diff --git a/runtime/doc/autocmd.txt b/runtime/doc/autocmd.txt
index e5fc361..fd062b2 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/autocmd.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/autocmd.txt
@@ -52,9 +52,6 @@
 ==============================================================================
 2. Defining autocommands				*autocmd-define*
 
-Note: The ":autocmd" command cannot be followed by another command, since any
-'|' is considered part of the command.
-
 							*:au* *:autocmd*
 :au[tocmd] [group] {event} {pat} [nested] {cmd}
 			Add {cmd} to the list of commands that Vim will
@@ -67,6 +64,12 @@
 The special pattern <buffer> or <buffer=N> defines a buffer-local autocommand.
 See |autocmd-buflocal|.
 
+Note: The ":autocmd" command can only be followed by another command when the
+'|' appears before {cmd}.  This works: >
+	:augroup mine | au! BufRead | augroup END
+But this sees "augroup" as part of the defined command: >
+	:augroup mine | au BufRead * set tw=70 | augroup END
+
 Note that special characters (e.g., "%", "<cword>") in the ":autocmd"
 arguments are not expanded when the autocommand is defined.  These will be
 expanded when the Event is recognized, and the {cmd} is executed.  The only
diff --git a/src/fileio.c b/src/fileio.c
index c406617..4542f6a 100644
--- a/src/fileio.c
+++ b/src/fileio.c
@@ -8100,8 +8100,8 @@
     int		i;
     int		len;
 
-    /* the event name ends with end of line, a blank or a comma */
-    for (p = start; *p && !vim_iswhite(*p) && *p != ','; ++p)
+    /* the event name ends with end of line, '|', a blank or a comma */
+    for (p = start; *p && !vim_iswhite(*p) && *p != ',' && *p != '|'; ++p)
 	;
     for (i = 0; event_names[i].name != NULL; ++i)
     {
@@ -8153,7 +8153,7 @@
     }
     else
     {
-	for (pat = arg; *pat && !vim_iswhite(*pat); pat = p)
+	for (pat = arg; *pat && *pat != '|' && !vim_iswhite(*pat); pat = p)
 	{
 	    if ((int)event_name2nr(pat, &p) >= (int)NUM_EVENTS)
 	    {
@@ -8286,8 +8286,9 @@
  * Mostly a {group} argument can optionally appear before <event>.
  */
     void
-do_autocmd(char_u *arg, int forceit)
+do_autocmd(char_u *arg_in, int forceit)
 {
+    char_u	*arg = arg_in;
     char_u	*pat;
     char_u	*envpat = NULL;
     char_u	*cmd;
@@ -8296,12 +8297,20 @@
     int		nested = FALSE;
     int		group;
 
-    /*
-     * Check for a legal group name.  If not, use AUGROUP_ALL.
-     */
-    group = au_get_grouparg(&arg);
-    if (arg == NULL)	    /* out of memory */
-	return;
+    if (*arg == '|')
+    {
+	arg = (char_u *)"";
+	group = AUGROUP_ALL;	/* no argument, use all groups */
+    }
+    else
+    {
+	/*
+	 * Check for a legal group name.  If not, use AUGROUP_ALL.
+	 */
+	group = au_get_grouparg(&arg);
+	if (arg == NULL)	    /* out of memory */
+	    return;
+    }
 
     /*
      * Scan over the events.
@@ -8311,53 +8320,61 @@
     if (pat == NULL)
 	return;
 
-    /*
-     * Scan over the pattern.  Put a NUL at the end.
-     */
     pat = skipwhite(pat);
-    cmd = pat;
-    while (*cmd && (!vim_iswhite(*cmd) || cmd[-1] == '\\'))
-	cmd++;
-    if (*cmd)
-	*cmd++ = NUL;
-
-    /* Expand environment variables in the pattern.  Set 'shellslash', we want
-     * forward slashes here. */
-    if (vim_strchr(pat, '$') != NULL || vim_strchr(pat, '~') != NULL)
+    if (*pat == '|')
     {
-#ifdef BACKSLASH_IN_FILENAME
-	int	p_ssl_save = p_ssl;
-
-	p_ssl = TRUE;
-#endif
-	envpat = expand_env_save(pat);
-#ifdef BACKSLASH_IN_FILENAME
-	p_ssl = p_ssl_save;
-#endif
-	if (envpat != NULL)
-	    pat = envpat;
+	pat = (char_u *)"";
+	cmd = (char_u *)"";
     }
-
-    /*
-     * Check for "nested" flag.
-     */
-    cmd = skipwhite(cmd);
-    if (*cmd != NUL && STRNCMP(cmd, "nested", 6) == 0 && vim_iswhite(cmd[6]))
+    else
     {
-	nested = TRUE;
-	cmd = skipwhite(cmd + 6);
-    }
+	/*
+	 * Scan over the pattern.  Put a NUL at the end.
+	 */
+	cmd = pat;
+	while (*cmd && (!vim_iswhite(*cmd) || cmd[-1] == '\\'))
+	    cmd++;
+	if (*cmd)
+	    *cmd++ = NUL;
 
-    /*
-     * Find the start of the commands.
-     * Expand <sfile> in it.
-     */
-    if (*cmd != NUL)
-    {
-	cmd = expand_sfile(cmd);
-	if (cmd == NULL)	    /* some error */
-	    return;
-	need_free = TRUE;
+	/* Expand environment variables in the pattern.  Set 'shellslash', we want
+	 * forward slashes here. */
+	if (vim_strchr(pat, '$') != NULL || vim_strchr(pat, '~') != NULL)
+	{
+#ifdef BACKSLASH_IN_FILENAME
+	    int	p_ssl_save = p_ssl;
+
+	    p_ssl = TRUE;
+#endif
+	    envpat = expand_env_save(pat);
+#ifdef BACKSLASH_IN_FILENAME
+	    p_ssl = p_ssl_save;
+#endif
+	    if (envpat != NULL)
+		pat = envpat;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Check for "nested" flag.
+	 */
+	cmd = skipwhite(cmd);
+	if (*cmd != NUL && STRNCMP(cmd, "nested", 6) == 0 && vim_iswhite(cmd[6]))
+	{
+	    nested = TRUE;
+	    cmd = skipwhite(cmd + 6);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Find the start of the commands.
+	 * Expand <sfile> in it.
+	 */
+	if (*cmd != NUL)
+	{
+	    cmd = expand_sfile(cmd);
+	    if (cmd == NULL)	    /* some error */
+		return;
+	    need_free = TRUE;
+	}
     }
 
     /*
@@ -8374,7 +8391,7 @@
      */
     last_event = (event_T)-1;		/* for listing the event name */
     last_group = AUGROUP_ERROR;		/* for listing the group name */
-    if (*arg == '*' || *arg == NUL)
+    if (*arg == '*' || *arg == NUL || *arg == '|')
     {
 	for (event = (event_T)0; (int)event < (int)NUM_EVENTS;
 					    event = (event_T)((int)event + 1))
@@ -8384,7 +8401,7 @@
     }
     else
     {
-	while (*arg && !vim_iswhite(*arg))
+	while (*arg && *arg != '|' && !vim_iswhite(*arg))
 	    if (do_autocmd_event(event_name2nr(arg, &arg), pat,
 					nested,	cmd, forceit, group) == FAIL)
 		break;
@@ -8409,7 +8426,8 @@
     char_u	*arg = *argp;
     int		group = AUGROUP_ALL;
 
-    p = skiptowhite(arg);
+    for (p = arg; *p && !vim_iswhite(*p) && *p != '|'; ++p)
+	;
     if (p > arg)
     {
 	group_name = vim_strnsave(arg, (int)(p - arg));
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim b/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
index 580c42f..b9d5cfe 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     call timer_start(100, 'ExitInsertMode')
     call feedkeys('a', 'x!')
     call assert_equal(1, g:triggered)
+    au! CursorHoldI
   endfunc
 
   func Test_cursorhold_insert_ctrl_x()
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
     " CursorHoldI does not trigger after CTRL-X
     call feedkeys("a\<C-X>", 'x!')
     call assert_equal(0, g:triggered)
+    au! CursorHoldI
   endfunc
 endif
 
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@
   bwipeout
   call assert_equal(["bufunload", "bufdelete", "bufwipeout"], s:li)
 
+  au! test_bufunload_group
   augroup! test_bufunload_group
 endfunc
 
@@ -120,3 +123,31 @@
   augroup END
   unlet g:record
 endfunc
+
+func s:AddAnAutocmd()
+  augroup vimBarTest
+    au BufReadCmd * echo 'hello'
+  augroup END
+  call assert_equal(3, len(split(execute('au vimBarTest'), "\n")))
+endfunc
+
+func Test_early_bar()
+  " test that a bar is recognized before the {event}
+  call s:AddAnAutocmd()
+  augroup vimBarTest | au! | augroup END
+  call assert_equal(1, len(split(execute('au vimBarTest'), "\n")))
+
+  call s:AddAnAutocmd()
+  augroup vimBarTest| au!| augroup END
+  call assert_equal(1, len(split(execute('au vimBarTest'), "\n")))
+
+  " test that a bar is recognized after the {event}
+  call s:AddAnAutocmd()
+  augroup vimBarTest| au!BufReadCmd| augroup END
+  call assert_equal(1, len(split(execute('au vimBarTest'), "\n")))
+
+  " test that a bar is recognized after the {group}
+  call s:AddAnAutocmd()
+  au! vimBarTest|echo 'hello'
+  call assert_equal(1, len(split(execute('au vimBarTest'), "\n")))
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 041228e..8902c9f 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -759,6 +759,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    2103,
+/**/
     2102,
 /**/
     2101,