diff --git a/clite/commands.js b/clite/commands.js
index 5ddb0ed..f23b6b2 100644
--- a/clite/commands.js
+++ b/clite/commands.js
@@ -1655,7 +1655,7 @@ Options:
 		if (args.length > 5)
 			return 1;
 
-		var uargs = args;
+		var uargs = Array.from(args);
 		uargs.shift();
 
 		if (args[0] == '[' && uargs[uargs.length-1] == ']')
@@ -1967,7 +1967,7 @@ Options:
 				return 1;
 				break;
 			default:
-				return 2;
+				return 3;
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/clite/libclite.js b/clite/libclite.js
index f62e1e4..090aa11 100644
--- a/clite/libclite.js
+++ b/clite/libclite.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ return Object.create({
 	// convert a string into an argument array: 'ls /etc' -> ['ls','/etc'], supports "quoted arguments" and `command substitutions`
 	strToArgs:function(txt) {
 		var parts = [];
+		var wasq = false;
 		var sp = '';
 		var s = '';
 		var e = false;
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ return Object.create({
 					}else if (txt[i] == sp) {
 						sp = '';
 						q = false;
+						wasq = true;
 					}
 				}else{
 					s += txt[i];
@@ -83,7 +85,12 @@ return Object.create({
 				break;
 			case ' ':
 				if (!q && !c) {
-					parts.push(s);
+					if (!wasq && s[s.length-1] == ';') {
+						parts.push(s.substring(0,s.length-1));
+						parts.push(';');
+					}else{
+						parts.push(s);
+					}
 					s = '';
 					e = false;
 					q = false;
@@ -92,10 +99,18 @@ return Object.create({
 			default:
 				s+=txt[i];
 				e = false;
+				wasq = false;
 			}
 		}
-		if (s.length > 0)
-			parts.push(s);
+		if (s.length > 0) {
+			if (!wasq && s[s.length-1] == ';') {
+				parts.push(s.substring(0,s.length-1));
+				parts.push(';');
+			}else{
+				parts.push(s);
+			}
+		}
+
 		return parts;
 	},
 
diff --git a/clite/shell.js b/clite/shell.js
index 28c2540..79590ea 100644
--- a/clite/shell.js
+++ b/clite/shell.js
@@ -228,16 +228,55 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 		active:null,
 		bufferout:null,
 		bufferin:null,
+		skipto:null,
 		cfg:{closout:false,closin:false,closerr:false},
 		last:0,
 		io:{},
 		internal:{
+			conditionals:[],
+			loops:[],
 			doCommand:function(cmd) {
 				exec.active = cmd;
 				if ((cmd.onlastsuccess && exec.last != 0) || (cmd.onlastfail && exec.last == 0)) {
 					exec.run();
 					return;
 				}
+				switch (cmd.args[0]) {
+				case 'if':
+					exec.internal.conditionals.push(cmd);
+					exec.run();
+					return;
+					break;
+				case 'then':
+					if (exec.last == 0) {
+						exec.internal.conditionals[exec.internal.conditionals.length-1].conditional = true;
+					}else{
+						exec.internal.conditionals[exec.internal.conditionals.length-1].conditional = false;
+						exec.skipto = 'else';
+					}
+					exec.run();
+					return;
+					break;
+				case 'else':
+					if (exec.internal.conditionals[exec.internal.conditionals.length-1].conditional != false) {
+						exec.skipto = 'fi';
+					}
+					exec.run();
+					return;
+					break;
+				case 'fi':
+					exec.internal.conditionals.pop();
+					exec.run();
+					return;
+					break;
+				case 'while':
+				case 'do':
+				case 'done':
+					exec.run();
+					return;
+					break;
+				default:;
+				}
 				var usebi = false;
 				var usebo = false;
 				if (cmd.stdin != '&0') {
@@ -403,11 +442,121 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 				stdout:'&1',
 				stderr:'&2',
 				onlastsuccess:false,
-				onlastfail:false
+				onlastfail:false,
+				conditional:false
 			};
 			var c = structuredClone(cmd);
 			exec.cmds = [];
+			var fault = false;
+			var conds = [];
+			var loops = [];
 			for (var i=0; i<args.length; i++) {
+				if (args[i] == ';') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'if') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					conds.push(c);
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'then') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					if (conds.length < 1) {
+						fault = true;
+					}else{
+						conds[conds.length-1].args.push(c);
+					}
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'else') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					if (conds.length < 1) {
+						fault = true;
+					}else{
+						conds[conds.length-1].args.push(c);
+					}
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'fi') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					if (conds.length < 1) {
+						fault = true;
+					}else{
+						conds[conds.length-1].args.push(c);
+						conds.pop();
+					}
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'while') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					loops.push(c);
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'do') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					if (loops.length < 1) {
+						fault = true;
+					}else{
+						loops[loops.length-1].args.push(c);
+					}
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (args[i] == 'done') {
+					if (c.args.length > 0) {
+						exec.cmds.push(c);
+						c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					}
+					c.args.push(args[i]);
+					exec.cmds.push(c);
+					if (loops.length < 1) {
+						fault = true;
+					}else{
+						loops[loops.length-1].args.push(c);
+						loops.pop();
+					}
+					c = structuredClone(cmd);
+					continue;
+				}
 				if (args[i] == '|') {
 					c.stdout = '|';
 					exec.cmds.push(c);
@@ -457,10 +606,13 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 				}
 				c.args.push(args[i]);
 			}
+			if (conds.length > 0)
+				fault = true;
+			if (loops.length > 0)
+				fault = true;
 			if (c.args.length > 0)
 				exec.cmds.push(c);
-			var fault = false;
-			exec.cmds.forEach(function(c) {
+			exec.cmds.forEach(function(c,i) {
 				if (c.args.length < 1) {
 					fault = true;
 					return;
@@ -468,7 +620,7 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 				c.path = resolvePATH(c.args[0]);
 			});
 			if (fault) {
-				stdio.write(io.stderr,'Shell: unable to pass command\n');
+				stdio.write(io.stderr,'Shell: unable to parse command\n');
 				exec.exit();
 				return;
 			}
@@ -618,7 +770,23 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 		run:function(cb) {
 			if (typeof cb === 'function')
 				exec.callback = cb;
-			var c = exec.cmds.shift();
+			var c;
+			if (exec.skipto !== null) {
+				if (exec.skipto == 'fi') {
+					while ((c = exec.cmds.shift()) != null) {
+						if (c.args[0] == 'fi')
+							break;
+					}
+				}else if (exec.skipto == 'else') {
+					while ((c = exec.cmds.shift()) != null) {
+						if (c.args[0] == 'else' || c.args[0] == 'fi')
+							break;
+					}
+				}
+				exec.skipto = null;
+			}else{
+				c = exec.cmds.shift();
+			}
 			if (!c) {
 				exec.exit();
 				return;
@@ -639,6 +807,9 @@ Options:
 	}
 
 	function resolvePATH(txt) {
+		// special case of test command
+		if (txt == '[')
+			txt = 'test';
 		if (typeof env.PATH === 'undefined')
 			env.PATH = '/bin';
 		var paths = env.PATH.split(':');