diff --git a/include/cyclone/types.h b/include/cyclone/types.h
index 20c45761..5924595b 100644
--- a/include/cyclone/types.h
+++ b/include/cyclone/types.h
@@ -779,10 +779,14 @@ typedef struct {
   FILE *fp;
   int mode;
   unsigned char flags;
+  // TODO: int line_num;
+  // TODO: int char_num;
   char *mem_buf;
   size_t mem_buf_len;
 } port_type;
 
+#define IO_BUF_LEN 1024
+
 /** Create a new port object in the nursery */
 #define make_port(p,f,m) \
   port_type p; \
@@ -803,7 +807,7 @@ typedef struct {
   p.fp = f; \
   p.mode = m; \
   p.flags = 1; \
-  p.mem_buf = NULL; \
+  p.mem_buf = malloc(IO_BUF_LEN); \
   p.mem_buf_len = 0;
 
 /**
diff --git a/read.scm b/read.scm
index 975445b4..37dca303 100644
--- a/read.scm
+++ b/read.scm
@@ -696,18 +696,41 @@
 (write 'TODO)
 
 ;; Notes on writing a fast parser:
-- Interface to the user is (read). This needs to be fast
-- Could read input a line at a time, but then need to buffer in the port_type object
-- Thinking fread would be most efficient
-- Port would need an array, size (could be known instead of storing), and current index
-- Need a way to indicate EOF
-- One drawback - will not integrate nicely with other I/O on same port (read-char, read-line, etc) until those functions are updated to work with buffered I/O
+; - Interface to the user is (read). This needs to be fast
+; - Could read input a line at a time, but then need to buffer in the port_type object
+; - Thinking fread would be most efficient
+; - Port would need an array, size (could be known instead of storing), and current index
+; - Need a way to indicate EOF
+; - One drawback - will not integrate nicely with other I/O on same port (read-char, read-line, etc) until those functions are updated to work with buffered I/O
+; 
+; - Shouldn't chars for comments be immediately read? Not sure why existing code attempts to pass state
+; - Not sure if we need the (all?) var. Can't we just loop and quit when closing paren is seen?
+; 
+; - could main parsing code be written in C? this could save a lot of time
+;   maybe have a scheme layer to handle nested parens (anything else?) and call C to
+;   get the next token
 
-- Shouldn't chars for comments be immediately read? Not sure why existing code attempts to pass state
-- Not sure if we need the (all?) var. Can't we just loop and quit when closing paren is seen?
+(define cyc-read2
+  (lambda args
+    (let ((fp (if (null? args)
+                  (current-input-port)
+                  (car args))))
+      ;(parse fp '() '() #f #f 0 (reg-port fp))
 
-- could main parsing code be written in C? this could save a lot of time
-  maybe have a scheme layer to handle nested parens (anything else?) and call C to
-  get the next token
+      ;; TODO: anything else? will track line/char nums within the C code
+      (parse2 fp)
+      
+      )))
 
+(define (parse2 fp)
+  (let ((token (read-token fp))) ;; TODO: this will be a C call
+    (cond
+      ;; Open paren, start read loop
+      ;; Close parent, stop current read loop
+      ;; Quote
+      ;; , - could be unquote or unquote-splicing
+      ;; # - get next char(s)
+      ;; Other special cases?
+      (else
+        token))))
 
diff --git a/runtime.c b/runtime.c
index 1bfc5b25..a331d501 100644
--- a/runtime.c
+++ b/runtime.c
@@ -3397,7 +3397,7 @@ port_type Cyc_io_open_input_file(void *data, object str)
   const char *fname;
   Cyc_check_str(data, str);
   fname = ((string_type *) str)->str;
-  make_port(p, NULL, 1);
+  make_file_backed_port(p, NULL, 1);
   p.fp = fopen(fname, "r");
   if (p.fp == NULL) {
     Cyc_rt_raise2(data, "Unable to open file", str);
@@ -5674,3 +5674,10 @@ void Cyc_import_shared_object(void *data, object cont, object filename, object e
   entry_pt(data, 0, &clo, &clo);
 }
 
+/** Read */
+void Cyc_read(void *data, object cont, object port)
+{
+  //Cyc_check_port(data, port);
+  port_type *p = (port_type *)port;
+}
+