diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/doc.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/doc.go
index 9c439057d12..bd3bc8358ca 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/doc.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/doc.go
@@ -155,9 +155,18 @@ initialization has syntax
 
 	$variable := pipeline
 
-where $variable is the name of the variable. The one exception is a pipeline in
-a range action; in ranges, the variable is set to the successive elements of the
-iteration.
+where $variable is the name of the variable.
+
+The one exception is a pipeline in a range action; in ranges, the variable is
+set to the successive elements of the iteration.  Also, a range may declare two
+variables, separated by a comma:
+
+	$index, $element := pipeline
+
+In this case $index and $element are set to the successive values of the
+array/slice index or map key and element, respectively.  Note that if there is
+only one variable, it is assigned the element; this is opposite to the
+convention in Go range clauses.
 
 When execution begins, $ is set to the data argument passed to Execute, that is,
 to the starting value of dot.
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/exec.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/exec.go
index 6b0758045de..d60b107687e 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/exec.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/exec.go
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ func (s *state) pop(mark int) {
 	s.vars = s.vars[0:mark]
 }
 
-// setTop overwrites the top variable on the stack. Used by range iterations.
-func (s *state) setTop(value reflect.Value) {
-	s.vars[len(s.vars)-1].value = value
+// setVar overwrites the top-nth variable on the stack. Used by range iterations.
+func (s *state) setVar(n int, value reflect.Value) {
+	s.vars[len(s.vars)-n].value = value
 }
 
 // varValue returns the value of the named variable.
@@ -191,9 +191,13 @@ func (s *state) walkRange(dot reflect.Value, r *rangeNode) {
 		}
 		for i := 0; i < val.Len(); i++ {
 			elem := val.Index(i)
-			// Set $x to the element rather than the slice.
-			if r.pipe.decl != nil {
-				s.setTop(elem)
+			// Set top var (lexically the second if there are two) to the element.
+			if len(r.pipe.decl) > 0 {
+				s.setVar(1, elem)
+			}
+			// Set next var (lexically the first if there are two) to the index.
+			if len(r.pipe.decl) > 1 {
+				s.setVar(2, reflect.ValueOf(i))
 			}
 			s.walk(elem, r.list)
 		}
@@ -204,9 +208,13 @@ func (s *state) walkRange(dot reflect.Value, r *rangeNode) {
 		}
 		for _, key := range val.MapKeys() {
 			elem := val.MapIndex(key)
-			// Set $x to the key rather than the map.
-			if r.pipe.decl != nil {
-				s.setTop(elem)
+			// Set top var (lexically the second if there are two) to the element.
+			if len(r.pipe.decl) > 0 {
+				s.setVar(1, elem)
+			}
+			// Set next var (lexically the first if there are two) to the key.
+			if len(r.pipe.decl) > 1 {
+				s.setVar(2, key)
 			}
 			s.walk(elem, r.list)
 		}
@@ -255,8 +263,8 @@ func (s *state) evalPipeline(dot reflect.Value, pipe *pipeNode) (value reflect.V
 			value = reflect.ValueOf(value.Interface()) // lovely!
 		}
 	}
-	if pipe.decl != nil {
-		s.push(pipe.decl.ident[0], value)
+	for _, variable := range pipe.decl {
+		s.push(variable.ident[0], value)
 	}
 	return value
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/exec_test.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/exec_test.go
index 97ec952493e..7d73f89701a 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/exec_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/exec_test.go
@@ -195,14 +195,8 @@ var execTests = []execTest{
 
 	// Variables.
 	{"$ int", "{{$}}", "123", 123, true},
-	{"with $x int", "{{with $x := .I}}{{$x}}{{end}}", "17", tVal, true},
-	{"range $x SI", "{{range $x := .SI}}<{{$x}}>{{end}}", "<3><4><5>", tVal, true},
-	{"range $x PSI", "{{range $x := .PSI}}<{{$x}}>{{end}}", "<21><22><23>", tVal, true},
-	{"if $x with $y int", "{{if $x := true}}{{with $y := .I}}{{$x}},{{$y}}{{end}}{{end}}", "true,17", tVal, true},
-	{"if $x with $x int", "{{if $x := true}}{{with $x := .I}}{{$x}},{{end}}{{$x}}{{end}}", "17,true", tVal, true},
 	{"$.I", "{{$.I}}", "17", tVal, true},
 	{"$.U.V", "{{$.U.V}}", "v", tVal, true},
-	{"with $x struct.U.V", "{{with $x := $}}{{$.U.V}}{{end}}", "v", tVal, true},
 
 	// Pointers.
 	{"*int", "{{.PI}}", "23", tVal, true},
@@ -253,6 +247,8 @@ var execTests = []execTest{
 	{"if slice", "{{if .SI}}NON-EMPTY{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "NON-EMPTY", tVal, true},
 	{"if emptymap", "{{if .MSIEmpty}}NON-EMPTY{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "EMPTY", tVal, true},
 	{"if map", "{{if .MSI}}NON-EMPTY{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "NON-EMPTY", tVal, true},
+	{"if $x with $y int", "{{if $x := true}}{{with $y := .I}}{{$x}},{{$y}}{{end}}{{end}}", "true,17", tVal, true},
+	{"if $x with $x int", "{{if $x := true}}{{with $x := .I}}{{$x}},{{end}}{{$x}}{{end}}", "17,true", tVal, true},
 
 	// Print etc.
 	{"print", `{{print "hello, print"}}`, "hello, print", tVal, true},
@@ -312,6 +308,8 @@ var execTests = []execTest{
 	{"with emptymap", "{{with .MSIEmpty}}{{.}}{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "EMPTY", tVal, true},
 	{"with map", "{{with .MSIone}}{{.}}{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "map[one:1]", tVal, true},
 	{"with empty interface, struct field", "{{with .Empty4}}{{.V}}{{end}}", "v", tVal, true},
+	{"with $x int", "{{with $x := .I}}{{$x}}{{end}}", "17", tVal, true},
+	{"with $x struct.U.V", "{{with $x := $}}{{$.U.V}}{{end}}", "v", tVal, true},
 
 	// Range.
 	{"range []int", "{{range .SI}}-{{.}}-{{end}}", "-3--4--5-", tVal, true},
@@ -325,6 +323,11 @@ var execTests = []execTest{
 	{"range map else", "{{range .MSI | .MSort}}-{{.}}-{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "-one--three--two-", tVal, true},
 	{"range empty map else", "{{range .MSIEmpty}}-{{.}}-{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "EMPTY", tVal, true},
 	{"range empty interface", "{{range .Empty3}}-{{.}}-{{else}}EMPTY{{end}}", "-7--8-", tVal, true},
+	{"range $x SI", "{{range $x := .SI}}<{{$x}}>{{end}}", "<3><4><5>", tVal, true},
+	{"range $x $y SI", "{{range $x, $y := .SI}}<{{$x}}={{$y}}>{{end}}", "<0=3><1=4><2=5>", tVal, true},
+	{"range $x MSIone", "{{range $x := .MSIone}}<{{$x}}>{{end}}", "<1>", tVal, true},
+	{"range $x $y MSIone", "{{range $x, $y := .MSIone}}<{{$x}}={{$y}}>{{end}}", "<one=1>", tVal, true},
+	{"range $x PSI", "{{range $x := .PSI}}<{{$x}}>{{end}}", "<21><22><23>", tVal, true},
 
 	// Cute examples.
 	{"or as if true", `{{or .SI "slice is empty"}}`, "[3 4 5]", tVal, true},
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/lex.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/lex.go
index 72eff105e40..97f4e9dc35d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/lex.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/lex.go
@@ -35,11 +35,12 @@ func (i item) String() string {
 type itemType int
 
 const (
-	itemError       itemType = iota // error occurred; value is text of error
-	itemBool                        // boolean constant
-	itemChar                        // character constant
-	itemComplex                     // complex constant (1+2i); imaginary is just a number
-	itemColonEquals                 // colon-equals (':=') introducing a declaration
+	itemError        itemType = iota // error occurred; value is text of error
+	itemBool                         // boolean constant
+	itemChar                         // printable ASCII character; grab bag for comma etc.
+	itemCharConstant                 // character constant
+	itemComplex                      // complex constant (1+2i); imaginary is just a number
+	itemColonEquals                  // colon-equals (':=') introducing a declaration
 	itemEOF
 	itemField      // alphanumeric identifier, starting with '.', possibly chained ('.x.y')
 	itemIdentifier // alphanumeric identifier
@@ -65,21 +66,22 @@ const (
 
 // Make the types prettyprint.
 var itemName = map[itemType]string{
-	itemError:       "error",
-	itemBool:        "bool",
-	itemChar:        "char",
-	itemComplex:     "complex",
-	itemColonEquals: ":=",
-	itemEOF:         "EOF",
-	itemField:       "field",
-	itemIdentifier:  "identifier",
-	itemLeftDelim:   "left delim",
-	itemNumber:      "number",
-	itemPipe:        "pipe",
-	itemRawString:   "raw string",
-	itemRightDelim:  "right delim",
-	itemString:      "string",
-	itemVariable:    "variable",
+	itemError:        "error",
+	itemBool:         "bool",
+	itemChar:         "char",
+	itemCharConstant: "charconst",
+	itemComplex:      "complex",
+	itemColonEquals:  ":=",
+	itemEOF:          "EOF",
+	itemField:        "field",
+	itemIdentifier:   "identifier",
+	itemLeftDelim:    "left delim",
+	itemNumber:       "number",
+	itemPipe:         "pipe",
+	itemRawString:    "raw string",
+	itemRightDelim:   "right delim",
+	itemString:       "string",
+	itemVariable:     "variable",
 	// keywords
 	itemDot:      ".",
 	itemDefine:   "define",
@@ -315,6 +317,9 @@ func lexInsideAction(l *lexer) stateFn {
 		case isAlphaNumeric(r):
 			l.backup()
 			return lexIdentifier
+		case r <= unicode.MaxASCII && unicode.IsPrint(r):
+			l.emit(itemChar)
+			return lexInsideAction
 		default:
 			return l.errorf("unrecognized character in action: %#U", r)
 		}
@@ -369,7 +374,7 @@ Loop:
 			break Loop
 		}
 	}
-	l.emit(itemChar)
+	l.emit(itemCharConstant)
 	return lexInsideAction
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/lex_test.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/lex_test.go
index 36079e22f55..a585a415546 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/lex_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/lex_test.go
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ var lexTests = []lexTest{
 		{itemText, "-world"},
 		tEOF,
 	}},
+	{"punctuation", "{{,@%}}", []item{
+		tLeft,
+		{itemChar, ","},
+		{itemChar, "@"},
+		{itemChar, "%"},
+		tRight,
+		tEOF,
+	}},
 	{"empty action", `{{}}`, []item{tLeft, tRight, tEOF}},
 	{"for", `{{for }}`, []item{tLeft, tFor, tRight, tEOF}},
 	{"quote", `{{"abc \n\t\" "}}`, []item{tLeft, tQuote, tRight, tEOF}},
@@ -55,13 +63,13 @@ var lexTests = []lexTest{
 	}},
 	{"characters", `{{'a' '\n' '\'' '\\' '\u00FF' '\xFF' '本'}}`, []item{
 		tLeft,
-		{itemChar, `'a'`},
-		{itemChar, `'\n'`},
-		{itemChar, `'\''`},
-		{itemChar, `'\\'`},
-		{itemChar, `'\u00FF'`},
-		{itemChar, `'\xFF'`},
-		{itemChar, `'本'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'a'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'\n'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'\''`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'\\'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'\u00FF'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'\xFF'`},
+		{itemCharConstant, `'本'`},
 		tRight,
 		tEOF,
 	}},
@@ -127,11 +135,29 @@ var lexTests = []lexTest{
 		{itemText, " outro"},
 		tEOF,
 	}},
+	{"declaration", "{{$v := 3}}", []item{
+		tLeft,
+		{itemVariable, "$v"},
+		{itemColonEquals, ":="},
+		{itemNumber, "3"},
+		tRight,
+		tEOF,
+	}},
+	{"2 declarations", "{{$v , $w := 3}}", []item{
+		tLeft,
+		{itemVariable, "$v"},
+		{itemChar, ","},
+		{itemVariable, "$w"},
+		{itemColonEquals, ":="},
+		{itemNumber, "3"},
+		tRight,
+		tEOF,
+	}},
 	// errors
-	{"badchar", "#{{#}}", []item{
+	{"badchar", "#{{\x01}}", []item{
 		{itemText, "#"},
 		tLeft,
-		{itemError, "unrecognized character in action: U+0023 '#'"},
+		{itemError, "unrecognized character in action: U+0001"},
 	}},
 	{"unclosed action", "{{\n}}", []item{
 		tLeft,
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/parse.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/parse.go
index c416b348333..d8ec30fa9e5 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/parse.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/parse.go
@@ -140,11 +140,11 @@ func (t *textNode) String() string {
 type pipeNode struct {
 	nodeType
 	line int
-	decl *variableNode
+	decl []*variableNode
 	cmds []*commandNode
 }
 
-func newPipeline(line int, decl *variableNode) *pipeNode {
+func newPipeline(line int, decl []*variableNode) *pipeNode {
 	return &pipeNode{nodeType: nodePipe, line: line, decl: decl}
 }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func (p *pipeNode) append(command *commandNode) {
 
 func (p *pipeNode) String() string {
 	if p.decl != nil {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%s := %v", p.decl.ident, p.cmds)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%v := %v", p.decl, p.cmds)
 	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%v", p.cmds)
 }
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ type numberNode struct {
 func newNumber(text string, typ itemType) (*numberNode, os.Error) {
 	n := &numberNode{nodeType: nodeNumber, text: text}
 	switch typ {
-	case itemChar:
+	case itemCharConstant:
 		rune, _, tail, err := strconv.UnquoteChar(text[1:], text[0])
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -704,20 +704,30 @@ func (t *Template) action() (n node) {
 //	field or command
 //	pipeline "|" pipeline
 func (t *Template) pipeline(context string) (pipe *pipeNode) {
-	var decl *variableNode
-	// Is there a declaration?
-	if v := t.peek(); v.typ == itemVariable {
-		t.next()
-		if ce := t.peek(); ce.typ == itemColonEquals {
+	var decl []*variableNode
+	// Are there declarations?
+	for {
+		if v := t.peek(); v.typ == itemVariable {
 			t.next()
-			decl = newVariable(v.val)
-			if len(decl.ident) != 1 {
-				t.errorf("illegal variable in declaration: %s", v.val)
+			if next := t.peek(); next.typ == itemColonEquals || next.typ == itemChar {
+				t.next()
+				variable := newVariable(v.val)
+				if len(variable.ident) != 1 {
+					t.errorf("illegal variable in declaration: %s", v.val)
+				}
+				decl = append(decl, variable)
+				t.vars = append(t.vars, v.val)
+				if next.typ == itemChar && next.val == "," {
+					if context == "range" && len(decl) < 2 {
+						continue
+					}
+					t.errorf("too many declarations in %s", context)
+				}
+			} else {
+				t.backup2(v)
 			}
-			t.vars = append(t.vars, v.val)
-		} else {
-			t.backup2(v)
 		}
+		break
 	}
 	pipe = newPipeline(t.lex.lineNumber(), decl)
 	for {
@@ -727,7 +737,8 @@ func (t *Template) pipeline(context string) (pipe *pipeNode) {
 				t.errorf("missing value for %s", context)
 			}
 			return
-		case itemBool, itemChar, itemComplex, itemDot, itemField, itemIdentifier, itemVariable, itemNumber, itemRawString, itemString:
+		case itemBool, itemCharConstant, itemComplex, itemDot, itemField, itemIdentifier,
+			itemVariable, itemNumber, itemRawString, itemString:
 			t.backup()
 			pipe.append(t.command())
 		default:
@@ -848,7 +859,7 @@ Loop:
 			cmd.append(newField(token.val))
 		case itemBool:
 			cmd.append(newBool(token.val == "true"))
-		case itemChar, itemComplex, itemNumber:
+		case itemCharConstant, itemComplex, itemNumber:
 			number, err := newNumber(token.val, token.typ)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.error(err)
diff --git a/src/pkg/exp/template/parse_test.go b/src/pkg/exp/template/parse_test.go
index de72aa9dde6..6b4ca1989f7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exp/template/parse_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exp/template/parse_test.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func TestNumberParse(t *testing.T) {
 		var c complex128
 		typ := itemNumber
 		if test.text[0] == '\'' {
-			typ = itemChar
+			typ = itemCharConstant
 		} else {
 			_, err := fmt.Sscan(test.text, &c)
 			if err == nil {
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ var parseTests = []parseTest{
 	{"$ invocation", "{{$}}", noError,
 		"[(action: [(command: [V=[$]])])]"},
 	{"variable invocation", "{{with $x := 3}}{{$x 23}}{{end}}", noError,
-		"[({{with [$x] := [(command: [N=3])]}} [(action: [(command: [V=[$x] N=23])])])]"},
+		"[({{with [V=[$x]] := [(command: [N=3])]}} [(action: [(command: [V=[$x] N=23])])])]"},
 	{"variable with fields", "{{$.I}}", noError,
 		"[(action: [(command: [V=[$ I]])])]"},
 	{"multi-word command", "{{printf `%d` 23}}", noError,
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ var parseTests = []parseTest{
 	{"pipeline", "{{.X|.Y}}", noError,
 		`[(action: [(command: [F=[X]]) (command: [F=[Y]])])]`},
 	{"pipeline with decl", "{{$x := .X|.Y}}", noError,
-		`[(action: [$x] := [(command: [F=[X]]) (command: [F=[Y]])])]`},
+		`[(action: [V=[$x]] := [(command: [F=[X]]) (command: [F=[Y]])])]`},
 	{"declaration", "{{.X|.Y}}", noError,
 		`[(action: [(command: [F=[X]]) (command: [F=[Y]])])]`},
 	{"simple if", "{{if .X}}hello{{end}}", noError,
@@ -223,6 +223,9 @@ var parseTests = []parseTest{
 	{"declare with field", "{{with $x.Y := 4}}{{end}}", hasError, ""},
 	{"template with field ref", "{{template .X}}", hasError, ""},
 	{"template with var", "{{template $v}}", hasError, ""},
+	{"invalid punctuation", "{{printf 3, 4}}", hasError, ""},
+	{"multidecl outside range", "{{with $v, $u := 3}}{{end}}", hasError, ""},
+	{"too many decls in range", "{{range $u, $v, $w := 3}}{{end}}", hasError, ""},
 }
 
 func TestParse(t *testing.T) {