diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
index e9d7fb0df..8256de09a 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import Hledger.Cli.Commands.Print
 import Hledger.Cli.Commands.Register
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Read
+import Hledger.Read.Journal (someamount)
 import Hledger.Cli.Options hiding (value)
 #ifdef MAKE
 import Paths_hledger_make (getDataFileName)
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
index 428ba8fda..8b54c11b8 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ import System.Time (ClockTime(TOD))
 import Hledger.Cli.Commands.All
 import Hledger.Data  -- including testing utils in Hledger.Data.Utils
 import Hledger.Read.Common (emptyCtx)
-import Hledger.Read (someamount,readJournal)
+import Hledger.Read (readJournal)
+import Hledger.Read.Journal (someamount)
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
 import Hledger.Cli.Utils
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
index 359b0cc35..bb900ca1c 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
@@ -321,3 +321,15 @@ isRight = not . isLeft
 
 strictReadFile :: FilePath -> IO String
 strictReadFile f = readFile f >>= \s -> Control.Exception.evaluate (length s) >> return s
+
+-- -- | Expand ~ in a file path (does not handle ~name).
+-- tildeExpand :: FilePath -> IO FilePath
+-- tildeExpand ('~':[])     = getHomeDirectory
+-- tildeExpand ('~':'/':xs) = getHomeDirectory >>= return . (++ ('/':xs))
+-- --handle ~name, requires -fvia-C or ghc 6.8:
+-- --import System.Posix.User
+-- -- tildeExpand ('~':xs)     =  do let (user, path) = span (/= '/') xs
+-- --                                pw <- getUserEntryForName user
+-- --                                return (homeDirectory pw ++ path)
+-- tildeExpand xs           =  return xs
+
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
index 8e75e465e..168e23224 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -7,35 +7,50 @@ Read hledger data from various data formats, and related utilities.
 
 module Hledger.Read (
        tests_Hledger_Read,
-       module Hledger.Read.Common,
-       Hledger.Read.Journal.someamount,
-       readJournalFile,
-       readJournal,
        myLedgerPath,
        myTimelogPath,
        myJournal,
        myTimelog,
+       readJournalFile,
+       readJournal,
 )
 where
 import Hledger.Data.Types (Journal(..))
 import Hledger.Data.Utils
 import Hledger.Read.Common
-import qualified Hledger.Read.Journal (parseJournal,parseJournalFile,ledgerFile,someamount,tests_Journal)
-import qualified Hledger.Read.Timelog (tests_Timelog) --parseJournal
+import qualified Hledger.Read.Journal (parseJournal,ledgerFile,tests_Journal)
+import qualified Hledger.Read.Timelog (parseJournal,tests_Timelog)
 
 import Control.Monad.Error
+import Data.Either (partitionEithers)
 import System.Directory (getHomeDirectory)
 import System.Environment (getEnv)
 import System.FilePath ((</>))
 import System.Exit
 import System.IO (stderr)
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import System.IO.UTF8 (hPutStrLn)
+import Prelude hiding (readFile, putStr, putStrLn, print, getContents)
+import System.IO.UTF8
 #else
 import System.IO (hPutStrLn)
 #endif
 
 
+formats = [
+  "journal"
+ ,"timelog"
+-- ,"csv"
+ ]
+
+unknownformatmsg fp = printf "could not recognise %sdata in %s" (fmt formats) fp
+    where fmt [] = ""
+          fmt [f] = f ++ " "
+          fmt fs = intercalate ", " (init fs) ++ " or " ++ last fs ++ " "
+
+parsers = [Hledger.Read.Journal.parseJournal
+          ,Hledger.Read.Timelog.parseJournal
+          ]
+
 ledgerenvvar           = "LEDGER"
 timelogenvvar          = "TIMELOG"
 ledgerdefaultfilename  = ".ledger"
@@ -65,27 +80,28 @@ myJournal = myLedgerPath >>= readJournalFile
 myTimelog :: IO Journal
 myTimelog = myTimelogPath >>= readJournalFile
 
--- | Read a journal from this file, or throw an error.
+-- | Read a journal from this file, trying all known data formats,
+-- or give an error.
 readJournalFile :: FilePath -> IO Journal
-readJournalFile f =
-  (runErrorT . Hledger.Read.Journal.parseJournalFile) f >>= either printerror return
-  where printerror e = hPutStrLn stderr e >> exitWith (ExitFailure 1)
+readJournalFile "-" = getContents >>= journalFromPathAndString "(stdin)"
+readJournalFile f   = readFile f  >>= journalFromPathAndString f
 
--- | Read a Journal from this string, or throw an error.
+-- | Read a Journal from this string, trying all known data formats, or
+-- give an error.
 readJournal :: String -> IO Journal
-readJournal s =
-  (runErrorT . Hledger.Read.Journal.parseJournal "(from string)") s >>= either error return
+readJournal = journalFromPathAndString "(string)"
 
--- -- | Expand ~ in a file path (does not handle ~name).
--- tildeExpand :: FilePath -> IO FilePath
--- tildeExpand ('~':[])     = getHomeDirectory
--- tildeExpand ('~':'/':xs) = getHomeDirectory >>= return . (++ ('/':xs))
--- --handle ~name, requires -fvia-C or ghc 6.8:
--- --import System.Posix.User
--- -- tildeExpand ('~':xs)     =  do let (user, path) = span (/= '/') xs
--- --                                pw <- getUserEntryForName user
--- --                                return (homeDirectory pw ++ path)
--- tildeExpand xs           =  return xs
+-- | Read a Journal from this string, trying each known data format in
+-- turn, or give an error.  The file path is also required.
+journalFromPathAndString :: FilePath -> String -> IO Journal
+journalFromPathAndString f s = do
+  (errors, journals) <- partitionEithers `fmap` mapM try parsers
+  case journals of j:_ -> return j
+                   _   -> hPutStrLn stderr (errmsg errors) >> exitWith (ExitFailure 1)
+    where
+      try p = (runErrorT . p f) s
+      errmsg [] = unknownformatmsg f
+      errmsg (e:_) = unlines [unknownformatmsg f, e]
 
 tests_Hledger_Read = TestList
   [
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
index 6bf102c39..81ced5be5 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -9,17 +9,29 @@ module Hledger.Read.Common
 where
 
 import Control.Monad.Error
-import Data.List
+import Hledger.Data.Utils
 import Hledger.Data.Types (Journal)
-import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
+import Hledger.Data.Journal
 import System.Directory (getHomeDirectory)
 import System.FilePath(takeDirectory,combine)
+import System.Time (getClockTime)
+import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
 
 
 -- | A JournalUpdate is some transformation of a "Journal". It can do I/O
 -- or raise an error.
 type JournalUpdate = ErrorT String IO (Journal -> Journal)
 
+-- | Given a JournalUpdate-generating parsec parser, file path and data string,
+-- parse and post-process a Journal so that it's ready to use, or give an error.
+parseJournalWith :: (GenParser Char LedgerFileCtx JournalUpdate) -> FilePath -> String -> ErrorT String IO Journal
+parseJournalWith p f s = do
+  tc <- liftIO getClockTime
+  tl <- liftIO getCurrentLocalTime
+  case runParser p emptyCtx f s of
+    Right updates -> liftM (journalFinalise tc tl f s) $ updates `ap` return nulljournal
+    Left err      -> throwError $ show err -- XXX raises an uncaught exception if we have a parsec user error, eg from many ?
+
 -- | Some context kept during parsing.
 data LedgerFileCtx = Ctx {
       ctxYear     :: !(Maybe Integer)  -- ^ the default year most recently specified with Y
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Journal.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Journal.hs
index 17f227936..ee2352087 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Journal.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Journal.hs
@@ -103,15 +103,20 @@ i, o, b, h
 
 -}
 
-module Hledger.Read.Journal {- (
+module Hledger.Read.Journal (
+       tests_Journal,
        parseJournal,
-       parseJournalFile,
+       ledgerFile,
        someamount,
-       emptyCtx,
-       ledgeraccountname
-) -}
+       ledgeraccountname,
+       ledgerExclamationDirective,
+       ledgerHistoricalPrice,
+       ledgerDefaultYear,
+       emptyLine,
+       ledgerdatetime,
+)
 where
-import Control.Monad.Error (ErrorT(..), MonadIO, liftIO, throwError, catchError)
+import Control.Monad.Error (ErrorT(..), throwError, catchError)
 import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
 import Prelude hiding (readFile, putStr, putStrLn, print, getContents)
@@ -127,27 +132,14 @@ import Hledger.Data.Posting
 import Hledger.Data.Journal
 import Hledger.Data.Commodity (dollars,dollar,unknown,nonsimplecommoditychars)
 import Hledger.Read.Common
-import System.Time (getClockTime)
 
 
 -- let's get to it
 
--- | Parse and post-process a journal file or timelog file to a "Journal",
--- or give an error.
-parseJournalFile :: FilePath -> ErrorT String IO Journal
-parseJournalFile "-" = liftIO getContents >>= parseJournal "-"
-parseJournalFile f   = liftIO (readFile f) >>= parseJournal f
-
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from hledger's journal file
--- format, saving the provided file path and the current time, or give an
--- error.
+-- format, or give an error.
 parseJournal :: FilePath -> String -> ErrorT String IO Journal
-parseJournal f s = do
-  tc <- liftIO getClockTime
-  tl <- liftIO getCurrentLocalTime
-  case runParser ledgerFile emptyCtx f s of
-    Right m  -> liftM (journalFinalise tc tl f s) $ m `ap` return nulljournal
-    Left err -> throwError $ show err -- XXX raises an uncaught exception if we have a parsec user error, eg from many ?
+parseJournal = parseJournalWith ledgerFile
 
 -- | Top-level journal parser. Returns a single composite, I/O performing,
 -- error-raising "JournalUpdate" which can be applied to an empty journal
@@ -170,7 +162,7 @@ ledgerFile = do items <- many ledgerItem
                           , ledgerTagDirective
                           , ledgerEndTagDirective
                           , emptyLine >> return (return id)
-                          ] <?> "ledger transaction, timelog entry, or directive"
+                          ] <?> "ledger transaction or directive"
 
 emptyLine :: GenParser Char st ()
 emptyLine = do many spacenonewline
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Timelog.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Timelog.hs
index 8bb00d351..523735256 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Timelog.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Timelog.hs
@@ -42,29 +42,23 @@ o 2007/03/10 17:26:02
 
 -}
 
-module Hledger.Read.Timelog {- (
+module Hledger.Read.Timelog (
+       tests_Timelog,
        parseJournal,
-       parseJournalFile
-) -}
+)
 where
-import Control.Monad.Error (ErrorT(..), MonadIO, liftIO, throwError)
+import Control.Monad.Error (ErrorT(..))
 import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
-import System.Time (getClockTime)
 import Hledger.Data
-import Hledger.Read.Common (LedgerFileCtx,JournalUpdate,emptyCtx,getParentAccount)
-import Hledger.Read.Journal hiding (parseJournal, parseJournalFile)
+import Hledger.Read.Common
+import Hledger.Read.Journal hiding (parseJournal)
 
 
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from timeclock.el's timelog
 -- format, saving the provided file path and the current time, or give an
 -- error.
 parseJournal :: FilePath -> String -> ErrorT String IO Journal
-parseJournal f s = do
-  tc <- liftIO getClockTime
-  tl <- liftIO getCurrentLocalTime
-  case runParser timelogFile emptyCtx f s of
-    Right m  -> liftM (journalFinalise tc tl f s) $ m `ap` return nulljournal
-    Left err -> throwError $ show err -- XXX raises an uncaught exception if we have a parsec user error, eg from many ?
+parseJournal = parseJournalWith timelogFile
 
 timelogFile :: GenParser Char LedgerFileCtx JournalUpdate
 timelogFile = do items <- many timelogItem