b/src/reader.cpp
index b911f2a2f..d2b4ddbad 100644
--- a/src/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/reader.cpp
@@ -2507,8 +2507,10 @@ maybe_t<wcstring> reader_data_t::readline(int nchars) {
             reader_force_exit();
             continue;
         }
-        assert(event_needing_handling->is_char() && "Should have a char event");
-        wchar_t c = event_needing_handling->get_char();
+        assert((event_needing_handling->is_char() || event_needing_handling->is_readline()) &&
+               "Should have a char or readline");
+        wchar_t c = event_needing_handling->is_char() ? event_needing_handling->get_char()
+                                                      : event_needing_handling->get_readline();
 
         // If we get something other than a repaint, then stop coalescing them.
         if (c != R_REPAINT) coalescing_repaints = false;