diff --git a/cmd-parse.y b/cmd-parse.y
index f082b677..86cb357e 100644
--- a/cmd-parse.y
+++ b/cmd-parse.y
@@ -60,9 +60,6 @@ struct cmd_parse_command {
 	u_int				 line;
 	struct cmd_parse_arguments	 arguments;
 
-	int				 argc;
-	char			       **argv;
-
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(cmd_parse_command)	 entry;
 };
 TAILQ_HEAD(cmd_parse_commands, cmd_parse_command);
@@ -92,10 +89,10 @@ static char	*cmd_parse_get_error(const char *, u_int, const char *);
 static void	 cmd_parse_free_command(struct cmd_parse_command *);
 static struct cmd_parse_commands *cmd_parse_new_commands(void);
 static void	 cmd_parse_free_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *);
-static char	*cmd_parse_commands_to_string(struct cmd_parse_commands *);
-static void	 cmd_parse_print_commands(struct cmd_parse_input *, u_int,
+static void	 cmd_parse_build_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *,
+		     struct cmd_parse_input *, struct cmd_parse_result *);
+static void	 cmd_parse_print_commands(struct cmd_parse_input *,
 		     struct cmd_list *);
-static void	 cmd_parse_flatten_command(struct cmd_parse_command *);
 
 %}
 
@@ -587,19 +584,32 @@ cmd_parse_get_error(const char *file, u_int line, const char *error)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_parse_print_commands(struct cmd_parse_input *pi, u_int line,
-    struct cmd_list *cmdlist)
+cmd_parse_print_commands(struct cmd_parse_input *pi, struct cmd_list *cmdlist)
 {
 	char	*s;
 
-	if (pi->item != NULL && (pi->flags & CMD_PARSE_VERBOSE)) {
-		s = cmd_list_print(cmdlist, 0);
-		if (pi->file != NULL)
-			cmdq_print(pi->item, "%s:%u: %s", pi->file, line, s);
-		else
-			cmdq_print(pi->item, "%u: %s", line, s);
-		free(s);
+	if (pi->item == NULL || (~pi->flags & CMD_PARSE_VERBOSE))
+		return;
+	s = cmd_list_print(cmdlist, 0);
+	if (pi->file != NULL)
+		cmdq_print(pi->item, "%s:%u: %s", pi->file, pi->line, s);
+	else
+		cmdq_print(pi->item, "%u: %s", pi->line, s);
+	free(s);
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_parse_free_argument(struct cmd_parse_argument *arg)
+{
+	switch (arg->type) {
+	case CMD_PARSE_STRING:
+		free(arg->string);
+		break;
+	case CMD_PARSE_COMMANDS:
+		cmd_parse_free_commands(arg->commands);
+		break;
 	}
+	free(arg);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -608,23 +618,14 @@ cmd_parse_free_arguments(struct cmd_parse_arguments *args)
 	struct cmd_parse_argument	*arg, *arg1;
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(arg, args, entry, arg1) {
-		switch (arg->type) {
-		case CMD_PARSE_STRING:
-			free(arg->string);
-			break;
-		case CMD_PARSE_COMMANDS:
-			cmd_parse_free_commands(arg->commands);
-			break;
-		}
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(args, arg, entry);
-		free(arg);
+		cmd_parse_free_argument(arg);
 	}
 }
 
 static void
 cmd_parse_free_command(struct cmd_parse_command *cmd)
 {
-	cmd_free_argv(cmd->argc, cmd->argv);
 	cmd_parse_free_arguments(&cmd->arguments);
 	free(cmd);
 }
@@ -729,144 +730,120 @@ cmd_parse_log_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
-static char *
-cmd_parse_commands_to_string(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds)
+static int
+cmd_parse_expand_alias(struct cmd_parse_command *cmd,
+    struct cmd_parse_input *pi, struct cmd_parse_result *pr,
+    struct cmd_list **cmdlist)
 {
-	struct cmd_parse_command	 *cmd;
-	char				 *string = NULL, *s, *line;
+	struct cmd_parse_argument	*arg, *arg1, *first, *after;
+	struct cmd_parse_commands	*cmds;
+	struct cmd_parse_command	*last;
+	char				*alias, *name, *cause;
 
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(cmd, cmds, entry) {
-		cmd_parse_flatten_command(cmd);
+	*cmdlist = NULL;
 
-		line = cmd_stringify_argv(cmd->argc, cmd->argv);
-		if (string == NULL)
-			s = line;
-		else {
-			xasprintf(&s, "%s ; %s", s, line);
-			free(line);
-		}
-
-		free(string);
-		string = s;
+	first = TAILQ_FIRST(&cmd->arguments);
+	if (first == NULL || first->type != CMD_PARSE_STRING) {
+		pr->status = CMD_PARSE_EMPTY;
+		return (1);
 	}
-	if (string == NULL)
-		string = xstrdup("");
-	log_debug("%s: %s", __func__, string);
-	return (string);
+	name = first->string;
+
+	alias = cmd_get_alias(name);
+	if (alias == NULL)
+		return (0);
+	log_debug("%s: %u alias %s = %s", __func__, pi->line, name, alias);
+
+	cmds = cmd_parse_do_buffer(alias, strlen(alias), pi, &cause);
+	free(alias);
+	if (cmds == NULL) {
+		pr->status = CMD_PARSE_ERROR;
+		pr->error = cause;
+		return (1);
+	}
+
+	last = TAILQ_LAST(cmds, cmd_parse_commands);
+	if (last == NULL) {
+		*cmdlist = cmd_list_new();
+		return (1);
+	}
+
+	TAILQ_REMOVE(&cmd->arguments, first, entry);
+	cmd_parse_free_argument(first);
+
+	after = TAILQ_NEXT(TAILQ_FIRST(&last->arguments), entry);
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(arg, &cmd->arguments, entry, arg1) {
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&cmd->arguments, arg, entry);
+		if (after == NULL)
+			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&last->arguments, arg, entry);
+		else
+			TAILQ_INSERT_AFTER(&last->arguments, after, arg, entry);
+		after = arg;
+	}
+ 	cmd_parse_log_commands(cmds, __func__);
+
+	cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi, pr);
+	if (pr->status != CMD_PARSE_SUCCESS)
+		*cmdlist = pr->cmdlist;
+	return (1);
 }
 
-static void
-cmd_parse_flatten_command(struct cmd_parse_command *cmd)
+static struct cmd_list *
+cmd_parse_build_command(struct cmd_parse_command *cmd,
+    struct cmd_parse_input *pi, struct cmd_parse_result *pr)
 {
 	struct cmd_parse_argument	*arg;
-	char				*s;
+	struct cmd_list			*cmdlist;
+	struct cmd			*add;
+	char				*s, **argv = NULL, *cause;
+	int				 argc = 0;
 
-	cmd->argc = 0;
-	cmd->argv = NULL;
+	if (cmd_parse_expand_alias(cmd, pi, pr, &cmdlist))
+		return (cmdlist);
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(arg, &cmd->arguments, entry) {
 		switch (arg->type) {
 		case CMD_PARSE_STRING:
-			cmd_append_argv(&cmd->argc, &cmd->argv, arg->string);
+			cmd_append_argv(&argc, &argv, arg->string);
 			break;
 		case CMD_PARSE_COMMANDS:
-			s = cmd_parse_commands_to_string(arg->commands);
-			cmd_append_argv(&cmd->argc, &cmd->argv, s);
+			cmd_parse_build_commands(arg->commands, pi, pr);
+			if (pr->status != CMD_PARSE_SUCCESS)
+				return (NULL);
+			s = cmd_list_print(pr->cmdlist, 0);
+			cmd_append_argv(&argc, &argv, s);
 			free(s);
 			break;
 		}
 	}
-}
 
-static struct cmd *
-cmd_parse_build_command(struct cmd_parse_command *cmd,
-    struct cmd_parse_input *pi, u_int line, struct cmd_parse_result *pr)
-{
-	struct cmd	*add;
-	char		*cause;
-
-	add = cmd_parse(cmd->argc, cmd->argv, pi->file, line, &cause);
+	add = cmd_parse(argc, argv, pi->file, pi->line, &cause);
 	if (add == NULL) {
 		pr->status = CMD_PARSE_ERROR;
-		pr->error = cmd_parse_get_error(pi->file, line, cause);
+		pr->error = cmd_parse_get_error(pi->file, pi->line, cause);
 		free(cause);
 		return (NULL);
 	}
-	return (add);
+	cmdlist = cmd_list_new();
+	cmd_list_append(cmdlist, add);
+	return (cmdlist);
 }
 
-static struct cmd_parse_result *
+static void
 cmd_parse_build_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds,
-    struct cmd_parse_input *pi)
+    struct cmd_parse_input *pi, struct cmd_parse_result *pr)
 {
-	static struct cmd_parse_result	 pr;
-	struct cmd_parse_commands	*cmds2;
-	struct cmd_parse_command	*cmd, *cmd2, *next, *next2, *after;
+	struct cmd_parse_command	*cmd;
 	u_int				 line = UINT_MAX;
-	int				 i;
-	struct cmd_list			*current = NULL, *result;
-	struct cmd			*add;
-	char				*name, *alias, *cause, *s;
+	struct cmd_list			*current = NULL, *result, *add;
+	char				*s;
 
 	/* Check for an empty list. */
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(cmds)) {
-		cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds);
-		pr.status = CMD_PARSE_EMPTY;
-		return (&pr);
-	}
-
-	/* Flatten command arguments. */
-	cmd_parse_log_commands(cmds, __func__);
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(cmd, cmds, entry)
-		cmd_parse_flatten_command(cmd);
-
-	/*
-	 * Walk the commands and expand any aliases. Each alias is parsed
-	 * individually to a new command list, any trailing arguments appended
-	 * to the last command, and all commands inserted into the original
-	 * command list.
-	 */
-	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(cmd, cmds, entry, next) {
-		name = cmd->argv[0];
-
-		alias = cmd_get_alias(name);
-		if (alias == NULL)
-			continue;
-
-		line = cmd->line;
-		log_debug("%s: %u %s = %s", __func__, line, name, alias);
-
-		pi->line = line;
-		cmds2 = cmd_parse_do_buffer(alias, strlen(alias), pi, &cause);
-		free(alias);
-		if (cmds2 == NULL) {
-			pr.status = CMD_PARSE_ERROR;
-			pr.error = cause;
-			goto out;
-		}
-
-		cmd2 = TAILQ_LAST(cmds2, cmd_parse_commands);
-		if (cmd2 == NULL) {
-			TAILQ_REMOVE(cmds, cmd, entry);
-			cmd_parse_free_command(cmd);
-			continue;
-		}
-		cmd_parse_flatten_command(cmd2);
-		for (i = 1; i < cmd->argc; i++)
-			cmd_append_argv(&cmd2->argc, &cmd2->argv, cmd->argv[i]);
-
-		after = cmd;
-		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(cmd2, cmds2, entry, next2) {
-			cmd2->line = line;
-			TAILQ_REMOVE(cmds2, cmd2, entry);
-			TAILQ_INSERT_AFTER(cmds, after, cmd2, entry);
-			after = cmd2;
-		}
-		cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds2);
-
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(cmds, cmd, entry);
-		cmd_parse_free_command(cmd);
+		pr->status = CMD_PARSE_EMPTY;
+		return;
 	}
+ 	cmd_parse_log_commands(cmds, __func__);
 
 	/*
 	 * Parse each command into a command list. Create a new command list
@@ -878,7 +855,7 @@ cmd_parse_build_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds,
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(cmd, cmds, entry) {
 		if (((~pi->flags & CMD_PARSE_ONEGROUP) && cmd->line != line)) {
 			if (current != NULL) {
-				cmd_parse_print_commands(pi, line, current);
+				cmd_parse_print_commands(pi, current);
 				cmd_list_move(result, current);
 				cmd_list_free(current);
 			}
@@ -886,18 +863,19 @@ cmd_parse_build_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds,
 		}
 		if (current == NULL)
 			current = cmd_list_new();
-		line = cmd->line;
+		line = pi->line = cmd->line;
 
-		add = cmd_parse_build_command(cmd, pi, line, &pr);
+		add = cmd_parse_build_command(cmd, pi, pr);
 		if (add == NULL) {
 			cmd_list_free(result);
 			cmd_list_free(current);
-			goto out;
+			return;
 		}
-		cmd_list_append(current, add);
+		cmd_list_move(current, add);
+		cmd_list_free(add);
 	}
 	if (current != NULL) {
-		cmd_parse_print_commands(pi, line, current);
+		cmd_parse_print_commands(pi, current);
 		cmd_list_move(result, current);
 		cmd_list_free(current);
 	}
@@ -906,13 +884,8 @@ cmd_parse_build_commands(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds,
 	log_debug("%s: %s", __func__, s);
 	free(s);
 
-	pr.status = CMD_PARSE_SUCCESS;
-	pr.cmdlist = result;
-
-out:
-	cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds);
-
-	return (&pr);
+	pr->status = CMD_PARSE_SUCCESS;
+	pr->cmdlist = result;
 }
 
 struct cmd_parse_result *
@@ -935,7 +908,10 @@ cmd_parse_from_file(FILE *f, struct cmd_parse_input *pi)
 		pr.error = cause;
 		return (&pr);
 	}
-	return (cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi));
+	cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi, &pr);
+	cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds);
+	return (&pr);
+
 }
 
 struct cmd_parse_result *
@@ -1036,7 +1012,9 @@ cmd_parse_from_buffer(const void *buf, size_t len, struct cmd_parse_input *pi)
 		pr.error = cause;
 		return (&pr);
 	}
-	return (cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi));
+	cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi, &pr);
+	cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds);
+	return (&pr);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1066,6 +1044,7 @@ cmd_parse_add_command(struct cmd_parse_commands *cmds,
 struct cmd_parse_result *
 cmd_parse_from_arguments(int argc, char **argv, struct cmd_parse_input *pi)
 {
+	static struct cmd_parse_result	  pr;
 	struct cmd_parse_input		  input;
 	struct cmd_parse_commands	 *cmds;
 	char				**copy, **new_argv;
@@ -1115,7 +1094,9 @@ cmd_parse_from_arguments(int argc, char **argv, struct cmd_parse_input *pi)
 	}
 
 	cmd_free_argv(argc, copy);
-	return (cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi));
+	cmd_parse_build_commands(cmds, pi, &pr);
+	cmd_parse_free_commands(cmds);
+	return (&pr);
 }
 
 static int printflike(1, 2)