Index: example.c
===================================================================
--- example.c	(revision 3268)
+++ example.c	(working copy)
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
      *
      * The typed string is returned as a malloc() allocated string by
      * linenoise, so the user needs to free() it. */
-    while((line = linenoise("hello> ")) != NULL) {
+    while((line = linenoiseInitial("hello> ", "loads of promises")) != NULL) {
         /* Do something with the string. */
         if (line[0] != '\0' && line[0] != '/') {
             printf("echo: '%s'\n", line);
Index: linenoise.c
===================================================================
--- linenoise.c	(revision 3268)
+++ linenoise.c	(working copy)
@@ -735,14 +735,11 @@ static int linenoiseEdit(int stdin_fd, int stdout_
     l.buflen = buflen;
     l.prompt = prompt;
     l.plen = strlen(prompt);
-    l.oldpos = l.pos = 0;
-    l.len = 0;
+    l.oldpos = l.pos = l.len = strlen(buf);
     l.cols = getColumns(stdin_fd, stdout_fd);
     l.maxrows = 0;
     l.history_index = 0;
 
-    /* Buffer starts empty. */
-    l.buf[0] = '\0';
     l.buflen--; /* Make sure there is always space for the nulterm */
 
     /* The latest history entry is always our current buffer, that
@@ -750,6 +747,7 @@ static int linenoiseEdit(int stdin_fd, int stdout_
     linenoiseHistoryAdd("");
 
     if (write(l.ofd,prompt,l.plen) == -1) return -1;
+    if (write(l.ofd,l.buf,l.len) == -1) return -1;
     while(1) {
         char c;
         int nread;
@@ -976,6 +974,7 @@ char *linenoise(const char *prompt) {
         }
         return strdup(buf);
     } else {
+        buf[0] = 0;
         count = linenoiseRaw(buf,LINENOISE_MAX_LINE,prompt);
         if (count == -1) return NULL;
         return strdup(buf);
@@ -982,6 +981,23 @@ char *linenoise(const char *prompt) {
     }
 }
 
+char *linenoiseInitial(const char *prompt, const char *initial) {
+    char buf[LINENOISE_MAX_LINE];
+    int count;
+
+    if (isUnsupportedTerm() || !isatty(STDIN_FILENO)) {
+        return NULL;
+    } else {
+        if (initial)
+            snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s", initial);
+        else
+            buf[0] = 0;
+        count = linenoiseRaw(buf,LINENOISE_MAX_LINE,prompt);
+        if (count == -1) return NULL;
+        return strdup(buf);
+    }
+}
+
 /* ================================ History ================================= */
 
 /* Free the history, but does not reset it. Only used when we have to
Index: linenoise.h
===================================================================
--- linenoise.h	(revision 3268)
+++ linenoise.h	(working copy)
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ void linenoiseSetCompletionCallback(linenoiseCompl
 void linenoiseAddCompletion(linenoiseCompletions *, const char *);
 
 char *linenoise(const char *prompt);
+char *linenoiseInitial(const char *prompt, const char *initial);
 int linenoiseHistoryAdd(const char *line);
 int linenoiseHistorySetMaxLen(int len);
 int linenoiseHistorySave(const char *filename);