diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 77846892..00e4b840 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
+language: cpp
+
 sudo: false
 env:
   - JIT_OPTS='--opt=jit' TARGET_OPTS='target.py'
   - JIT_OPTS='' TARGET_OPTS='target.py'
 
 matrix:
-  fast_finish: true 
+  fast_finish: true
+
+install:
+  - if [ "$CXX" = "g++" ]; then export CXX="g++-4.8" CC="gcc-4.8"; fi
 
 script:
   - make PYTHON=python build
@@ -14,12 +19,16 @@ script:
 
 addons:
   apt:
+    sources:
+    - ubuntu-toolchain-r-test
     packages:
-      - libffi-dev
-      - libedit-dev
-      - libboost-all-dev
-      - zlib1g-dev
-      - zlib-bin
+    - libffi-dev
+    - libedit-dev
+    - libboost-all-dev
+    - zlib1g-dev
+    - zlib-bin
+    - gcc-4.8
+    - g++-4.8
 
 notifications:
   irc: "chat.freenode.net#pixie-lang"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e27182ee..ac8dbf55 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@ help:
 	@echo "make build_no_jit           - build without jit"
 	@echo "make fetch_externals	   - download and unpack external deps"
 
-build_with_jit: fetch_externals
+build_with_jit: fetch_externals re2_cre2
 	@if [ ! -d /usr/local/include/boost -a ! -d /usr/include/boost ] ; then echo "Boost C++ Library not found" && false; fi && \
 	$(PYTHON) $(EXTERNALS)/pypy/rpython/bin/rpython $(COMMON_BUILD_OPTS) --opt=jit target.py && \
 	make compile_basics
 
-build_no_jit: fetch_externals
+build_no_jit: fetch_externals re2_cre2
 	@if [ ! -d /usr/local/include/boost -a ! -d /usr/include/boost ] ; then echo "Boost C++ Library not found" && false; fi && \
 	$(PYTHON) $(EXTERNALS)/pypy/rpython/bin/rpython $(COMMON_BUILD_OPTS) target.py && \
 	make compile_basics
 
-build_no_jit_shared: fetch_externals
+build_no_jit_shared: fetch_externals re2_cre2
 	@if [ ! -d /usr/local/include/boost -a ! -d /usr/include/boost ] ; then echo "Boost C++ Library not found" && false; fi && \
 	$(PYTHON) $(EXTERNALS)/pypy/rpython/bin/rpython $(COMMON_BUILD_OPTS) --shared target.py && \
 	make compile_basics
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ build_no_jit_shared: fetch_externals
 
 compile_basics:
 	@echo -e "\n\n\n\nWARNING: Compiling core libs. If you want to modify one of these files delete the .pxic files first\n\n\n\n"
-	./pixie-vm -c pixie/uv.pxi -c pixie/io.pxi -c pixie/stacklets.pxi -c pixie/stdlib.pxi -c pixie/repl.pxi
+	./pixie-vm -c pixie/uv.pxi -c pixie/io.pxi -c pixie/stacklets.pxi -c pixie/stdlib.pxi -c pixie/repl.pxi -c pixie/re.pxi -c pixie/re/cre2.pxi
 
-build: fetch_externals
+build: fetch_externals re2_cre2
 	$(PYTHON) $(EXTERNALS)/pypy/rpython/bin/rpython $(COMMON_BUILD_OPTS) $(JIT_OPTS) $(TARGET_OPTS)
 
 fetch_externals: $(EXTERNALS)/pypy externals.fetched
@@ -49,19 +49,51 @@ externals.fetched:
 	tar -jxf /tmp/externals.tar.bz2 --strip-components=2
 	touch externals.fetched
 
+$(EXTERNALS):
+	mkdir $(EXTERNALS)
 
-$(EXTERNALS)/pypy:
-	mkdir $(EXTERNALS); \
+$(EXTERNALS)/pypy: $(EXTERNALS)
 	cd $(EXTERNALS); \
 	curl https://bitbucket.org/pypy/pypy/get/81254.tar.bz2 >  pypy.tar.bz2; \
 	mkdir pypy; \
 	cd pypy; \
 	tar -jxf ../pypy.tar.bz2 --strip-components=1
 
+$(EXTERNALS)/re2: $(EXTERNALS)
+	cd $(EXTERNALS) && \
+	curl -sL https://github.com/google/re2/archive/2016-02-01.tar.gz > re2.tar.gz && \
+	shasum -a 256 re2.tar.gz | grep -q f246c43897ac341568a7460622138ec0dd8de9b6f5459686376fa23e9d8c1bb8 && \
+  mkdir -p re2 && \
+  cd re2 && \
+	tar -zxf ../re2.tar.gz --strip-components=1 && \
+	make CPPFLAGS="-fPIC"
+
+$(EXTERNALS)/cre2: $(EXTERNALS)
+	cd $(EXTERNALS) && \
+	curl -sL https://bitbucket.org/marcomaggi/cre2/downloads/cre2-0.2.0.tar.xz > cre2.tar.xz && \
+  shasum -a 256 cre2.tar.xz | grep -q d31118dbc9d2b1cf95c1b763ca92ae2ec4e262b1f8d8e995c1ffdc8eb40a82fc && \
+  mkdir -p cre2 && \
+  cd cre2 && \
+	tar -Jxf ../cre2.tar.xz --strip-components=1 && \
+	mkdir -p build && \
+	cd build && \
+	../configure LDFLAGS="-L`pwd`/../../re2/obj" CPPFLAGS="-I`pwd`/../../re2" && \
+	chmod +x ../meta/autotools/install-sh && \
+	make
+
+re2: $(EXTERNALS)/re2
+
+cre2: $(EXTERNALS)/cre2
+	mkdir -p lib/ include/ && \
+	ln -sf ../$(EXTERNALS)/cre2/src/cre2.h include/ && \
+  cd lib && \
+	ln -sf ../$(EXTERNALS)/cre2/build/.libs/* ./
+
+re2_cre2: re2 cre2
+
 run:
 	./pixie-vm
 
-
 run_interactive:
 	@PYTHONPATH=$(PYTHONPATH) $(PYTHON) target.py
 
@@ -82,7 +114,7 @@ compile_src:
 	find * -name "*.pxi" | grep "^pixie/" | xargs -L1 ./pixie-vm $(EXTERNALS_FLAGS) -c
 
 clean_pxic:
-	find * -name "*.pxic" | xargs --no-run-if-empty rm
+	find * -name "*.pxic" -delete
 
 clean: clean_pxic
 	rm -rf ./lib
diff --git a/pixie/re.pxi b/pixie/re.pxi
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e394c705
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixie/re.pxi
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+(in-ns :pixie.stdlib)
+
+(defprotocol IRegex
+  (re-matches [r t])
+  (re-find [r t])
+  (re-seq [r t]))
+
+(def ^:dynamic *default-re-engine* 'pixie.re.cre2)
+
+;; an "open" engine registry
+(defmulti re-engine (fn [k s o] k))
+
+(defn re-pattern
+  {:doc "Returns internal representation for regular
+   expression, used in matching functions."
+   :signatures [[rexeg-str opts]]}
+  ([pattern opts] (re-pattern pattern opts *default-re-engine*))
+  ([pattern opts engine] (re-engine engine pattern opts)))
+
+(load-ns *default-re-engine*)
diff --git a/pixie/re/cre2.pxi b/pixie/re/cre2.pxi
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b22c473b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixie/re/cre2.pxi
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+(ns pixie.re.cre2
+  (:require [pixie.ffi-infer :as f]))
+
+(f/with-config {:library "cre2"
+                :includes ["cre2.h"]}
+
+  (f/defcstruct cre2_string_t [:data :length])
+  (f/defcfn cre2_version_string)
+
+  ;; Options
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_new)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_delete)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_posix_syntax)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_longest_match)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_log_errors)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_literal)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_never_nl)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_case_sensitive)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_perl_classes)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_word_boundary)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_one_line)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_max_mem)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_opt_set_encoding)
+
+  ;; Construction / destruction
+  (f/defcfn cre2_new)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_delete)
+
+  ;; Inspection
+  (f/defcfn cre2_pattern)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_error_code)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_num_capturing_groups)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_program_size)
+
+  ;; Errors something?
+  (f/defcfn cre2_error_string)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_error_arg)
+
+  ;; Matching
+  (f/defcstruct cre2_range_t [:start :past])
+  (f/defcfn cre2_match)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_easy_match)
+  (f/defcfn cre2_strings_to_ranges)
+)
+
+(def cre2-optmap
+  { :ascii #(cre2_set_encoding % 2)
+    :posix #(cre2_opt_set_posix_syntax % 1)
+    :longest_match #(cre2_opt_set_longest_match % 1)
+    :silent #(cre2_opt_set_log_errors % 0)
+    :literal #(cre2_opt_set_literal % 1)
+    :never_nl #(cre2_opt_set_never_nl % 1)
+    :dot_nl #(cre2_opt_set_one_line % 0)
+    :never_capture #(do %) ;; ??
+    :ignore_case #(cre2_opt_set_case_sensitive % 0) })
+
+(defn cre2-make-opts [opts]
+  (let [opt (cre2_opt_new)]
+    (doseq [key opts] ((key cre2-optmap) opt))
+    opt))
+
+(defn cre2-make-match-array [size]
+  (cre2_string_t))
+
+(defn cre2-delete-match-array [arr size]
+  )
+
+(defn cre2-matches-to-seq [matches size]
+  (repeat size true))
+
+(defn cre2-matches
+  [pattern text]
+  (let [text-size (count text)
+        match-arr-size (+ 1 (cre2_num_capturing_groups pattern))
+        match-arr (cre2-make-match-array match-arr-size)
+        result (cre2_match pattern
+                 text text-size 0 text-size 1
+                 match-arr match-arr-size)]
+    (if (= 1 result)
+      (let [match-seq (cre2-matches-to-seq match-arr match-arr-size)]
+        (cre2-delete-match-array match-arr match-arr-size)
+        match-seq)
+      nil)))
+
+(deftype CRE2Regex [pattern opts]
+  IFinalize
+  (-finalize! [this]
+    (cre2_opt_delete opts)
+    (cre2_delete pattern))
+
+  IRegex
+  (pixie.stdlib/re-matches [_ text] (cre2-matches pattern text)))
+
+;; add cre2 to registry
+(defmethod pixie.stdlib/re-engine 'pixie.re.cre2 [_ regex-str opts]
+  (let [copts (cre2-make-opts opts)]
+    (->CRE2Regex (cre2_new regex-str (count regex-str) copts) copts)))
diff --git a/pixie/stdlib.pxi b/pixie/stdlib.pxi
index 311df7fb..2305213f 100644
--- a/pixie/stdlib.pxi
+++ b/pixie/stdlib.pxi
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 (def srand (ffi-fn libc "srand" [CInt] CInt))
 (def fopen (ffi-fn libc "fopen" [CCharP CCharP] CVoidP))
 (def fread (ffi-fn libc "fread" [CVoidP CInt CInt CVoidP] CInt))
+(def mkdtemp (ffi-fn libc "mkdtemp" [CCharP] CCharP))
+(def mkdir (ffi-fn libc "mkdir" [CCharP] CCharP))
+(def rmdir (ffi-fn libc "rmdir" [CCharP] CCharP))
+(def rm (ffi-fn libc "remove" [CCharP] CCharP))
 
 (def libm (ffi-library (str "libm." pixie.platform/so-ext)))
 (def atan2 (ffi-fn libm "atan2" [CDouble CDouble] CDouble))
@@ -899,7 +903,7 @@ If further arguments are passed, invokes the method named by symbol, passing the
     (if (next coll)
       (recur (next coll))
       (first coll))
-    
+
     (satisfies? ISeqable coll)
     (recur (seq coll))))
 
@@ -2102,7 +2106,7 @@ For more information, see http://clojure.org/special_forms#binding-forms"}
         val
        not-found)))
   ISeq
-  (-first [this] 
+  (-first [this]
     (when (not= start stop)
       start))
   (-next  [this]
@@ -3076,11 +3080,11 @@ ex: (vary-meta x assoc :foo 42)"
 (deftype Iterate [f x]
   IReduce
   (-reduce [self rf init]
-    (loop [col (rest self) 
-           acc (rf init (first self))]
+    (loop [next (f x)
+           acc (rf init x)]
       (if (reduced? acc)
         @acc
-        (recur (rest col) (rf acc (first col))))))
+        (recur (f next) (rf acc next)))))
   ISeq
   (-seq [self]
     (cons x (lazy-seq* (fn [] (->Iterate f (f x)))))))
@@ -3092,3 +3096,5 @@ ex: (vary-meta x assoc :foo 42)"
    :added "0.1"}
   [f x]
   (->Iterate f x))
+
+(load-ns 'pixie.re)
diff --git a/pixie/vm/reader.py b/pixie/vm/reader.py
index 09e4fdf9..59f44c4d 100644
--- a/pixie/vm/reader.py
+++ b/pixie/vm/reader.py
@@ -620,10 +620,42 @@ def invoke(self, rdr, ch):
         read_inner(rdr, True, always_return_form=True)
         return rdr
 
+class RegexReader(ReaderHandler):
+    def invoke(self, rdr, ch):
+        regex_str  = LiteralStringReader().invoke(rdr, ch)
+        regex_opts = EMPTY_SET
+        opts_dict  = {
+            u"a": keyword(u"ascii"),
+            u"p": keyword(u"posix"),
+            u"l": keyword(u"longest_match"),
+            u"s": keyword(u"silent"),
+            u"L": keyword(u"literal"),
+            u"n": keyword(u"never_nl"),
+            u"m": keyword(u"dot_nl"),
+            u"c": keyword(u"never_capture"),
+            u"i": keyword(u"ignore_case")
+        }
+
+        # read options (https://github.com/google/re2/blob/master/re2/re2.h#L517)
+        while True:
+            try:
+                opt = opts_dict.get(rdr.read(), None)
+                if opt is None:
+                    rdr.unread()
+                    break
+                else:
+                    regex_opts = regex_opts.conj(opt)
+            except EOFError:
+                break
+
+        return rt.cons(symbol(u"pixie.stdlib/re-pattern"),
+                       rt.cons(regex_str, rt.cons(regex_opts, nil)))
+
 dispatch_handlers = {
     u"{": SetReader(),
     u"(": FnReader(),
-    u"_": CommentReader()
+    u"_": CommentReader(),
+    u"\"": RegexReader()
 }
 
 class DispatchReader(ReaderHandler):