diff --git a/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go b/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
index 43fec27..d1c4d08 100644
--- a/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
+++ b/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
@@ -170,9 +170,13 @@ func main() {
 		exportController,
 		keyBindingController,
 		pasteboardProvider,
+		settingsController,
 	)
 
-	commandController := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService, stdCommands)
+	commandController, err := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService, stdCommands)
+	if err != nil {
+		cli.Fatalf("cannot setup command controller: %v", err)
+	}
 	//commandController.AddCommandLookupExtension(scriptController)
 	commandController.SetCommandCompletionProvider(columnsController)
 
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modopt.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modopt.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..398a86b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modopt.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package cmdpacks
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/common/ui/commandctrl"
+	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers"
+	"ucl.lmika.dev/ucl"
+)
+
+type optModule struct {
+	settingsController *controllers.SettingsController
+}
+
+func (m optModule) pbSet(ctx context.Context, args ucl.CallArgs) (any, error) {
+	var (
+		name    string
+		newVale string
+	)
+
+	if args.NArgs() == 1 {
+		if err := args.Bind(&name); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		if err := args.Bind(&name, &newVale); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	commandctrl.PostMsg(ctx, m.settingsController.SetSetting(name, newVale))
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func moduleOpt(
+	settingsController *controllers.SettingsController,
+) ucl.Module {
+	m := &optModule{
+		settingsController: settingsController,
+	}
+
+	return ucl.Module{
+		Name: "opt",
+		Builtins: map[string]ucl.BuiltinHandler{
+			"set": m.pbSet,
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modpb.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modpb.go
index 528499b..2a27d6e 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modpb.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/modpb.go
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ package cmdpacks
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/providers/pasteboardprovider"
+	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/services"
 	"ucl.lmika.dev/ucl"
 )
 
 type pbModule struct {
-	pasteboardProvider *pasteboardprovider.Provider
+	pasteboardProvider services.PasteboardProvider
 }
 
 func (m pbModule) pbGet(ctx context.Context, args ucl.CallArgs) (any, error) {
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (m pbModule) pbPut(ctx context.Context, args ucl.CallArgs) (any, error) {
 }
 
 func modulePB(
-	pasteboardProvider *pasteboardprovider.Provider,
+	pasteboardProvider services.PasteboardProvider,
 ) ucl.Module {
 	m := &pbModule{
 		pasteboardProvider: pasteboardProvider,
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds.go
index 9019ec6..088c0f9 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/common/ui/commandctrl"
 	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers"
 	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/models"
-	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/providers/pasteboardprovider"
+	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/services"
 	"github.com/lmika/dynamo-browse/internal/dynamo-browse/services/tables"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"ucl.lmika.dev/repl"
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ type StandardCommands struct {
 	WriteController      *controllers.TableWriteController
 	ExportController     *controllers.ExportController
 	KeyBindingController *controllers.KeyBindingController
-	PBProvider           *pasteboardprovider.Provider
+	PBProvider           services.PasteboardProvider
+	SettingsController   *controllers.SettingsController
 
 	modUI ucl.Module
 }
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ func NewStandardCommands(
 	writeController *controllers.TableWriteController,
 	exportController *controllers.ExportController,
 	keyBindingController *controllers.KeyBindingController,
-	pbProvider *pasteboardprovider.Provider,
+	pbProvider services.PasteboardProvider,
+	settingsController *controllers.SettingsController,
 ) StandardCommands {
 	modUI, ckbs := moduleUI(tableService, state, readController)
 	keyBindingController.SetCustomKeyBindingSource(ckbs)
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ func NewStandardCommands(
 		ExportController:     exportController,
 		KeyBindingController: keyBindingController,
 		PBProvider:           pbProvider,
+		SettingsController:   settingsController,
 		modUI:                modUI,
 	}
 }
@@ -394,6 +397,7 @@ func (sc StandardCommands) InstOptions() []ucl.InstOption {
 		ucl.WithModule(moduleRS(sc.TableService, sc.State)),
 		ucl.WithModule(sc.modUI),
 		ucl.WithModule(modulePB(sc.PBProvider)),
+		ucl.WithModule(moduleOpt(sc.SettingsController)),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -402,7 +406,6 @@ func (sc StandardCommands) ConfigureUCL(ucl *ucl.Inst) {
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("table", sc.cmdTable)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("export", sc.cmdExport)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("mark", sc.cmdMark)
-	// unmark --> alias for { mark none }
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("next-page", sc.cmdNextPage)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("delete", sc.cmdDelete)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("new-item", sc.cmdNewItem)
@@ -413,9 +416,18 @@ func (sc StandardCommands) ConfigureUCL(ucl *ucl.Inst) {
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("touch", sc.cmdTouch)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("noisy-touch", sc.cmdNoisyTouch)
 	ucl.SetBuiltin("rebind", sc.cmdRebind)
-	// set-opt --> alias to opts:set
 
 	ucl.SetPseudoVar("resultset", resultSetPVar{sc.State, sc.ReadController})
 	ucl.SetPseudoVar("table", tablePVar{sc.State})
 	ucl.SetPseudoVar("item", itemPVar{sc.State})
 }
+
+func (sc StandardCommands) RunPrelude(ctx context.Context, ucl *ucl.Inst) error {
+	_, err := ucl.EvalString(ctx, uclPrelude)
+	return err
+}
+
+const uclPrelude = `
+ui:command unmark { mark none }
+ui:command set-opt { |n k| opt:set $n $k }
+`
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds_test.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds_test.go
index 228c6be..55bef6e 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds_test.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/cmdpacks/stdcmds_test.go
@@ -137,9 +137,17 @@ func newService(t *testing.T, opts ...serviceOpt) *services {
 	keyBindingService := keybindings_service.NewService(keybindings.Default())
 	keyBindingController := controllers.NewKeyBindingController(keyBindingService, nil)
 
-	_ = settingsController
-	commandController := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService,
-		cmdpacks.NewStandardCommands(service, state, readController, writeController, exportController, keyBindingController),
+	commandController, _ := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService,
+		cmdpacks.NewStandardCommands(
+			service,
+			state,
+			readController,
+			writeController,
+			exportController,
+			keyBindingController,
+			pasteboardprovider.NilProvider{},
+			settingsController,
+		),
 	)
 
 	s.State = state
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl.go
index bfbe79b..9075da8 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type CommandController struct {
 	interactive        bool
 }
 
-func NewCommandController(historyProvider IterProvider, pkgs ...CommandPack) *CommandController {
+func NewCommandController(historyProvider IterProvider, pkgs ...CommandPack) (*CommandController, error) {
 	cc := &CommandController{
 		historyProvider:  historyProvider,
 		commandList:      nil,
@@ -60,9 +60,17 @@ func NewCommandController(historyProvider IterProvider, pkgs ...CommandPack) *Co
 		pkg.ConfigureUCL(cc.uclInst)
 	}
 
+	execCtx := execContext{ctrl: cc}
+	ctx := context.WithValue(context.Background(), commandCtlKey, &execCtx)
+	for _, pkg := range pkgs {
+		if err := pkg.RunPrelude(ctx, cc.uclInst); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	go cc.cmdLooper()
 
-	return cc
+	return cc, nil
 }
 
 func (c *CommandController) AddCommands(ctx *CommandList) {
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl_test.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl_test.go
index b21783e..bcc112a 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl_test.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/commandctrl_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import (
 
 func TestCommandController_Prompt(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("prompt user for a command", func(t *testing.T) {
-		cmd := commandctrl.NewCommandController(mockIterProvider{})
+		cmd, err := commandctrl.NewCommandController(mockIterProvider{})
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 		res := cmd.Prompt()
 
diff --git a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/packs.go b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/packs.go
index 6f5dbc6..16df613 100644
--- a/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/packs.go
+++ b/internal/common/ui/commandctrl/packs.go
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package commandctrl
 
-import "ucl.lmika.dev/ucl"
+import (
+	"context"
+	"ucl.lmika.dev/ucl"
+)
 
 type CommandPack interface {
 	InstOptions() []ucl.InstOption
 	ConfigureUCL(ucl *ucl.Inst)
+	RunPrelude(ctx context.Context, ucl *ucl.Inst) error
 }
diff --git a/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers/tablewrite_test.go b/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers/tablewrite_test.go
index efd0c14..a407923 100644
--- a/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers/tablewrite_test.go
+++ b/internal/dynamo-browse/controllers/tablewrite_test.go
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ func newService(t *testing.T, cfg serviceConfig) *services {
 	exportController := controllers.NewExportController(state, service, jobsController, columnsController, pasteboardprovider.NilProvider{})
 	scriptController := controllers.NewScriptController(scriptService, readController, jobsController, settingsController, eventBus)
 
-	commandController := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService)
+	commandController, _ := commandctrl.NewCommandController(inputHistoryService)
 	commandController.AddCommandLookupExtension(scriptController)
 
 	if cfg.isReadOnly {
diff --git a/internal/dynamo-browse/ui/model.go b/internal/dynamo-browse/ui/model.go
index 90dfa0f..42f7e31 100644
--- a/internal/dynamo-browse/ui/model.go
+++ b/internal/dynamo-browse/ui/model.go
@@ -40,14 +40,13 @@ type Model struct {
 	settingsController   *controllers.SettingsController
 	exportController     *controllers.ExportController
 	commandController    *commandctrl.CommandController
-	//scriptController     *controllers.ScriptController
-	jobController   *controllers.JobsController
-	colSelector     *colselector.Model
-	relSelector     *relselector.Model
-	itemEdit        *dynamoitemedit.Model
-	statusAndPrompt *statusandprompt.StatusAndPrompt
-	tableSelect     *tableselect.Model
-	eventBus        *bus.Bus
+	jobController        *controllers.JobsController
+	colSelector          *colselector.Model
+	relSelector          *relselector.Model
+	itemEdit             *dynamoitemedit.Model
+	statusAndPrompt      *statusandprompt.StatusAndPrompt
+	tableSelect          *tableselect.Model
+	eventBus             *bus.Bus
 
 	mainViewIndex int
 
@@ -68,7 +67,6 @@ func NewModel(
 	jobController *controllers.JobsController,
 	itemRendererService *itemrenderer.Service,
 	cc *commandctrl.CommandController,
-	//scriptController *controllers.ScriptController,
 	eventBus *bus.Bus,
 	keyBindingController *controllers.KeyBindingController,
 	pasteboardProvider services.PasteboardProvider,