diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8eb3b06..87d7039 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,5 +8,8 @@
 /spec/reports/
 /tmp/
 
+# gem file
+*.gem
+
 # rspec failure tracking
 .rspec_status
diff --git a/lib/tty/reader.rb b/lib/tty/reader.rb
index c30062b..8ff48fd 100644
--- a/lib/tty/reader.rb
+++ b/lib/tty/reader.rb
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ def read_line(prompt = "", value: "", echo: true, raw: true,
         key_name = console.keys[char]
 
         if exit_keys && exit_keys.include?(key_name)
-          trigger_key_event(char, line: line.to_s)
+          trigger_key_event(char, line: line)
           break
         end
 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ def read_line(prompt = "", value: "", echo: true, raw: true,
           direction = key_name == :shift_tab ? :previous : :next
           if completion = @completer.complete(line, initial: initial,
                                                     direction: direction)
-            trigger_completion_event(completion, line.to_s)
+            trigger_completion_event(completion, line)
           end
         elsif key_name == :escape && completion_handler &&
               (previous_key_name == :tab || previous_key_name == :shift_tab)
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def read_line(prompt = "", value: "", echo: true, raw: true,
         previous_key_name = key_name
 
         # trigger before line is printed to allow for line changes
-        trigger_key_event(char, line: line.to_s)
+        trigger_key_event(char, line: line)
 
         if raw && echo
           output.print(line.to_s)
diff --git a/lib/tty/reader/line.rb b/lib/tty/reader/line.rb
index fb2bc57..962a3df 100644
--- a/lib/tty/reader/line.rb
+++ b/lib/tty/reader/line.rb
@@ -303,9 +303,9 @@ def insert(chars)
       # Add char and move cursor
       #
       # @api public
-      def <<(char)
-        @text << char
-        @cursor += 1
+      def <<(str)
+        @text << str
+        @cursor += str.length
       end
 
       # Remove char from the line at current position
@@ -332,7 +332,29 @@ def remove(n = 1)
       def to_s
         "#{@prompt}#{@text}"
       end
-      alias inspect to_s
+
+      # to_str enables type coercion and thus `line` in
+      # `trigger_char_event` does not need to be flattened to a string.
+      alias to_str to_s
+
+      # Overload inspect
+      #
+      # @api public
+      def inspect
+        to_s.inspect
+      end
+
+      # Overload equality comparison
+      #
+      # @api public
+      def ==(other)
+        if other.is_a? self.class
+          super other
+        else
+          other = other.to_s if other.respond_to? :to_s
+          to_s == other
+        end
+      end
 
       # Text size
       #
diff --git a/spec/unit/complete_word_spec.rb b/spec/unit/complete_word_spec.rb
index 842a654..b0e12ad 100644
--- a/spec/unit/complete_word_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/complete_word_spec.rb
@@ -302,8 +302,11 @@
   it "triggers completion event after completing the first suggestion" do
     @completions = %w[aa ab ac]
     completion_event = nil
+    test_line = nil # state of the line at the time the event is fired
+
     reader.on(:complete) do |event|
       completion_event = event
+      test_line = event.line.dup # we duplicate to cut the strings
       formatted_completions = event.completions.map do |compl|
         compl == event.completion ? "(#{compl})" : compl
       end
@@ -316,7 +319,7 @@
     expect(answer).to eq("x aa\n")
     expect(completion_event.completion).to eq("aa")
     expect(completion_event.completions).to eq(@completions)
-    expect(completion_event.line).to eq("x aa")
+    expect(test_line).to eq("x aa") # implicit test of to_s and ==
     expect(completion_event.word).to eq("a")
 
     output.rewind
diff --git a/spec/unit/history_disabled_spec.rb b/spec/unit/history_disabled_spec.rb
index 2643d4b..5a33b6c 100644
--- a/spec/unit/history_disabled_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/history_disabled_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
     input.rewind
     chars = []
     lines = []
-    reader.on(:keypress) { |event| chars << event.value; lines << event.line }
+    reader.on(:keypress) do |event|
+      chars << event.value
+      lines << event.line.dup # sever line object
+    end
     answer = reader.read_line
 
     expect(chars).to eq(%W(a b c \e[A d e f \n))
@@ -28,7 +31,10 @@
     input.rewind
     chars = []
     lines = []
-    reader.on(:keypress) { |event| chars << event.value; lines << event.line }
+    reader.on(:keypress) do |event|
+      chars << event.value
+      lines << event.line.dup
+    end
     answer = reader.read_line
 
     expect(chars).to eq(%W(a b c \e[B d e f \n))
diff --git a/spec/unit/publish_keypress_event_spec.rb b/spec/unit/publish_keypress_event_spec.rb
index 6638150..3180b35 100644
--- a/spec/unit/publish_keypress_event_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/publish_keypress_event_spec.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@
     input.rewind
     chars = []
     lines = []
-    reader.on(:keypress) { |event| chars << event.value; lines << event.line }
+    reader.on(:keypress) do |event|
+      chars << event.value
+      lines << event.line.to_s
+    end
+
     answer = reader.read_line
 
     expect(chars).to eq(%W(a b c \n))
diff --git a/spec/unit/read_line_spec.rb b/spec/unit/read_line_spec.rb
index aab27c5..bd32a2e 100644
--- a/spec/unit/read_line_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/read_line_spec.rb
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
 
       reader.on(:keypress) do |event|
         chars << event.value
-        lines << event.line
+        lines << event.line.to_s
       end
 
       3.times do
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 
       reader.on(:keypress) do |event|
         chars << event.value
-        lines << event.line
+        lines << event.line.to_s
       end
 
       reader.read_line
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
       answer = nil
       lines = []
 
-      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line }
+      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line.to_s }
 
       4.times do
         answer = reader.read_line
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@
       answer = nil
       lines = []
 
-      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line }
+      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line.to_s }
 
       3.times do
         answer = reader.read_line
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@
       answer = nil
       lines = []
 
-      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line }
+      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line.to_s }
 
       3.times do
         answer = reader.read_line
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
       answer = nil
       lines = []
 
-      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line }
+      reader.on(:keypress) { |event| lines << event.line.to_s }
 
       3.times do
         answer = reader.read_line