diff --git a/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sig b/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sig
index ca56e5f..567f6d6 100644
--- a/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sig
+++ b/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sig
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 val execToplevelPhrase: Asynt.Dec -> unit;
 val quietdec : bool ref
-
+val hashbang : bool ref
 
 
diff --git a/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sml b/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sml
index 583ef02..8998a70 100644
--- a/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sml
+++ b/src/compiler/Exec_phr.sml
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ open Symtable Rtvals Load_phr;
 
 val quietdec = ref false ;
 
+(* Is enabled if running with -hashbang arg: *)
+
+val hashbang = ref false ;
+
 (* Executing a top-level declaration. *)
 
 local
diff --git a/src/compiler/Lexer.lex b/src/compiler/Lexer.lex
index 972cf74..e84f5c9 100644
--- a/src/compiler/Lexer.lex
+++ b/src/compiler/Lexer.lex
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ datatype lexingMode =
     NORMALlm
   | QUOTElm
   | ANTIQUOTElm
+  | HASHBANGlm
 
 val lexingMode = ref NORMALlm
 
 val parCount = Stack.new() : int Stack.t
-
 fun resetLexerState() =
 (
   lexingMode := NORMALlm;
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ fun scanString scan lexbuf =
   setLexStartPos lexbuf (!savedLexemeStart - getLexAbsPos lexbuf)
 )
 
+(* enable support for Shebang/Hashbang *)
+fun enableHashbang b = (if b
+                        then lexingMode := HASHBANGlm
+                        else lexingMode := NORMALlm; ());
 }
 
 rule Token = parse
@@ -221,12 +225,16 @@ rule Token = parse
                case !lexingMode of
                    NORMALlm =>
                      QUOTER (get_stored_string())
+                 | HASHBANGlm =>
+                     QUOTER (get_stored_string())
                  | ANTIQUOTElm =>
                      QUOTEM (get_stored_string())
                  | QUOTElm =>
                      fatalError "Token")
           | ANTIQUOTElm =>
               AntiQuotation lexbuf
+          | HASHBANGlm =>
+              Hashbang lexbuf
       }
 
 and TokenN = parse
@@ -461,6 +469,12 @@ and AntiQuotation = parse
       { 
         skipString "ill-formed antiquotation" SkipQuotation lexbuf
       }
+and Hashbang = parse
+   "#!" [^`\n` `\r`]*
+      { lexingMode := NORMALlm; Token lexbuf }
+  | ""
+      { lexingMode := NORMALlm; Token lexbuf }
+
 ;
 
 
diff --git a/src/compiler/Lexer.sig b/src/compiler/Lexer.sig
index 6e58009..cec9db0 100644
--- a/src/compiler/Lexer.sig
+++ b/src/compiler/Lexer.sig
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+(* Lexer.sig *)
+
+val enableHashbang  : bool -> unit;
 val quotation : bool ref;
 val resetLexerState : unit -> unit;
 val Token : Lexing.lexbuf -> Parser.token;
diff --git a/src/compiler/Maint.sml b/src/compiler/Maint.sml
index 90868b1..4f49f08 100644
--- a/src/compiler/Maint.sml
+++ b/src/compiler/Maint.sml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 open List BasicIO Nonstdio;
 open Miscsys Memory Fnlib Config Mixture Location Units Smlperv Rtvals  Smltop;
 open Types (* cvr *);
+open Lexer  (*to set hashbang*);
 val initialFiles = ref ([] : string list);
 
 (* Initial loop *)
@@ -72,6 +73,13 @@ fun set_value_polymorphism b _ =
 fun set_quietdec b _ =
   Exec_phr.quietdec := b;
 
+fun set_hashbang b _ =
+  let in
+    Lexer.enableHashbang b;
+    Exec_phr.quietdec := b;
+    Exec_phr.hashbang := b
+  end;
+
 fun add_include d =
   load_path := !load_path @ [d];
 
@@ -117,6 +125,8 @@ fun main () =
                ("-perv",      Arg.String perv_set),
                ("-imptypes",  Arg.Unit (set_value_polymorphism false)),
                ("-valuepoly", Arg.Unit (set_value_polymorphism true)),
+               ("-hashbang",  Arg.Unit (set_hashbang true)),
+               ("-s",         Arg.Unit (set_hashbang true)),
                ("-quietdec",  Arg.Unit (set_quietdec true)),
                ("-msgstyle",  Arg.String set_msgstyle),
                ("-m",         Arg.String set_msgstyle),
@@ -148,7 +158,8 @@ fun main () =
     resetTypes(); 
     Miscsys.catch_interrupt true;
     input_lexbuf := Compiler.createLexerStream std_in;
-    (initial_loop() handle EndOfFile => ());
+    (initial_loop() handle EndOfFile =>
+         if !Exec_phr.hashbang then BasicIO.exit 0 else ());
     main_loop()
   end
   handle
diff --git a/src/launch/mosml.tpl b/src/launch/mosml.tpl
index e13c5aa..2afc72d 100755
--- a/src/launch/mosml.tpl
+++ b/src/launch/mosml.tpl
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ while : ; do
     -quietdec)
       options="$options -quietdec"
       ;;
+    -s|-hashbang)
+      options="$options -hashbang"
+      ;;
     -valuepoly)
       options="$options -valuepoly"
       ;;