diff --git a/src/ex_getln.c b/src/ex_getln.c
index 9cf1287..249dafb 100644
--- a/src/ex_getln.c
+++ b/src/ex_getln.c
@@ -667,9 +667,10 @@
 	    c = plain_vgetc();
 	    --no_mapping;
 	    --allow_keys;
-	    /* CTRL-\ e doesn't work when obtaining an expression. */
-	    if (c != Ctrl_N && c != Ctrl_G
-				     && (c != 'e' || ccline.cmdfirstc == '='))
+	    /* CTRL-\ e doesn't work when obtaining an expression, unless it
+	     * is in a mapping. */
+	    if (c != Ctrl_N && c != Ctrl_G && (c != 'e'
+				    || (ccline.cmdfirstc == '=' && KeyTyped)))
 	    {
 		vungetc(c);
 		c = Ctrl_BSL;
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 296d3de..ec61f9b 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -720,6 +720,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    686,
+/**/
     685,
 /**/
     684,