diff --git a/app/Command/REPL.hs b/app/Command/REPL.hs
index c07db590d0..04033b57eb 100644
--- a/app/Command/REPL.hs
+++ b/app/Command/REPL.hs
@@ -360,13 +360,10 @@ command = loop <$> options
                       configFile <- (</> ".purs-repl") <$> liftIO getCurrentDirectory
                       exists <- liftIO $ doesFileExist configFile
                       when exists $ do
-                        ls <- lines <$> liftIO (readUTF8File configFile)
-                        for_ ls $ \l -> do
-                          liftIO (putStrLn l)
-                          case parseCommand l of
-                            Left err -> liftIO (putStrLn err >> exitFailure)
-                            Right cmd@Import{} -> handleCommand' state cmd
-                            Right _ -> liftIO (putStrLn "The .purs-repl file only supports import declarations")
+                        cf <- liftIO (readUTF8File configFile)
+                        case parseDotFile configFile cf of
+                          Left err -> liftIO (putStrLn err >> exitFailure)
+                          Right cmds -> liftIO (putStrLn cf) >> for_ cmds (handleCommand' state)
 
                     handleCommandWithInterrupts
                       :: state
diff --git a/src/Language/PureScript/Interactive/Parser.hs b/src/Language/PureScript/Interactive/Parser.hs
index 9a13b22a63..9d6df35f69 100644
--- a/src/Language/PureScript/Interactive/Parser.hs
+++ b/src/Language/PureScript/Interactive/Parser.hs
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 -- Parser for PSCI.
 --
 module Language.PureScript.Interactive.Parser
-  ( parseCommand
+  ( parseDotFile
+  , parseCommand
   ) where
 
 import           Prelude.Compat hiding (lex)
 
+import           Control.Applicative ((<|>))
 import           Control.Monad (join)
 import           Data.Bifunctor (first)
 import           Data.Char (isSpace)
@@ -18,6 +20,16 @@ import qualified Language.PureScript.Interactive.Directive as D
 import           Language.PureScript.Interactive.Types
 import           Language.PureScript.Parser.Common (mark, same)
 
+-- |
+-- Parses a limited set of commands from from .purs-repl
+--
+parseDotFile :: FilePath -> String -> Either String [Command]
+parseDotFile filePath s = first show $ do
+  ts <- P.lex filePath (T.pack s)
+  P.runTokenParser filePath (many parser <* eof) ts
+  where
+  parser  = psciImport <|> fail "The .purs-repl file only supports import declarations"
+
 -- |
 -- Parses PSCI metacommands or expressions input from the user.
 --
@@ -72,6 +84,7 @@ parseDirective cmd =
     Type     -> TypeOf <$> parseRest P.parseValue arg
     Kind     -> KindOf <$> parseRest P.parseType arg
     Complete -> return (CompleteStr arg)
+
 -- |
 -- Parses expressions entered at the PSCI repl.
 --