diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
index afdb7ee13..fd462aa48 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ instance Num Amount where
 
 -- | The empty simple amount.
 amount, nullamt :: Amount
-amount = Amount{acommodity="", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=amountstyle, aismultiplier=False}
+amount = Amount{acommodity="", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=amountstyle}
 nullamt = amount
 
 -- | A temporary value for parsed transactions which had no amount specified.
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
index 37fc1b3e9..beb1e80bc 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ journalBalanceTransactions bopts' j' =
     styles = Just $ journalCommodityStyles j
     bopts = bopts'{commodity_styles_=styles}
     -- balance assignments will not be allowed on these
-    txnmodifieraccts = S.fromList $ map paccount $ concatMap tmpostingrules $ jtxnmodifiers j
+    txnmodifieraccts = S.fromList . map (paccount . tmprPosting) . concatMap tmpostingrules $ jtxnmodifiers j
   in
     runST $ do
       -- We'll update a mutable array of transactions as we balance them,
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Json.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Json.hs
index ea5ce68b0..8b34e0dbc 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Json.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Json.hs
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ postingKV Posting{..} =
 
 instance ToJSON Transaction
 instance ToJSON TransactionModifier
+instance ToJSON TMPostingRule
 instance ToJSON PeriodicTransaction
 instance ToJSON PriceDirective
 instance ToJSON DateSpan
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
index 01d6ec2c5..b4c2b06ff 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
@@ -60,17 +60,18 @@ modifyTransactions d tmods ts = do
 --
 -- >>> import qualified Data.Text.IO as T
 -- >>> t = nulltransaction{tpostings=["ping" `post` usd 1]}
+-- >>> tmpost acc amt = TMPostingRule (acc `post` amt) False
 -- >>> test = either putStr (T.putStr.showTransaction) . fmap ($ t) . transactionModifierToFunction nulldate
--- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "" ["pong" `post` usd 2]
+-- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "" ["pong" `tmpost` usd 2]
 -- 0000-01-01
 --     ping           $1.00
 --     pong           $2.00  ; generated-posting: =
 -- <BLANKLINE>
--- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "miss" ["pong" `post` usd 2]
+-- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "miss" ["pong" `tmpost` usd 2]
 -- 0000-01-01
 --     ping           $1.00
 -- <BLANKLINE>
--- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "ping" ["pong" `post` amount{aismultiplier=True, aquantity=3}]
+-- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "ping" [("pong" `tmpost` amount{aquantity=3}){tmprIsMultiplier=True}]
 -- 0000-01-01
 --     ping           $1.00
 --     pong           $3.00  ; generated-posting: = ping
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ transactionModifierToFunction refdate TransactionModifier{tmquerytxt, tmpostingr
 -- The TransactionModifier's query text is also provided, and saved
 -- as the tags' value.
 tmPostingRuleToFunction :: Query -> T.Text -> TMPostingRule -> (Posting -> Posting)
-tmPostingRuleToFunction query querytxt pr =
+tmPostingRuleToFunction query querytxt tmpr =
   \p -> renderPostingCommentDates $ pr
       { pdate    = pdate  pr <|> pdate  p
       , pdate2   = pdate2 pr <|> pdate2 p
@@ -104,9 +105,10 @@ tmPostingRuleToFunction query querytxt pr =
                    ptags pr
       }
   where
+    pr = tmprPosting tmpr
     qry = "= " <> querytxt
     symq = filterQuery (liftA2 (||) queryIsSym queryIsAmt) query
-    amount' = case postingRuleMultiplier pr of
+    amount' = case postingRuleMultiplier tmpr of
         Nothing -> const $ pamount pr
         Just n  -> \p ->
           -- Multiply the old posting's amount by the posting rule's multiplier.
@@ -127,9 +129,9 @@ tmPostingRuleToFunction query querytxt pr =
               c  -> mapMixedAmount (\a -> a{acommodity = c, astyle = astyle pramount, aprice = aprice pramount}) as
 
 postingRuleMultiplier :: TMPostingRule -> Maybe Quantity
-postingRuleMultiplier p = case amountsRaw $ pamount p of
-    [a] | aismultiplier a -> Just $ aquantity a
-    _                     -> Nothing
+postingRuleMultiplier tmpr = case amountsRaw . pamount $ tmprPosting tmpr of
+    [a] | tmprIsMultiplier tmpr -> Just $ aquantity a
+    _                           -> Nothing
 
 renderPostingCommentDates :: Posting -> Posting
 renderPostingCommentDates p = p { pcomment = comment' }
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Types.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
index 44fa14767..cc25934d1 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
@@ -224,8 +224,6 @@ data Commodity = Commodity {
 data Amount = Amount {
       acommodity  :: !CommoditySymbol,     -- commodity symbol, or special value "AUTO"
       aquantity   :: !Quantity,            -- numeric quantity, or zero in case of "AUTO"
-      aismultiplier :: !Bool,              -- ^ kludge: a flag marking this amount and posting as a multiplier
-                                           --   in a TMPostingRule. In a regular Posting, should always be false.
       astyle      :: !AmountStyle,
       aprice      :: !(Maybe AmountPrice)  -- ^ the (fixed, transaction-specific) price for this amount, if any
     } deriving (Eq,Ord,Generic,Show)
@@ -429,7 +427,10 @@ nulltransactionmodifier = TransactionModifier{
 -- to the matched posting's transaction.
 -- Can be like a regular posting, or the amount can have the aismultiplier flag set,
 -- indicating that it's a multiplier for the matched posting's amount.
-type TMPostingRule = Posting
+data TMPostingRule = TMPostingRule
+  { tmprPosting :: Posting
+  , tmprIsMultiplier :: Bool
+  } deriving (Eq,Generic,Show)
 
 -- | A periodic transaction rule, describing a transaction that recurs.
 data PeriodicTransaction = PeriodicTransaction {
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
index 215f21bfc..aa5d199ad 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module Hledger.Read (
   readJournal',
 
   -- * Re-exported
-  JournalReader.postingp,
+  JournalReader.tmpostingrulep,
   findReader,
   splitReaderPrefix,
   module Hledger.Read.Common,
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
index 3b106c926..33f575478 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ module Hledger.Read.Common (
   amountp,
   amountp',
   mamountp',
+  amountpwithmultiplier,
   commoditysymbolp,
   priceamountp,
   balanceassertionp,
@@ -768,10 +769,12 @@ spaceandamountormissingp =
 -- files with any supported decimal mark, but it also allows different decimal marks
 -- in  different amounts, which is a bit too loose. There's an open issue.
 amountp :: JournalParser m Amount
-amountp = label "amount" $ do
-  let 
-    spaces = lift $ skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  amount <- amountwithoutpricep <* spaces
+amountp = amountpwithmultiplier False
+
+amountpwithmultiplier :: Bool -> JournalParser m Amount
+amountpwithmultiplier mult = label "amount" $ do
+  let spaces = lift $ skipNonNewlineSpaces
+  amount <- amountwithoutpricep mult <* spaces
   (mprice, _elotprice, _elotdate) <- runPermutation $
     (,,) <$> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> priceamountp amount <* spaces)
          <*> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> lotpricep <* spaces)
@@ -781,20 +784,20 @@ amountp = label "amount" $ do
 amountpnolotpricesp :: JournalParser m Amount
 amountpnolotpricesp = label "amount" $ do
   let spaces = lift $ skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  amount <- amountwithoutpricep
+  amount <- amountwithoutpricep False
   spaces
   mprice <- optional $ priceamountp amount <* spaces
   pure $ amount { aprice = mprice }
 
-amountwithoutpricep :: JournalParser m Amount
-amountwithoutpricep = do
-  (mult, sign) <- lift $ (,) <$> multiplierp <*> signp
-  leftsymbolamountp mult sign <|> rightornosymbolamountp mult sign
+amountwithoutpricep :: Bool -> JournalParser m Amount
+amountwithoutpricep mult = do
+  sign <- lift signp
+  leftsymbolamountp sign <|> rightornosymbolamountp sign
 
   where
 
-  leftsymbolamountp :: Bool -> (Decimal -> Decimal) -> JournalParser m Amount
-  leftsymbolamountp mult sign = label "amount" $ do
+  leftsymbolamountp :: (Decimal -> Decimal) -> JournalParser m Amount
+  leftsymbolamountp sign = label "amount" $ do
     c <- lift commoditysymbolp
     mdecmarkStyle <- getDecimalMarkStyle
     mcommodityStyle <- getAmountStyle c
@@ -809,10 +812,10 @@ amountwithoutpricep = do
     let numRegion = (offBeforeNum, offAfterNum)
     (q,prec,mdec,mgrps) <- lift $ interpretNumber numRegion suggestedStyle ambiguousRawNum mExponent
     let s = amountstyle{ascommodityside=L, ascommodityspaced=commodityspaced, asprecision=prec, asdecimalpoint=mdec, asdigitgroups=mgrps}
-    return $ nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign (sign2 q), aismultiplier=mult, astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
+    return nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign (sign2 q), astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
 
-  rightornosymbolamountp :: Bool -> (Decimal -> Decimal) -> JournalParser m Amount
-  rightornosymbolamountp mult sign = label "amount" $ do
+  rightornosymbolamountp :: (Decimal -> Decimal) -> JournalParser m Amount
+  rightornosymbolamountp sign = label "amount" $ do
     offBeforeNum <- getOffset
     ambiguousRawNum <- lift rawnumberp
     mExponent <- lift $ optional $ try exponentp
@@ -828,7 +831,7 @@ amountwithoutpricep = do
         let msuggestedStyle = mdecmarkStyle <|> mcommodityStyle
         (q,prec,mdec,mgrps) <- lift $ interpretNumber numRegion msuggestedStyle ambiguousRawNum mExponent
         let s = amountstyle{ascommodityside=R, ascommodityspaced=commodityspaced, asprecision=prec, asdecimalpoint=mdec, asdigitgroups=mgrps}
-        return $ nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign q, aismultiplier=mult, astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
+        return nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign q, astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
       -- no symbol amount
       Nothing -> do
         -- look for a number style to use when parsing, based on
@@ -845,7 +848,7 @@ amountwithoutpricep = do
         let (c,s) = case (mult, defcs) of
               (False, Just (defc,defs)) -> (defc, defs{asprecision=max (asprecision defs) prec})
               _ -> ("", amountstyle{asprecision=prec, asdecimalpoint=mdec, asdigitgroups=mgrps})
-        return $ nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign q, aismultiplier=mult, astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
+        return nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=sign q, astyle=s, aprice=Nothing}
 
   -- For reducing code duplication. Doesn't parse anything. Has the type
   -- of a parser only in order to throw parse errors (for convenience).
@@ -878,9 +881,6 @@ mamountp' = mixedAmount . amountp'
 signp :: Num a => TextParser m (a -> a)
 signp = ((char '-' *> pure negate <|> char '+' *> pure id) <* skipNonNewlineSpaces) <|> pure id
 
-multiplierp :: TextParser m Bool
-multiplierp = option False $ char '*' *> pure True
-
 commoditysymbolp :: TextParser m CommoditySymbol
 commoditysymbolp =
   quotedcommoditysymbolp <|> simplecommoditysymbolp <?> "commodity symbol"
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ priceamountp baseAmt = label "transaction price" $ do
   when parenthesised $ void $ char ')'
 
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  priceAmount <- amountwithoutpricep -- <?> "unpriced amount (specifying a price)"
+  priceAmount <- amountwithoutpricep False -- <?> "unpriced amount (specifying a price)"
 
   let amtsign' = signum $ aquantity baseAmt
       amtsign  = if amtsign' == 0 then 1 else amtsign'
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ lotpricep = label "ledger-style lot price" $ do
   doublebrace <- option False $ char '{' >> pure True
   _fixed <- fmap isJust $ optional $ lift skipNonNewlineSpaces >> char '='
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  _a <- amountwithoutpricep
+  _a <- amountwithoutpricep False
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
   char '}'
   when (doublebrace) $ void $ char '}'
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index 41ea90232..ed80fb298 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ module Hledger.Read.JournalReader (
   datetimep,
   datep,
   modifiedaccountnamep,
-  postingp,
+  tmpostingrulep,
   statusp,
   emptyorcommentlinep,
   followingcommentp,
@@ -592,8 +592,8 @@ transactionmodifierp = do
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
   querytxt <- lift $ T.strip <$> descriptionp
   (_comment, _tags) <- lift transactioncommentp   -- TODO apply these to modified txns ?
-  postings <- postingsp Nothing
-  return $ TransactionModifier querytxt postings
+  postingrules <- tmpostingrulesp Nothing
+  return $ TransactionModifier querytxt postingrules
 
 -- | Parse a periodic transaction rule.
 --
@@ -695,32 +695,49 @@ postingsp mTransactionYear = many (postingp mTransactionYear) <?> "postings"
 --   return $ sp ++ (c:cs) ++ "\n"
 
 postingp :: Maybe Year -> JournalParser m Posting
-postingp mTransactionYear = do
-  -- lift $ dbgparse 0 "postingp"
-  (status, account) <- try $ do
-    lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
-    status <- lift statusp
+postingp = fmap fst . postingphelper False
+
+-- Parse the following whitespace-beginning lines as transaction posting rules, posting
+-- tags, and/or comments (inferring year, if needed, from the given date).
+tmpostingrulesp :: Maybe Year -> JournalParser m [TMPostingRule]
+tmpostingrulesp mTransactionYear = many (tmpostingrulep mTransactionYear) <?> "posting rules"
+
+tmpostingrulep :: Maybe Year -> JournalParser m TMPostingRule
+tmpostingrulep = fmap (uncurry TMPostingRule) . postingphelper True
+
+-- Parse a Posting, and return a flag with whether a multiplier has been detected.
+-- The multiplier is used in TMPostingRules.
+postingphelper :: Bool -> Maybe Year -> JournalParser m (Posting, Bool)
+postingphelper isPostingRule mTransactionYear = do
+    -- lift $ dbgparse 0 "postingp"
+    (status, account) <- try $ do
+      lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
+      status <- lift statusp
+      lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
+      account <- modifiedaccountnamep
+      return (status, account)
+    let (ptype, account') = (accountNamePostingType account, textUnbracket account)
     lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-    account <- modifiedaccountnamep
-    return (status, account)
-  let (ptype, account') = (accountNamePostingType account, textUnbracket account)
-  lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  amount <- optional amountp
-  lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  massertion <- optional balanceassertionp
-  lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  (comment,tags,mdate,mdate2) <- lift $ postingcommentp mTransactionYear
-  return posting
-   { pdate=mdate
-   , pdate2=mdate2
-   , pstatus=status
-   , paccount=account'
-   , pamount=maybe missingmixedamt mixedAmount amount
-   , pcomment=comment
-   , ptype=ptype
-   , ptags=tags
-   , pbalanceassertion=massertion
-   }
+    mult <- if isPostingRule then multiplierp else pure False
+    amount <- optional $ amountpwithmultiplier mult
+    lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
+    massertion <- optional balanceassertionp
+    lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
+    (comment,tags,mdate,mdate2) <- lift $ postingcommentp mTransactionYear
+    let p = posting
+            { pdate=mdate
+            , pdate2=mdate2
+            , pstatus=status
+            , paccount=account'
+            , pamount=maybe missingmixedamt mixedAmount amount
+            , pcomment=comment
+            , ptype=ptype
+            , ptags=tags
+            , pbalanceassertion=massertion
+            }
+    return (p, mult)
+  where
+    multiplierp = option False $ True <$ char '*'
 
 --- ** tests
 
@@ -866,7 +883,7 @@ tests_JournalReader = tests "JournalReader" [
       "= (some value expr)\n some:postings  1.\n"
       nulltransactionmodifier {
         tmquerytxt = "(some value expr)"
-       ,tmpostingrules = [nullposting{paccount="some:postings", pamount=mixedAmount (num 1)}]
+       ,tmpostingrules = [TMPostingRule nullposting{paccount="some:postings", pamount=mixedAmount (num 1)} False]
       }
     ]
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
index ba0329005..4f4690fe2 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ cumulativeSum value start = snd . M.mapAccumWithKey accumValued start
 tests_MultiBalanceReport = tests "MultiBalanceReport" [
 
   let
-    amt0 = Amount {acommodity="$", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=AmountStyle {ascommodityside = L, ascommodityspaced = False, asprecision = Precision 2, asdecimalpoint = Just '.', asdigitgroups = Nothing}, aismultiplier=False}
+    amt0 = Amount {acommodity="$", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=AmountStyle {ascommodityside = L, ascommodityspaced = False, asprecision = Precision 2, asdecimalpoint = Just '.', asdigitgroups = Nothing}}
     (rspec,journal) `gives` r = do
       let rspec' = rspec{rsQuery=And [queryFromFlags $ rsOpts rspec, rsQuery rspec]}
           (eitems, etotal) = r
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Rewrite.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Rewrite.hs
index 9c2467364..92b7dfa60 100755
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Rewrite.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Rewrite.hs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ transactionModifierFromOpts CliOpts{rawopts_=rawopts} =
     ps = map (parseposting . T.pack) $ listofstringopt "add-posting" rawopts
     parseposting t = either (error' . errorBundlePretty) id ep  -- PARTIAL:
       where
-        ep = runIdentity (runJournalParser (postingp Nothing <* eof) t')
+        ep = runIdentity (runJournalParser (tmpostingrulep Nothing <* eof) t')
         t' = " " <> t <> "\n" -- inject space and newline for proper parsing
 
 printOrDiff :: RawOpts -> (CliOpts -> Journal -> Journal -> IO ())
diff --git a/hledger/test/journal/parse-errors.test b/hledger/test/journal/parse-errors.test
index f210edf08..52c2a680a 100644
--- a/hledger/test/journal/parse-errors.test
+++ b/hledger/test/journal/parse-errors.test
@@ -155,3 +155,11 @@ $ hledger -f- print
     equity:opening/closing balances
 
 >=0
+
+# 13. Adding a multiplier in a normal posting gives a parse error.
+<
+2020-01-01
+  (a)  *1
+$ hledger -f- print
+>2 /unexpected '\*'/
+>=1
diff --git a/hledger/test/json.test b/hledger/test/json.test
index 925221e26..5c699ea34 100644
--- a/hledger/test/json.test
+++ b/hledger/test/json.test
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ $ hledger -f- reg --output-format=json
       "pamount": [
         {
           "acommodity": "AAA",
-          "aismultiplier": false,
           "aprice": null,
           "aquantity": {
             "decimalMantissa": 10,
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ $ hledger -f- reg --output-format=json
     [
       {
         "acommodity": "AAA",
-        "aismultiplier": false,
         "aprice": null,
         "aquantity": {
           "decimalMantissa": 10,
@@ -73,7 +71,6 @@ $ hledger -f- bal --output-format=json
       [
         {
           "acommodity": "AAA",
-          "aismultiplier": false,
           "aprice": null,
           "aquantity": {
             "decimalMantissa": 10,
@@ -94,7 +91,6 @@ $ hledger -f- bal --output-format=json
   [
     {
       "acommodity": "AAA",
-      "aismultiplier": false,
       "aprice": null,
       "aquantity": {
         "decimalMantissa": 10,