diff --git a/collects/preprocessor/mzpp-run.ss b/collects/preprocessor/mzpp-run.ss
index 553414726b..9a0cb0723c 100644
--- a/collects/preprocessor/mzpp-run.ss
+++ b/collects/preprocessor/mzpp-run.ss
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
    #:multi
    [("-E" "--eval") expr "evaluates <expr> before processing starts"
     (parameterize ([read-case-sensitive #t])
-      (add-eval (read (open-input-string expr))))]
+      (add-eval (read-syntax 'command-line (open-input-string expr))))]
    #:once-each
    [("--debug") "show preprocessed Scheme code (for debugging)"
     (debug? #t)]
diff --git a/collects/preprocessor/mzpp.ss b/collects/preprocessor/mzpp.ss
index 57cda6d565..60b3c2f9e0 100644
--- a/collects/preprocessor/mzpp.ss
+++ b/collects/preprocessor/mzpp.ss
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
 
 (define (pp-repl)
   (let loop ()
-    (let ([x (read)])
+    (let ([x (read-syntax)])
       (unless (eof-object? x)
         (call-with-values (lambda () (eval x)) show)
         (loop)))))
diff --git a/collects/preprocessor/mztext-run.ss b/collects/preprocessor/mztext-run.ss
index fc56a9e18e..87b2b9110f 100644
--- a/collects/preprocessor/mztext-run.ss
+++ b/collects/preprocessor/mztext-run.ss
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
    #:multi
    [("-E" "--eval") expr "evaluates <expr> before processing starts"
     (parameterize ([read-case-sensitive #t])
-      (add-eval (read (open-input-string expr))))]
+      (add-eval (read-syntax 'command-line (open-input-string expr) )))]
    #:handlers
    (lambda (_ . files) (run preprocess run-cmd output files))
    '("input-file")
diff --git a/collects/preprocessor/mztext.ss b/collects/preprocessor/mztext.ss
index d4e55c3cf3..4f2646c9a0 100644
--- a/collects/preprocessor/mztext.ss
+++ b/collects/preprocessor/mztext.ss
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
            (value->cont vs cont))))))
   (cond [(regexp-try-match (command-marker-here-re) (stdin))
          => (lambda (here) (display (car here)) (cont))]
-        [else (let ((r (read))) (do-thunk (lambda () (eval r))))]))
+        [else (let ((r (read-syntax))) (do-thunk (lambda () (eval r))))]))
 
 (provide paren-pairs)
 (define paren-pairs
@@ -305,12 +305,11 @@
 ;;=============================================================================
 ;; Invocation
 
-(define-namespace-anchor nsa)
-
 (define (initialize)
   (read-case-sensitive #t)
   (unless (command-marker) (command-marker "@"))
-  (current-namespace (namespace-anchor->namespace nsa))
+  (namespace-require 'scheme/base)
+  (namespace-require 'preprocessor/mztext)
   (do-evals))
 
 (define (run)
diff --git a/collects/preprocessor/pp-run.ss b/collects/preprocessor/pp-run.ss
index 89aede4850..307c616189 100644
--- a/collects/preprocessor/pp-run.ss
+++ b/collects/preprocessor/pp-run.ss
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
              (delete-file file)
              (rename-file-or-directory temp file))))]
       [output
-       (with-output-to-file output (lambda () (apply preprocess files)) #:exists 'replace)
+       (with-output-to-file output #:exists 'replace
+         (lambda () (apply preprocess files)))
        (when run-cmd (do-run-subst output))]
       [else (apply preprocess files)])
     (exit exit-code)))