diff --git a/docs/special_vars.txt b/docs/special_vars.txt
index c56c452f..7b6640ef 100644
--- a/docs/special_vars.txt
+++ b/docs/special_vars.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ $A .. $Z is important.
    $I         channel you were last INVITEd to
    $J         client version text string
    $K         current value of CMDCHARS
+   $k         first character in CMDCHARS
    $L         current contents of the input line
    $M         modes of current channel, if any
    $N         current nickname
diff --git a/src/core/expandos.c b/src/core/expandos.c
index 7267c214..7f3a9420 100644
--- a/src/core/expandos.c
+++ b/src/core/expandos.c
@@ -318,6 +318,17 @@ static char *expando_cmdchars(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
 	return (char *) settings_get_str("cmdchars");
 }
 
+/* first CMDCHAR */
+static char *expando_cmdchar(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
+{
+	char str[2] = { 0, 0 };
+
+	str[0] = *settings_get_str("cmdchar");
+
+	*free_ret = TRUE;
+	return g_strdup(str);
+}
+
 /* modes of current channel, if any */
 static char *expando_chanmode(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
 {
@@ -585,6 +596,8 @@ void expandos_init(void)
 		       "", EXPANDO_NEVER, NULL);
 	expando_create("K", expando_cmdchars,
 		       "setup changed", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE, NULL);
+	expando_create("k", expando_cmdchar,
+		       "setup changed", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE, NULL);
 	expando_create("M", expando_chanmode,
 		       "window changed", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE,
 		       "window item changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW,