diff --git a/scheme/ikarus.cafe.ss b/scheme/ikarus.cafe.ss
index f2a64b9..d0fe390 100644
--- a/scheme/ikarus.cafe.ss
+++ b/scheme/ikarus.cafe.ss
@@ -38,19 +38,26 @@ description:
   Be specific about what the error-port is |#
 
 (library (ikarus cafe)
-  (export new-cafe)
+  (export new-cafe waiter-prompt-string)
   (import 
     (only (rnrs) with-exception-handler)
-    (except (ikarus) new-cafe))
+    (except (ikarus) new-cafe waiter-prompt-string))
 
   (define eval-depth 0)
 
+  (define waiter-prompt-string
+    (make-parameter ">"
+      (lambda (x)
+        (if (string? x)
+            x
+            (die 'waiter-prompt-string "not a string" x)))))
+
   (define display-prompt
     (lambda (i)
       (if (fx= i eval-depth)
           (display " " (console-output-port))
           (begin
-            (display ">" (console-output-port))
+            (display (waiter-prompt-string) (console-output-port))
             (display-prompt (fx+ i 1))))))
 
   (define (print-ex ex)
diff --git a/scheme/last-revision b/scheme/last-revision
index 4ac7a82..ac86b8c 100644
--- a/scheme/last-revision
+++ b/scheme/last-revision
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1856
+1857
diff --git a/scheme/makefile.ss b/scheme/makefile.ss
index 6348e99..df021aa 100755
--- a/scheme/makefile.ss
+++ b/scheme/makefile.ss
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@
     [assembler-output                            i]
     [optimizer-output                            i]
     [new-cafe                                    i]
+    [waiter-prompt-string                        i]
     [expand                                      i]
     [core-expand                                 i]
     [expand/optimize                             i]