diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
index 4e2e5f6af..d3156b626 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ module Hledger.Read (
   readJournalFile,
   requireJournalFileExists,
   ensureJournalFileExists,
-  splitReaderPrefix,
 
   -- * Journal parsing
   readJournal,
@@ -39,6 +38,8 @@ module Hledger.Read (
   -- * Re-exported
   JournalReader.accountaliasp,
   JournalReader.postingp,
+  findReader,
+  splitReaderPrefix,
   module Hledger.Read.Common,
 
   -- * Tests
@@ -70,10 +71,10 @@ import Text.Printf
 import Hledger.Data.Dates (getCurrentDay, parsedate, showDate)
 import Hledger.Data.Types
 import Hledger.Read.Common
-import Hledger.Read.JournalReader   as JournalReader
-import qualified Hledger.Read.TimedotReader   as TimedotReader
-import qualified Hledger.Read.TimeclockReader as TimeclockReader
-import Hledger.Read.CsvReader as CsvReader
+import Hledger.Read.JournalReader as JournalReader
+import Hledger.Read.CsvReader (tests_CsvReader)
+-- import Hledger.Read.TimedotReader (tests_TimedotReader)
+-- import Hledger.Read.TimeclockReader (tests_TimeclockReader)
 import Hledger.Utils
 import Prelude hiding (getContents, writeFile)
 
@@ -85,19 +86,6 @@ journalDefaultFilename  = ".hledger.journal"
 
 -- ** journal reading
 
--- The available journal readers, each one handling a particular data format.
-readers :: [Reader]
-readers = [
-  JournalReader.reader
- ,TimeclockReader.reader
- ,TimedotReader.reader
- ,CsvReader.reader
---  ,LedgerReader.reader
- ]
-
-readerNames :: [String]
-readerNames = map rFormat readers
-
 -- | Read a Journal from the given text, assuming journal format; or
 -- throw an error.
 readJournal' :: Text -> IO Journal
@@ -120,28 +108,10 @@ readJournal' t = readJournal def Nothing t >>= either error' return
 -- since hledger 1.17, we prefer predictability.)
 readJournal :: InputOpts -> Maybe FilePath -> Text -> IO (Either String Journal)
 readJournal iopts mpath txt = do
+  let r :: Reader IO =
+        fromMaybe JournalReader.reader $ findReader (mformat_ iopts) mpath
   dbg1IO "trying reader" (rFormat r)
-  ej <- (runExceptT . (rParser r) iopts (fromMaybe "(string)" mpath)) txt
-  dbg1IO "reader result" (' ':show ej)
-  return ej
-  where
-    r = fromMaybe JournalReader.reader $ findReader (mformat_ iopts) mpath
-
--- | @findReader mformat mpath@
---
--- Find the reader named by @mformat@, if provided.
--- Or, if a file path is provided, find the first reader that handles
--- its file extension, if any.
-findReader :: Maybe StorageFormat -> Maybe FilePath -> Maybe Reader
-findReader Nothing Nothing     = Nothing
-findReader (Just fmt) _        = headMay [r | r <- readers, rFormat r == fmt]
-findReader Nothing (Just path) =
-  case prefix of
-    Just fmt -> headMay [r | r <- readers, rFormat r == fmt]
-    Nothing  -> headMay [r | r <- readers, ext `elem` rExtensions r]
-  where
-    (prefix,path') = splitReaderPrefix path
-    ext            = drop 1 $ takeExtension path'
+  (runExceptT . (rReadFn r) iopts (fromMaybe "(string)" mpath)) txt
 
 -- | Read the default journal file specified by the environment, or raise an error.
 defaultJournal :: IO Journal
@@ -218,13 +188,6 @@ readJournalFile iopts prefixedfile = do
 
 -- ** utilities
 
--- | If a filepath is prefixed by one of the reader names and a colon,
--- split that off. Eg "csv:-" -> (Just "csv", "-").
-splitReaderPrefix :: PrefixedFilePath -> (Maybe String, FilePath)
-splitReaderPrefix f =
-  headDef (Nothing, f)
-  [(Just r, drop (length r + 1) f) | r <- readerNames, (r++":") `isPrefixOf` f]
-
 -- | If the specified journal file does not exist (and is not "-"),
 -- give a helpful error and quit.
 requireJournalFileExists :: FilePath -> IO ()
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
index 53c1b64d5..eebb88dac 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Some of these might belong in Hledger.Read.JournalReader or Hledger.Read.
 {-# LANGUAGE NoMonoLocalBinds #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE PackageImports #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE Rank2Types #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TupleSections #-}
@@ -150,7 +151,9 @@ import Hledger.Utils
 
 -- | A hledger journal reader is a triple of storage format name, a
 -- detector of that format, and a parser from that format to Journal.
-data Reader = Reader {
+-- The type variable m appears here so that rParserr can hold a
+-- journal parser, which depends on it.
+data Reader m = Reader {
 
      -- The canonical name of the format handled by this reader
      rFormat   :: StorageFormat
@@ -158,16 +161,17 @@ data Reader = Reader {
      -- The file extensions recognised as containing this format
     ,rExtensions :: [String]
 
-     -- A text parser for this format, accepting input options, file
+     -- The entry point for reading this format, accepting input options, file
      -- path for error messages and file contents, producing an exception-raising IO
-     -- action that returns a journal or error message.
-    ,rParser   :: InputOpts -> FilePath -> Text -> ExceptT String IO Journal
+     -- action that produces a journal or error message.
+    ,rReadFn   :: InputOpts -> FilePath -> Text -> ExceptT String IO Journal
 
-     -- Experimental readers are never tried automatically.
-    ,rExperimental :: Bool
+     -- The actual megaparsec parser called by the above, in case
+     -- another parser (includedirectivep) wants to use it directly.
+    ,rParser :: MonadIO m => ErroringJournalParser m ParsedJournal
     }
 
-instance Show Reader where show r = rFormat r ++ " reader"
+instance Show (Reader m) where show r = rFormat r ++ " reader"
 
 -- $setup
 
@@ -570,6 +574,7 @@ accountnamep = singlespacedtextp
 
 -- | Parse any text beginning with a non-whitespace character, until a
 -- double space or the end of input.
+-- TODO including characters which normally start a comment (;#) - exclude those ? 
 singlespacedtextp :: TextParser m T.Text
 singlespacedtextp = singlespacedtextsatisfyingp (const True)
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
index ac74b679e..3fe7d194d 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ import qualified "base-compat-batteries" Control.Monad.Fail.Compat as Fail (fail
 import Control.Exception          (IOException, handle, throw)
 import Control.Monad              (liftM, unless, when)
 import Control.Monad.Except       (ExceptT, throwError)
-import Control.Monad.IO.Class     (liftIO)
+import Control.Monad.IO.Class     (MonadIO, liftIO)
 import Control.Monad.State.Strict (StateT, get, modify', evalStateT)
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Class  (lift)
 import Data.Char                  (toLower, isDigit, isSpace, ord)
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ type CsvValue  = String
 
 -- ** reader
 
-reader :: Reader
+reader :: MonadIO m => Reader m
 reader = Reader
   {rFormat     = "csv"
   ,rExtensions = ["csv","tsv","ssv"]
-  ,rParser     = parse
-  ,rExperimental = False
+  ,rReadFn     = parse
+  ,rParser    = error' "sorry, CSV files can't be included yet"
   }
 
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from CSV data, or give an error.
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index ee890b037..477601771 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ Hledger.Read.Common, to avoid import cycles.
 -- ** exports
 module Hledger.Read.JournalReader (
 
+  -- * Reader-finding utils
+  findReader,
+  splitReaderPrefix,
+  
   -- * Reader
   reader,
 
@@ -89,6 +93,7 @@ import Data.Monoid ((<>))
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import Data.String
 import Data.List
+import Data.Maybe
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Time.Calendar
 import Data.Time.LocalTime
@@ -102,18 +107,64 @@ import "Glob" System.FilePath.Glob hiding (match)
 
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Read.Common
-import Hledger.Read.TimeclockReader (timeclockfilep)
-import Hledger.Read.TimedotReader (timedotfilep)
 import Hledger.Utils
 
+import qualified Hledger.Read.TimedotReader as TimedotReader (reader)
+import qualified Hledger.Read.TimeclockReader as TimeclockReader (reader)
+import qualified Hledger.Read.CsvReader as CsvReader (reader)
+
+-- ** reader finding utilities
+-- Defined here rather than Hledger.Read so that we can use them in includedirectivep below.
+
+-- The available journal readers, each one handling a particular data format.
+readers' :: MonadIO m => [Reader m]
+readers' = [
+  reader
+ ,TimeclockReader.reader
+ ,TimedotReader.reader
+ ,CsvReader.reader
+--  ,LedgerReader.reader
+ ]
+
+readerNames :: [String]
+readerNames = map rFormat (readers'::[Reader IO])
+
+-- | @findReader mformat mpath@
+--
+-- Find the reader named by @mformat@, if provided.
+-- Or, if a file path is provided, find the first reader that handles
+-- its file extension, if any.
+findReader :: MonadIO m => Maybe StorageFormat -> Maybe FilePath -> Maybe (Reader m)
+findReader Nothing Nothing     = Nothing
+findReader (Just fmt) _        = headMay [r | r <- readers', rFormat r == fmt]
+findReader Nothing (Just path) =
+  case prefix of
+    Just fmt -> headMay [r | r <- readers', rFormat r == fmt]
+    Nothing  -> headMay [r | r <- readers', ext `elem` rExtensions r]
+  where
+    (prefix,path') = splitReaderPrefix path
+    ext            = drop 1 $ takeExtension path'
+
+-- | A file path optionally prefixed by a reader name and colon
+-- (journal:, csv:, timedot:, etc.).
+type PrefixedFilePath = FilePath
+
+-- | If a filepath is prefixed by one of the reader names and a colon,
+-- split that off. Eg "csv:-" -> (Just "csv", "-").
+splitReaderPrefix :: PrefixedFilePath -> (Maybe String, FilePath)
+splitReaderPrefix f =
+  headDef (Nothing, f)
+  [(Just r, drop (length r + 1) f) | r <- readerNames, (r++":") `isPrefixOf` f]
+
 -- ** reader
 
-reader :: Reader
+reader :: MonadIO m => Reader m
 reader = Reader
   {rFormat     = "journal"
   ,rExtensions = ["journal", "j", "hledger", "ledger"]
-  ,rParser     = parse
-  ,rExperimental = False
+  ,rReadFn     = parse
+  ,rParser    = journalp  -- no need to add command line aliases like journalp'
+                           -- when called as a subparser I think
   }
 
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from hledger's journal file
@@ -234,11 +285,11 @@ includedirectivep = do
                             `orRethrowIOError` (show parentpos ++ " reading " ++ filepath)
       let initChildj = newJournalWithParseStateFrom filepath parentj
 
-      let parser = choiceInState
-            [ journalp
-            , timeclockfilep
-            , timedotfilep
-            ] -- can't include a csv file yet, that reader is special
+      -- Choose a reader/format based on the file path, or fall back
+      -- on journal. Duplicating readJournal a bit here.
+      let r = fromMaybe reader $ findReader Nothing (Just filepath)
+          parser = rParser r
+      dbg1IO "trying reader" (rFormat r)
       updatedChildj <- journalAddFile (filepath, childInput) <$>
                         parseIncludeFile parser initChildj filepath childInput
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimeclockReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimeclockReader.hs
index 4e5fe9afe..3df666f2a 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimeclockReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimeclockReader.hs
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ import           Hledger.Utils
 
 -- ** reader
 
-reader :: Reader
+reader :: MonadIO m => Reader m
 reader = Reader
   {rFormat     = "timeclock"
   ,rExtensions = ["timeclock"]
-  ,rParser     = parse
-  ,rExperimental = False
+  ,rReadFn     = parse
+  ,rParser    = timeclockfilep
   }
 
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from timeclock.el's timeclock
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
index 1a21a448d..2708ae468 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ import Hledger.Utils
 
 -- ** reader
 
-reader :: Reader
+reader :: MonadIO m => Reader m
 reader = Reader
   {rFormat     = "timedot"
   ,rExtensions = ["timedot"]
-  ,rParser     = parse
-  ,rExperimental = False
+  ,rReadFn     = parse
+  ,rParser    = timedotp
   }
 
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from the timedot format, or give an error.