diff --git a/src/edit.c b/src/edit.c
index ef4c98d..1ae8e2d 100644
--- a/src/edit.c
+++ b/src/edit.c
@@ -8698,7 +8698,7 @@
      * When recording or for CTRL-O, need to display the new mode.
      * Otherwise remove the mode message.
      */
-    if (Recording || restart_edit != NUL)
+    if (reg_recording != 0 || restart_edit != NUL)
 	showmode();
     else if (p_smd)
 	MSG("");
diff --git a/src/evalfunc.c b/src/evalfunc.c
index 46e55b3..90aa2ef 100644
--- a/src/evalfunc.c
+++ b/src/evalfunc.c
@@ -306,6 +306,8 @@
 #endif
 static void f_range(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_readfile(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
+static void f_reg_executing(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
+static void f_reg_recording(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_reltime(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 #ifdef FEAT_FLOAT
 static void f_reltimefloat(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
@@ -754,6 +756,8 @@
 #endif
     {"range",		1, 3, f_range},
     {"readfile",	1, 3, f_readfile},
+    {"reg_executing",	0, 0, f_reg_executing},
+    {"reg_recording",	0, 0, f_reg_recording},
     {"reltime",		0, 2, f_reltime},
 #ifdef FEAT_FLOAT
     {"reltimefloat",	1, 1, f_reltimefloat},
@@ -8697,6 +8701,34 @@
     fclose(fd);
 }
 
+    static void
+return_register(int regname, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    char_u buf[2] = {0, 0};
+
+    buf[0] = (char_u)regname;
+    rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
+    rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave(buf);
+}
+
+/*
+ * "reg_executing()" function
+ */
+    static void
+f_reg_executing(typval_T *argvars UNUSED, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    return_register(reg_executing, rettv);
+}
+
+/*
+ * "reg_recording()" function
+ */
+    static void
+f_reg_recording(typval_T *argvars UNUSED, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    return_register(reg_recording, rettv);
+}
+
 #if defined(FEAT_RELTIME)
 static int list2proftime(typval_T *arg, proftime_T *tm);
 
diff --git a/src/fileio.c b/src/fileio.c
index d34605c..428e408 100644
--- a/src/fileio.c
+++ b/src/fileio.c
@@ -9274,7 +9274,7 @@
 
     if (!did_cursorhold
 	    && has_cursorhold()
-	    && !Recording
+	    && reg_recording == 0
 	    && typebuf.tb_len == 0
 #ifdef FEAT_INS_EXPAND
 	    && !ins_compl_active()
diff --git a/src/getchar.c b/src/getchar.c
index 1f7c7d1..ddb23dd 100644
--- a/src/getchar.c
+++ b/src/getchar.c
@@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@
     int		todo = len;
 
     /* remember how many chars were last recorded */
-    if (Recording)
+    if (reg_recording != 0)
 	last_recorded_len += len;
 
     buf[1] = NUL;
@@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@
 	c = *s++;
 	updatescript(c);
 
-	if (Recording)
+	if (reg_recording != 0)
 	{
 	    buf[0] = c;
 	    add_buff(&recordbuff, buf, 1L);
@@ -2007,7 +2007,7 @@
     init_typebuf();
     start_stuff();
     if (advance && typebuf.tb_maplen == 0)
-	Exec_reg = FALSE;
+	reg_executing = 0;
     do
     {
 /*
diff --git a/src/globals.h b/src/globals.h
index d5320d7..22199c9 100644
--- a/src/globals.h
+++ b/src/globals.h
@@ -933,8 +933,8 @@
 EXTERN int exmode_active INIT(= 0);	/* zero, EXMODE_NORMAL or EXMODE_VIM */
 EXTERN int ex_no_reprint INIT(= FALSE); /* no need to print after z or p */
 
-EXTERN int Recording INIT(= FALSE);	/* TRUE when recording into a reg. */
-EXTERN int Exec_reg INIT(= FALSE);	/* TRUE when executing a register */
+EXTERN int reg_recording INIT(= 0);	/* register for recording  or zero */
+EXTERN int reg_executing INIT(= 0);	/* register being executed or zero */
 
 EXTERN int no_mapping INIT(= FALSE);	/* currently no mapping allowed */
 EXTERN int no_zero_mapping INIT(= 0);	/* mapping zero not allowed */
diff --git a/src/message.c b/src/message.c
index f9ae0e9..9384aa6 100644
--- a/src/message.c
+++ b/src/message.c
@@ -1025,7 +1025,7 @@
     int		oldState;
     int		tmpState;
     int		had_got_int;
-    int		save_Recording;
+    int		save_reg_recording;
     FILE	*save_scriptout;
 
     if (redraw == TRUE)
@@ -1103,16 +1103,16 @@
 	    /* Temporarily disable Recording. If Recording is active, the
 	     * character will be recorded later, since it will be added to the
 	     * typebuf after the loop */
-	    save_Recording = Recording;
+	    save_reg_recording = reg_recording;
 	    save_scriptout = scriptout;
-	    Recording = FALSE;
+	    reg_recording = 0;
 	    scriptout = NULL;
 	    c = safe_vgetc();
 	    if (had_got_int && !global_busy)
 		got_int = FALSE;
 	    --no_mapping;
 	    --allow_keys;
-	    Recording = save_Recording;
+	    reg_recording = save_reg_recording;
 	    scriptout = save_scriptout;
 
 #ifdef FEAT_CLIPBOARD
diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index 3b958a5..58f7a7a 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -871,8 +871,8 @@
 		|| (nv_cmds[idx].cmd_flags & NV_NCH_ALW) == NV_NCH_ALW
 		|| (ca.cmdchar == 'q'
 		    && oap->op_type == OP_NOP
-		    && !Recording
-		    && !Exec_reg)
+		    && reg_recording == 0
+		    && reg_executing == 0)
 		|| ((ca.cmdchar == 'a' || ca.cmdchar == 'i')
 		    && (oap->op_type != OP_NOP || VIsual_active))))
     {
@@ -9324,7 +9324,7 @@
 #endif
 	    /* (stop) recording into a named register, unless executing a
 	     * register */
-	    if (!Exec_reg && do_record(cap->nchar) == FAIL)
+	    if (reg_executing == 0 && do_record(cap->nchar) == FAIL)
 		clearopbeep(cap->oap);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ops.c b/src/ops.c
index 9af466b..1bc51d8 100644
--- a/src/ops.c
+++ b/src/ops.c
@@ -1091,14 +1091,14 @@
     yankreg_T	    *old_y_previous, *old_y_current;
     int		    retval;
 
-    if (Recording == FALSE)	    /* start recording */
+    if (reg_recording == 0)	    /* start recording */
     {
 	/* registers 0-9, a-z and " are allowed */
 	if (c < 0 || (!ASCII_ISALNUM(c) && c != '"'))
 	    retval = FAIL;
 	else
 	{
-	    Recording = c;
+	    reg_recording = c;
 	    showmode();
 	    regname = c;
 	    retval = OK;
@@ -1111,7 +1111,7 @@
 	 * needs to be removed again to put it in a register.  exec_reg then
 	 * adds the escaping back later.
 	 */
-	Recording = FALSE;
+	reg_recording = 0;
 	MSG("");
 	p = get_recorded();
 	if (p == NULL)
@@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@
 								      == FAIL)
 		return FAIL;
 	}
-	Exec_reg = TRUE;	/* disable the 'q' command */
+	reg_executing = regname == 0 ? '"' : regname; // disable "q" command
     }
     return retval;
 }
diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index e26bb44..f2c58be 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -10255,7 +10255,7 @@
 	    && ((State & INSERT)
 		|| restart_edit
 		|| VIsual_active));
-    if (do_mode || Recording)
+    if (do_mode || reg_recording != 0)
     {
 	/*
 	 * Don't show mode right now, when not redrawing or inside a mapping.
@@ -10414,7 +10414,7 @@
 
 	    need_clear = TRUE;
 	}
-	if (Recording
+	if (reg_recording != 0
 #ifdef FEAT_INS_EXPAND
 		&& edit_submode == NULL	    /* otherwise it gets too long */
 #endif
@@ -10489,7 +10489,7 @@
     int save_msg_col = msg_col;
 
     msg_pos_mode();
-    if (Recording)
+    if (reg_recording != 0)
 	recording_mode(HL_ATTR(HLF_CM));
     msg_clr_eos();
 
@@ -10504,7 +10504,7 @@
     if (!shortmess(SHM_RECORDING))
     {
 	char_u s[4];
-	sprintf((char *)s, " @%c", Recording);
+	sprintf((char *)s, " @%c", reg_recording);
 	MSG_PUTS_ATTR(s, attr);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_functions.vim b/src/testdir/test_functions.vim
index 97e7e23..b76bc78 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_functions.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_functions.vim
@@ -923,3 +923,28 @@
   let chars = join(map(range(1, 0x20) + [0xa0], {n -> nr2char(n)}), '')
   call assert_equal("x", trim(chars . "x" . chars))
 endfunc
+
+" Test for reg_recording() and reg_executing()
+func Test_reg_executing_and_recording()
+  let s:reg_stat = ''
+  func s:save_reg_stat()
+    let s:reg_stat = reg_recording() . ':' . reg_executing()
+    return ''
+  endfunc
+
+  new
+  call s:save_reg_stat()
+  call assert_equal(':', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("qa\"=s:save_reg_stat()\<CR>pq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('a:', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("@a", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal(':a', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("qb@aq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('b:a', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("q\"\"=s:save_reg_stat()\<CR>pq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('":', s:reg_stat)
+
+  bwipe!
+  delfunc s:save_reg_stat
+  unlet s:reg_stat
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index b629933..616a169 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -762,6 +762,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    20,
+/**/
     19,
 /**/
     18,