diff --git a/collects/framework/private/sig.ss b/collects/framework/private/sig.ss
index 605ccf03..89193fa5 100644
--- a/collects/framework/private/sig.ss
+++ b/collects/framework/private/sig.ss
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@
   
   (define-signature text-class^
     (basic<%>
+     first-line<%>
      foreground-color<%>
      hide-caret/selection<%>
      nbsp->space<%>
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@
      input-box%
      
      basic-mixin
+     first-line-mixin
      foreground-color-mixin
      hide-caret/selection-mixin
      nbsp->space-mixin
diff --git a/collects/framework/private/text.ss b/collects/framework/private/text.ss
index 436802ba..813a0319 100644
--- a/collects/framework/private/text.ss
+++ b/collects/framework/private/text.ss
@@ -561,6 +561,185 @@ WARNING: printf is rebound in the body of the unit to always
     (super-new)
     (set-autowrap-bitmap (initial-autowrap-bitmap))))
 
+(define first-line<%>
+  (interface ()
+    highlight-first-line
+    get-first-line-height
+    first-line-currently-drawn-specially?
+    is-special-first-line?))
+
+(define dark-color (make-object color% 50 0 50))
+(define dark-wob-color (make-object color% 255 200 255))
+
+(define first-line-mixin
+  (mixin ((class->interface text%)) (first-line<%>)
+    (inherit get-text paragraph-end-position get-admin invalidate-bitmap-cache position-location
+             scroll-to local-to-global get-dc)
+    (define bx (box 0))
+    (define by (box 0))
+    (define bw (box 0))
+    
+    (define fancy-first-line? #f)
+    
+    (define first-line "")
+    (define end-of-first-line 0)
+    (define first-line-is-lang? #f)
+
+    (define/public-final (highlight-first-line on?)
+      (unless (equal? fancy-first-line? on?)
+        (set! fancy-first-line? on?)
+        (invalidate-bitmap-cache)
+        (let ([canvas (send this get-canvas)])
+          (when canvas
+            (send canvas refresh)))))
+    
+    (define/public-final (get-first-line-height)
+      (let-values ([(_1 h _2 _3) (send (get-dc) get-text-extent first-line (get-font))])
+        h))
+    
+    (define/public-final (first-line-currently-drawn-specially?)
+      (and (show-first-line?)
+           (let ([admin (get-admin)])
+             (and admin
+                  (begin
+                    (send admin get-view #f by #f #f #f)
+                    (not (= (unbox by) 0)))))))
+           
+    (define/public (is-special-first-line? l) #f)
+    
+    (define/private (show-first-line?)
+      (and fancy-first-line? first-line-is-lang?))
+    
+    (define/private (update-first-line)
+      (set! end-of-first-line (paragraph-end-position 0))
+      (set! first-line (get-text 0 end-of-first-line))
+      (set! first-line-is-lang? (is-special-first-line? first-line)))
+    
+    (define/augment (after-insert start len)
+      (when (<= start end-of-first-line)
+        (update-first-line))
+      (inner (void) after-insert start len))
+    (define/augment (after-delete start len)
+      (when (<= start end-of-first-line)
+        (update-first-line))
+      (inner (void) after-delete start len))
+    
+    (define/override (scroll-editor-to localx localy width height refresh? bias)
+      (let ([admin (get-admin)])
+        (cond
+          [(not admin)
+           #f]
+          [(show-first-line?)
+           (let ([h (get-first-line-height)])
+             (set-box! by localy)
+             (local-to-global #f by)
+             (cond
+               [(<= (unbox by) h)
+                ;; the max is relevant when we're already scrolled to the top.
+                (send admin scroll-to localx (max 0 (- localy h)) width height refresh? bias)]
+               [else
+                (send admin scroll-to localx localy width height refresh? bias)]))]
+          [else
+           (send admin scroll-to localx localy width height refresh? bias)])))
+    
+    (define/override (on-event event)
+      (cond
+        [(or (send event moving?)
+             (send event leaving?)
+             (send event entering?))
+         (super on-event event)]
+        [else
+         (let ([y (send event get-y)]
+               [h (get-first-line-height)]
+               [admin (get-admin)])
+           (unless admin (send admin get-view #f by #f #f #f))
+           (cond
+             [(and admin
+                   (< y h)
+                   (not (= (unbox by) 0)))
+              (send admin scroll-to (send event get-x) 0 0 0 #t)
+              (super on-event event)]
+             [else         
+              (super on-event event)]))]))
+    
+    
+    (define/override (on-paint before? dc left top right bottom dx dy draw-caret)
+      (unless before?
+        (when (show-first-line?) 
+          (let ([admin (get-admin)])
+            (when admin
+              (send admin get-view bx by bw #f #f)
+              (unless (= (unbox by) 0)
+                (let ([first-line (get-text 0 (paragraph-end-position 0))]
+                      [old-pen (send dc get-pen)]
+                      [old-brush (send dc get-brush)]
+                      [old-smoothing (send dc get-smoothing)]
+                      [old-α (send dc get-alpha)]
+                      [old-font (send dc get-font)]
+                      [old-text-foreground (send dc get-text-foreground)]
+                      [w-o-b? (preferences:get 'framework:white-on-black?)])
+                  (send dc set-font (get-font))
+                  (send dc set-smoothing 'aligned)
+                  (let-values ([(tw th _1 _2) (send dc get-text-extent first-line)])
+                    (let ([line-height (+ (unbox by) dy th 1)]
+                          [line-left (+ (unbox bx) dx)]
+                          [line-right (+ (unbox bx) dx (unbox bw))])
+                      
+                      (if w-o-b?
+                          (send dc set-pen "white" 1 'solid)
+                          (send dc set-pen "black" 1 'solid))
+                      (send dc draw-line line-left line-height line-right line-height)
+                      
+                      (when (eq? (send dc get-smoothing) 'aligned)
+                        (let ([start (if w-o-b? 6/10 3/10)]
+                              [end 0]
+                              [steps 10])
+                        (send dc set-pen 
+                              (if w-o-b? dark-wob-color dark-color) 
+                              1
+                              'solid)
+                        (let loop ([i steps])
+                          (unless (zero? i)
+                            (let ([alpha-value (+ start (* (- end start) (/ i steps)))])
+                              (send dc set-alpha alpha-value)
+                              (send dc draw-line 
+                                    line-left
+                                    (+ line-height i)
+                                    line-right
+                                    (+ line-height i))
+                              (loop (- i 1))))))))
+                    
+                    (send dc set-alpha 1)
+                    (send dc set-pen "gray" 1 'transparent)
+                    (send dc set-brush (if w-o-b? "black" "white") 'solid)
+                    (send dc draw-rectangle 
+                          (+ (unbox bx) dx)
+                          (+ (unbox by) dy)
+                          (unbox bw)
+                          th)
+                    (send dc set-text-foreground
+                          (send the-color-database find-color
+                                (if w-o-b? "white" "black")))
+                    (send dc draw-text first-line (+ (unbox bx) dx) (+ (unbox by) dy)))
+                  
+                  (send dc set-text-foreground old-text-foreground)
+                  (send dc set-font old-font)
+                  (send dc set-pen old-pen)
+                  (send dc set-brush old-brush)
+                  (send dc set-alpha old-α)
+                  (send dc set-smoothing old-smoothing)))))))
+      (super on-paint before? dc left top right bottom dx dy draw-caret))
+    
+    (inherit get-style-list)
+    (define/private (get-font)
+      (let* ([style-list (get-style-list)]
+             [std (or (send style-list find-named-style "Standard")
+                      (send style-list find-named-style "Basic"))])
+        (send std get-font)))
+    
+    (super-new)))
+
+
 (define foreground-color<%>
   (interface (basic<%> editor:standard-style-list<%>)
     ))
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/framework/text.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/framework/text.scrbl
index e38e470b..39c97746 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/framework/text.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/framework/text.scrbl
@@ -167,9 +167,88 @@
 
   }
 }
+
+@definterface[text:first-line<%> (text%)]{
+
+  Objects implementing this interface, when
+  @method[text:first-line<%> highlight-first-line]
+  is invoked with @scheme[#t], always show their
+  first line, even with scrolled (as long as
+  @method[text:first-line<%> first-line-currently-drawn-specially?]
+  returns @scheme[#t]).
+
+  @defmethod[#:mode public-final (highlight-first-line [on? boolean?]) void?]{
+    Call this method to enable special treatment of the first line in the editor.
+  }
+
+  @defmethod[#:mode public-final (first-line-currently-drawn-specially?) boolean?]{
+     Returns @scheme[#t] if @method[text:first-line<%> is-special-first-line?]
+     returned @scheme[#t] for the current first line
+     and if the buffer is scrolled down so that the first
+     line would not (ordinarily) be visible.
+  }
+
+  @defmethod[#:mode public-final (get-first-line-height) number?]{
+   Returns the height, in pixels, of the first line.
+  }
+
+  @defmethod[(is-special-first-line? [line string?]) boolean?]{
+   Override this method to control when the first line is always
+   visible. The argument is the first line, as a string.
+  }
+
+}
+
+@defmixin[text:first-line-mixin (text%) (text:first-line<%>)]{
+  Provides the implementation of @scheme[text:first-line<%>].
+  Does so by just painting the text of the first
+  line over top of what is already there and overriding
+  @method[text:first-line-mixin scroll-editor-to] to patch
+  up scrolling and
+  @method[text:first-line-mixin on-event] to patch up
+  mouse handling.
+
+  @defmethod[#:mode override
+             (on-paint [before? any/c]
+		       [dc (is-a?/c dc<%>)]
+		       [left real?]
+		       [top real?]
+		       [right real?]
+		       [bottom real?]
+		       [dx real?]
+		       [dy real?]
+		       [draw-caret (one-of/c 'no-caret 'show-inactive-caret 'show-caret)])
+	     void?]{
+
+  Based on the various return values of the methods in @scheme[text:first-line],
+  draws the first actual line of the editor over top of the first
+  visible line in the editor.
+  }
+
+  @defmethod[#:mode override
+	     (on-event [event (is-a?/c mouse-event%)])
+	     void?]{
+    Clicks in the first line cause the editor to scroll to the
+    actual first line.
+  }
+	     
+  @defmethod[#:mode override 
+	     (scroll-editor-to [localx real?]
+			       [localy real?]
+			       [width (and/c real? (not/c negative?))]
+			       [height (and/c real? (not/c negative?))]
+			       [refresh? any/c]
+			       [bias (one-of/c 'start 'end 'none)])
+	     void?]{
+   Scrolls a little bit more, when a scroll would be requested
+   that scrolls something so that it is line underneath the first line.
+ }
+}
+
 @definterface[text:foreground-color<%> (text:basic<%> editor:standard-style-list<%>)]{
 
 }
+
 @defmixin[text:foreground-color-mixin (text:basic<%> editor:standard-style-list<%>) (text:foreground-color<%>)]{
   This mixin changes the default text style to have
   the foreground color controlled by