diff --git a/src/parse_grammar.h b/src/parse_grammar.h
index 18def39cd..5375a681b 100644
--- a/src/parse_grammar.h
+++ b/src/parse_grammar.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ using production_element_t = uint8_t;
 // Define primitive types.
 template <enum parse_token_type_t Token>
 struct primitive {
+    using type_tuple = std::tuple<>;
+    static constexpr parse_token_type_t token = Token;
     static constexpr production_element_t element() { return Token; }
 };
 
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ using tok_redirection = primitive<parse_token_type_redirection>;
 // Define keyword types.
 template <parse_keyword_t Keyword>
 struct keyword {
+    using type_tuple = std::tuple<>;
     static constexpr production_element_t element() {
         // Convert a parse_keyword_t enum to a production_element_t enum.
         return Keyword + LAST_TOKEN_OR_SYMBOL + 1;
@@ -106,7 +109,8 @@ struct alternative {
 };
 
 // Following are the grammar productions.
-#define BODY(T) static constexpr parse_token_type_t symbol = symbol_##T;
+#define BODY(T) static constexpr parse_token_type_t token = symbol_##T;
+
 #define DEF(T) struct T : public
 
 #define DEF_ALT(T) struct T : public alternative
diff --git a/src/parse_tree.h b/src/parse_tree.h
index b92f34914..aae621cfb 100644
--- a/src/parse_tree.h
+++ b/src/parse_tree.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "common.h"
+#include "maybe.h"
 #include "parse_constants.h"
 #include "parse_grammar.h"
 #include "tokenizer.h"
@@ -228,6 +229,11 @@ class parse_node_tree_t : public std::vector<parse_node_t> {
     bool job_should_be_backgrounded(const parse_node_t &job) const;
 };
 
+struct source_range_t {
+    uint32_t start;
+    uint32_t length;
+};
+
 /// A helper for type-safe manipulation of parse nodes.
 /// This is a lightweight value-type class.
 template <typename Type>
@@ -247,7 +253,7 @@ class tnode_t {
 
     tnode_t(const parse_node_tree_t *t, const parse_node_t *n) : tree(t), nodeptr(n) {
         assert(t && "tree cannot be null in this constructor");
-        assert((!n || n->type == Type::symbol) && "node has wrong type");
+        assert((!n || n->type == Type::token) && "node has wrong type");
     }
 
     /// Return the underlying (type-erased) node.
@@ -256,12 +262,24 @@ class tnode_t {
     /// Check whether we're populated.
     explicit operator bool() const { return nodeptr != nullptr; }
 
+    bool has_source() const { return nodeptr && nodeptr->has_source(); }
+
+    maybe_t<source_range_t> source_range() const {
+        if (!has_source()) return none();
+        return source_range_t{nodeptr->source_start, nodeptr->source_length};
+    }
+
+    wcstring get_source(const wcstring &str) const {
+        assert(has_source() && "Source missing");
+        return nodeptr->get_source(str);
+    }
+
     /// Type-safe access to a child at the given index.
     template <node_offset_t Index>
     tnode_t<child_at<Type, Index>> child() const {
         using child_type = child_at<Type, Index>;
         const parse_node_t *child = nullptr;
-        if (nodeptr) child = tree->get_child(*nodeptr, Index, child_type::symbol);
+        if (nodeptr) child = tree->get_child(*nodeptr, Index, child_type::token);
         return tnode_t<child_type>{tree, child};
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/reader.cpp b/src/reader.cpp
index 806e3d6e7..efbcf7455 100644
--- a/src/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/reader.cpp
@@ -580,7 +580,8 @@ bool reader_expand_abbreviation_in_command(const wcstring &cmdline, size_t curso
                            &parse_tree, NULL);
 
     // Look for plain statements where the cursor is at the end of the command.
-    const parse_node_t *matching_cmd_node = NULL;
+    using namespace grammar;
+    tnode_t<tok_string> matching_cmd_node;
     const size_t len = parse_tree.size();
     for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
         const parse_node_t &node = parse_tree.at(i);
@@ -593,12 +594,15 @@ bool reader_expand_abbreviation_in_command(const wcstring &cmdline, size_t curso
             continue;
 
         // Get the command node. Skip it if we can't or it has no source.
-        const parse_node_t *cmd_node = parse_tree.get_child(node, 0, parse_token_type_string);
-        if (cmd_node == NULL || !cmd_node->has_source()) continue;
+        tnode_t<plain_statement> statement(&parse_tree, &node);
+        tnode_t<tok_string> cmd_node = statement.child<0>();
+
+        auto msource = cmd_node.source_range();
+        if (!msource) continue;
 
         // Now see if its source range contains our cursor, including at the end.
-        if (subcmd_cursor_pos >= cmd_node->source_start &&
-            subcmd_cursor_pos <= cmd_node->source_start + cmd_node->source_length) {
+        if (subcmd_cursor_pos >= msource->start &&
+            subcmd_cursor_pos <= msource->start + msource->length) {
             // Success!
             matching_cmd_node = cmd_node;
             break;
@@ -607,17 +611,16 @@ bool reader_expand_abbreviation_in_command(const wcstring &cmdline, size_t curso
 
     // Now if we found a command node, expand it.
     bool result = false;
-    if (matching_cmd_node != NULL) {
-        assert(matching_cmd_node->type == parse_token_type_string);
-        const wcstring token = matching_cmd_node->get_source(subcmd);
+    if (matching_cmd_node) {
+        const wcstring token = matching_cmd_node.get_source(subcmd);
         wcstring abbreviation;
         if (expand_abbreviation(token, &abbreviation)) {
             // There was an abbreviation! Replace the token in the full command. Maintain the
             // relative position of the cursor.
             if (output != NULL) {
                 output->assign(cmdline);
-                output->replace(subcmd_offset + matching_cmd_node->source_start,
-                                matching_cmd_node->source_length, abbreviation);
+                source_range_t r = *matching_cmd_node.source_range();
+                output->replace(subcmd_offset + r.start, r.length, abbreviation);
             }
             result = true;
         }