diff --git a/runtime/doc/map.txt b/runtime/doc/map.txt
index 6072957..e7b9378 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/map.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/map.txt
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@
 The result of the InsertDot() function will be inserted.  It could check the
 text before the cursor and start omni completion when some condition is met.
 
+For abbreviations |v:char| is set to the character that was typed to trigger
+the abbreviation.  You can use this to decide how to expand the {lhs}.  You
+can't change v:char and you should not insert it.
+
 Be very careful about side effects!  The expression is evaluated while
 obtaining characters, you may very well make the command dysfunctional.
 For this reason the following is blocked:
diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index f94178d6..a48e152 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -18101,6 +18101,31 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Set v:char to character "c".
+ */
+    void
+set_vim_var_char(c)
+    int c;
+{
+#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
+    char_u	buf[MB_MAXBYTES];
+#else
+    char_u	buf[2];
+#endif
+
+#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
+    if (has_mbyte)
+	buf[(*mb_char2bytes)(c, buf)] = NUL;
+    else
+#endif
+    {
+	buf[0] = c;
+	buf[1] = NUL;
+    }
+    set_vim_var_string(VV_CHAR, buf, -1);
+}
+
+/*
  * Set v:count to "count" and v:count1 to "count1".
  * When "set_prevcount" is TRUE first set v:prevcount from v:count.
  */
diff --git a/src/getchar.c b/src/getchar.c
index e81f7cb..b39ff74 100644
--- a/src/getchar.c
+++ b/src/getchar.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
 static void	validate_maphash __ARGS((void));
 static void	showmap __ARGS((mapblock_T *mp, int local));
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
-static char_u	*eval_map_expr __ARGS((char_u *str));
+static char_u	*eval_map_expr __ARGS((char_u *str, int c));
 #endif
 
 /*
@@ -2446,7 +2446,7 @@
 			    if (tabuf.typebuf_valid)
 			    {
 				vgetc_busy = 0;
-				s = eval_map_expr(mp->m_str);
+				s = eval_map_expr(mp->m_str, NUL);
 				vgetc_busy = save_vgetc_busy;
 			    }
 			    else
@@ -4367,9 +4367,9 @@
 	     * abbreviation, but is not inserted into the input stream.
 	     */
 	    j = 0;
-					/* special key code, split up */
 	    if (c != Ctrl_RSB)
 	    {
+					/* special key code, split up */
 		if (IS_SPECIAL(c) || c == K_SPECIAL)
 		{
 		    tb[j++] = K_SPECIAL;
@@ -4398,7 +4398,7 @@
 	    }
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
 	    if (mp->m_expr)
-		s = eval_map_expr(mp->m_str);
+		s = eval_map_expr(mp->m_str, c);
 	    else
 #endif
 		s = mp->m_str;
@@ -4434,8 +4434,9 @@
  * special characters.
  */
     static char_u *
-eval_map_expr(str)
+eval_map_expr(str, c)
     char_u	*str;
+    int		c;	    /* NUL or typed character for abbreviation */
 {
     char_u	*res;
     char_u	*p;
@@ -4452,6 +4453,7 @@
 #ifdef FEAT_EX_EXTRA
     ++ex_normal_lock;
 #endif
+    set_vim_var_char(c);  /* set v:char to the typed character */
     save_cursor = curwin->w_cursor;
     p = eval_to_string(str, NULL, FALSE);
     --textlock;
diff --git a/src/ops.c b/src/ops.c
index f75613d..b21f4c2 100644
--- a/src/ops.c
+++ b/src/ops.c
@@ -4473,11 +4473,6 @@
     int		use_sandbox = was_set_insecurely((char_u *)"formatexpr",
 								   OPT_LOCAL);
     int		r;
-#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
-    char_u	buf[MB_MAXBYTES];
-#else
-    char_u	buf[2];
-#endif
 
     /*
      * Set v:lnum to the first line number and v:count to the number of lines.
@@ -4485,17 +4480,7 @@
      */
     set_vim_var_nr(VV_LNUM, lnum);
     set_vim_var_nr(VV_COUNT, count);
-
-#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
-    if (has_mbyte)
-	buf[(*mb_char2bytes)(c, buf)] = NUL;
-    else
-#endif
-    {
-	buf[0] = c;
-	buf[1] = NUL;
-    }
-    set_vim_var_string(VV_CHAR, buf, -1);
+    set_vim_var_char(c);
 
     /*
      * Evaluate the function.
diff --git a/src/proto/eval.pro b/src/proto/eval.pro
index 362b9d9..d520046 100644
--- a/src/proto/eval.pro
+++ b/src/proto/eval.pro
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 long get_vim_var_nr __ARGS((int idx));
 char_u *get_vim_var_str __ARGS((int idx));
 list_T *get_vim_var_list __ARGS((int idx));
+void set_vim_var_char __ARGS((int c));
 void set_vcount __ARGS((long count, long count1, int set_prevcount));
 void set_vim_var_string __ARGS((int idx, char_u *val, int len));
 void set_vim_var_list __ARGS((int idx, list_T *val));
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 3102a6f..1a7e765 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -677,6 +677,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    266,
+/**/
     265,
 /**/
     264,