diff --git a/addon/runmode/runmode-standalone.js b/addon/runmode/runmode-standalone.js
index 2866b252ee..fcb3db35c8 100644
--- a/addon/runmode/runmode-standalone.js
+++ b/addon/runmode/runmode-standalone.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ function splitLines(string){ return string.split(/\r?\n|\r/); };
 function StringStream(string) {
   this.pos = this.start = 0;
   this.string = string;
+  this.lineStart = 0;
 }
 StringStream.prototype = {
   eol: function() {return this.pos >= this.string.length;},
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ StringStream.prototype = {
     if (found > -1) {this.pos = found; return true;}
   },
   backUp: function(n) {this.pos -= n;},
-  column: function() {return this.start;},
+  column: function() {return this.start - this.lineStart;},
   indentation: function() {return 0;},
   match: function(pattern, consume, caseInsensitive) {
     if (typeof pattern == "string") {
@@ -58,7 +59,12 @@ StringStream.prototype = {
       return match;
     }
   },
-  current: function(){return this.string.slice(this.start, this.pos);}
+  current: function(){return this.string.slice(this.start, this.pos);},
+  hideFirstChars: function(n, inner) {
+    this.lineStart += n;
+    try { return inner(); }
+    finally { this.lineStart -= n; }
+  }
 };
 CodeMirror.StringStream = StringStream;
 
diff --git a/addon/runmode/runmode.node.js b/addon/runmode/runmode.node.js
index 304640fa62..99f72ef02e 100644
--- a/addon/runmode/runmode.node.js
+++ b/addon/runmode/runmode.node.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ function splitLines(string){ return string.split(/\r?\n|\r/); };
 function StringStream(string) {
   this.pos = this.start = 0;
   this.string = string;
+  this.lineStart = 0;
 }
 StringStream.prototype = {
   eol: function() {return this.pos >= this.string.length;},
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ StringStream.prototype = {
     if (found > -1) {this.pos = found; return true;}
   },
   backUp: function(n) {this.pos -= n;},
-  column: function() {return this.start;},
+  column: function() {return this.start - this.lineStart;},
   indentation: function() {return 0;},
   match: function(pattern, consume, caseInsensitive) {
     if (typeof pattern == "string") {
@@ -53,7 +54,12 @@ StringStream.prototype = {
       return match;
     }
   },
-  current: function(){return this.string.slice(this.start, this.pos);}
+  current: function(){return this.string.slice(this.start, this.pos);},
+  hideFirstChars: function(n, inner) {
+    this.lineStart += n;
+    try { return inner(); }
+    finally { this.lineStart -= n; }
+  }
 };
 exports.StringStream = StringStream;