diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bf15de8..4fd71ab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@ Current installation process doesn't involve any `.mpy` module compilation, so,
 
 As of now, T-DeckARD implements the following component modules.
 
+### `deck.runtime`
+
+A library for establishing runtime compatibility across various Python environments.
+
+Exported functions:
+
+- `runcode(code_string)`: compile and execute a Python program expressed as a string. Used by REPL and some applets.
+
 ### `deck.input`
 
 A library for single-line and multi-line (ed-like) text input.
@@ -240,6 +248,7 @@ The editor mode supports the following subset of POSIX ed commands in the standa
 - `s/old/new`: replace text in the range (doesn't support regex syntax from POSIX ed)
 - `f`: set the current filename to write to
 - `w`: save changes to the current filename
+- `x`: interpret the range as Python code and execute it immediately
 - `q`: quit (`q!` force-quits without prompting for saving changes)
 
 ### `app.llmchat`
diff --git a/app/ed.py b/app/ed.py
index 797c1d8..c389dd5 100644
--- a/app/ed.py
+++ b/app/ed.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 from deck.input import input
 from deck.pager import print_paged
+from deck.runtime import runcode
 
 class Ed:
   def __init__(self, filename=None):
@@ -191,6 +192,11 @@ class Ed:
             self.filename = params
           print(self.filename if self.filename else "No current filename")
 
+        elif cmd_char == 'x': # execute current buffer range as Python code
+          code = '\n'.join(self.buffer[start-1:end])
+          print(f'Running lines {start} to {end} as Python code...')
+          runcode(code)
+
         else:
           print("Unknown command")
 
diff --git a/code.py b/code.py
index c2ded40..9174671 100644
--- a/code.py
+++ b/code.py
@@ -5,10 +5,8 @@ try:
   from repl.keys import show_keys
 except:
   pass
-try:
-  from codeop import compile_command
-except:
-  pass
+
+from deck.runtime import runcode
 
 if 'tdeckboot.py' in os.listdir('/'):
   from tdeckboot import *
@@ -27,9 +25,9 @@ while True:
     if __line.lower() == 'exit': break
     __cmd = __line
   try:
-    if compile_command(__cmd):
-      exec(compile_command(__cmd))
+    status, res = runcode(__cmd)
+    if status != 1:
       __cmd = ""
   except Exception as __err:
-    print("*ERROR* Exception:",str(__err))
+    print("*ERROR* Exception:", str(__err))
     __cmd = "" 
diff --git a/deck/runtime.py b/deck/runtime.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f433567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deck/runtime.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Runtime compatibility module
+# Usage: from deck.runtime import runcode
+# Created by Luxferre in 2025, released into public domain
+
+CMDCOMPILER = False
+try:
+  from codeop import compile_command
+  CMDCOMPILER = True
+except:
+  pass
+
+def runcode(code):
+  """
+  Compile and evaluate Python code dynamically.
+  Returns (statuscode, result) tuple.
+  Return status codes:
+  0 on error, 1 if the command is incomplete, 2 on success
+  """
+  status = 0 # error status
+  res = None
+  if CMDCOMPILER:
+    compiled = compile_command(code)
+  else:
+    compiled = compile(code, '<string>', 'exec')
+  if compiled:
+    try: 
+      res = exec(compiled)
+      status = 2 # success status
+    except Exception as e:
+      res = str(e)
+  else:
+    status = 1 # continuation status
+  return (status, res)