diff --git a/src/script.c b/src/script.c
index 76b5933..13d20da 100644
--- a/src/script.c
+++ b/src/script.c
@@ -60,14 +60,32 @@ static char script_init[] =
 "    local str = ''\n"
 "    while true do\n"
 "        local c = tio.read(1, timeout)\n"
-"        if c then\n"
-"            str = str .. c\n"
-"            if string.match(str, pattern) then\n"
-"                return string.match(str, pattern)\n"
-"            end\n"
-"        else\n"
+"        if c == nil then\n"
 "            return nil, str\n"
 "        end\n"
+"        str = str .. c\n"
+"        if string.match(str, pattern) then\n"
+"            return string.match(str, pattern), str\n"
+"        end\n"
+"    end\n"
+"end\n"
+"tio.expects = function(patterns, timeout)\n"
+"    local str = ''\n"
+"    if type(patterns) ~= 'table' then\n"
+"        patterns = { patterns }\n"
+"    end\n"
+"    while true do\n"
+"        local c = tio.read(1, timeout)\n"
+"        if c == nil then\n"
+"            return nil, nil, str\n"
+"        end\n"
+"        str = str .. c\n"
+"        for idx, pat in ipairs(patterns) do\n"
+"            local captured = { string.match(str, pat) }\n"
+"            if #captured > 0 then\n"
+"                return idx, captured, str\n"
+"            end\n"
+"        end\n"
 "    end\n"
 "end\n"
 "tio.alwaysecho = true\n"