diff --git a/command-functions.lisp b/command-functions.lisp
index 2d3cb2df1717bde440a800ac4a702cab791b2b59..6aa4c55e4efdf1cb26c9c94c00cbd7f04100ddd0 100644
--- a/command-functions.lisp
+++ b/command-functions.lisp
@@ -31,9 +31,13 @@
 
 (defun add-char (char editor)
   (with-editor-point-and-string ((point string) editor)
-    (setf (get-string editor) (concat (subseq string 0 point)
-				      (string char)
-				      (subseq string point)))
+    (setf (get-string editor)
+          (concat (subseq string 0 point)
+                  (string char)
+                  (if (editor-insert-mode editor)
+                      (subseq string point)
+                      (when (> (length string) (1+ point))
+                        (subseq string (1+ point))))))
     (incf (get-point editor))))
 
 (defun delete-char-backwards (chord editor)
@@ -351,3 +355,7 @@
   (print-in-lines editor
 		  (with-output-to-string (s)
 		    (describe (read-from-string (editor-word editor)) s))))
+
+(defun toggle-insert (chord editor)
+  (declare (ignore chord))
+  (setf (editor-insert-mode editor) (not (editor-insert-mode editor))))
diff --git a/editor.lisp b/editor.lisp
index ca3fd727347b356fcb8288d3285fa903b056d363..64e7234e315a7891ce11d4c669287faac7956f50 100644
--- a/editor.lisp
+++ b/editor.lisp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 	      :initarg :complete)
    (history :accessor editor-history)
    (killring :accessor editor-killring)
-   (insert :reader editor-insert-mode
+   (insert :accessor editor-insert-mode
 	   :initform t
 	   :initarg :insert-mode)
    (mark :accessor editor-mark