diff --git a/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.c b/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.c
index e15c2bb08..2e8f8244f 100644
--- a/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.c
+++ b/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.c
@@ -119,6 +119,25 @@ mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* mlr_dsl_ast_node_set_function_name(
 	return pa;
 }
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+int mlr_dsl_ast_node_cannot_be_bare_boolean(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode) {
+	switch (pnode->type) {
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_BOOLEAN_LITERAL:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_FIELD_NAME:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_INDIRECT_FIELD_NAME:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_OOSVAR_KEYLIST:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NON_SIGIL_NAME:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_OPERATOR:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_ENV:
+	case MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_BOUND_VARIABLE:
+		return FALSE;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return TRUE;
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
 void mlr_dsl_ast_print(mlr_dsl_ast_t* past) {
 	printf("AST ROOT:\n");
diff --git a/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.h b/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.h
index 6312a14d4..52e758ea1 100644
--- a/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.h
+++ b/c/containers/mlr_dsl_ast.h
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* mlr_dsl_ast_node_prepend_arg(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pa, mlr_dsl
 mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* mlr_dsl_ast_node_append_arg(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pa, mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pb);
 mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* mlr_dsl_ast_node_set_function_name(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pa, char* name);
 
+int mlr_dsl_ast_node_cannot_be_bare_boolean(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode);
+
 void mlr_dsl_ast_print(mlr_dsl_ast_t* past);
 void mlr_dsl_ast_node_print(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode);
 void mlr_dsl_ast_node_fprint(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode, FILE* o);
diff --git a/c/dsls/mlr_dsl_parse.y b/c/dsls/mlr_dsl_parse.y
index 4902d8f50..fe1532522 100644
--- a/c/dsls/mlr_dsl_parse.y
+++ b/c/dsls/mlr_dsl_parse.y
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ md_triple_for(A) ::=
 	MD_TOKEN_FOR(F) MD_TOKEN_LPAREN
 		md_triple_for_start(S)
 			MD_TOKEN_SEMICOLON
-		md_rhs(C)
+		md_triple_for_continuation(C)
 			MD_TOKEN_SEMICOLON
 		md_triple_for_update(U)
 	MD_TOKEN_RPAREN
@@ -440,24 +440,6 @@ md_triple_for(A) ::=
 	A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_quaternary(F->text, MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_TRIPLE_FOR, S, C, U, L);
 }
 
-md_triple_for(A) ::=
-	MD_TOKEN_FOR(F) MD_TOKEN_LPAREN
-		md_triple_for_start(S)
-			MD_TOKEN_SEMICOLON
-			MD_TOKEN_SEMICOLON
-		md_triple_for_update(U)
-	MD_TOKEN_RPAREN
-	MD_TOKEN_LBRACE
-		md_statement_list(L)
-	MD_TOKEN_RBRACE.
-{
-	A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_quaternary(F->text, MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_TRIPLE_FOR,
-		S,
-		mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc("true", MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_BOOLEAN_LITERAL),
-		U,
-		L);
-}
-
 md_triple_for_start(A) ::= md_statement_not_braced_end(B). {
 	if (B->type == MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NOP) {
 		A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_zary("triple_for_start_statements", MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_STATEMENT_LIST);
@@ -473,6 +455,21 @@ md_triple_for_start(A) ::= md_triple_for_start(B) MD_TOKEN_COMMA md_statement_no
 	}
 }
 
+md_triple_for_continuation(A) ::= md_statement_not_braced_end(B). {
+	if (B->type == MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NOP) {
+		A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_zary("triple_for_continuation_statements", MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_STATEMENT_LIST);
+	} else {
+		A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_unary("triple_for_continuation_statements", MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_STATEMENT_LIST, B);
+	}
+}
+md_triple_for_continuation(A) ::= md_triple_for_continuation(B) MD_TOKEN_COMMA md_statement_not_braced_end(C). {
+	if (B->type == MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NOP) {
+		A = C;
+	} else {
+		A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_append_arg(B, C);
+	}
+}
+
 md_triple_for_update(A) ::= md_statement_not_braced_end(B). {
 	if (B->type == MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NOP) {
 		A = mlr_dsl_ast_node_alloc_zary("triple_for_update_statements", MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_STATEMENT_LIST);
diff --git a/c/mapping/context_flags.h b/c/mapping/context_flags.h
index 7a3b48166..ff79ee9dd 100644
--- a/c/mapping/context_flags.h
+++ b/c/mapping/context_flags.h
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 // there, and (b) because we get far better control over error messages here (vs. 'syntax error').
 // The following flags are used as the CST is built from the AST for CST-build-time validation.
 
-#define IN_BREAKABLE        0x00000200 // break/continue are only OK (recursively) inside for/while/do-while
-#define IN_BEGIN_OR_END     0x00000400 // $stuff is not OK (recursively) inside begin/end
-#define IN_FUNC_DEF         0x00000800 // local only valid in func/subr; no srec assignments in functions
-#define IN_SUBR_DEF         0x00001000 // local only valid in func/subr
-#define IN_MLR_FILTER       0x00002000 // Anywhere within mlr filter, the 'filter' keyword is invalid
-#define IN_MLR_FINAL_FILTER 0x00004000 // mlr filter's final statement must be a bare boolean
+#define IN_BREAKABLE           0x00000200 // break/continue are only OK (recursively) inside for/while/do-while
+#define IN_BEGIN_OR_END        0x00000400 // $stuff is not OK (recursively) inside begin/end
+#define IN_FUNC_DEF            0x00000800 // local only valid in func/subr; no srec assignments in functions
+#define IN_SUBR_DEF            0x00001000 // local only valid in func/subr
+#define IN_MLR_FILTER          0x00002000 // Anywhere within mlr filter, the 'filter' keyword is invalid
+#define IN_MLR_FINAL_FILTER    0x00004000 // mlr filter's final statement must be a bare boolean
+#define IN_TRIPLE_FOR_CONTINUE 0x00004000 // Final statement of triple-for continuation statements must be a bare boolean
 
 #endif // CONTEXT_FLAGS_H
diff --git a/c/mapping/mlr_dsl_cst.c b/c/mapping/mlr_dsl_cst.c
index 502c49a37..aa65520b7 100644
--- a/c/mapping/mlr_dsl_cst.c
+++ b/c/mapping/mlr_dsl_cst.c
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ static mlr_dsl_cst_statement_t* alloc_triple_for(mlr_dsl_cst_t* pcst, mlr_dsl_as
 	mlr_dsl_cst_statement_t* pstatement = alloc_blank();
 
 	mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pstart_statements_node        = pnode->pchildren->phead->pvvalue;
-	mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pcontinuation_statement_node  = pnode->pchildren->phead->pnext->pvvalue;
+	mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pcontinuation_statements_node = pnode->pchildren->phead->pnext->pvvalue;
 	mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pupdate_statements_node       = pnode->pchildren->phead->pnext->pnext->pvvalue;
 	mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pbody_statements_node         = pnode->pchildren->phead->pnext->pnext->pnext->pvvalue;
 
@@ -1396,9 +1396,28 @@ static mlr_dsl_cst_statement_t* alloc_triple_for(mlr_dsl_cst_t* pcst, mlr_dsl_as
 			type_inferencing, context_flags & ~IN_BREAKABLE));
 	}
 
-	// xxx assert length 1
-	pstatement->ptriple_for_continuation_evaluator = rval_evaluator_alloc_from_ast(pcontinuation_statement_node,
-		pcst->pfmgr, type_inferencing, context_flags & ~IN_BREAKABLE);
+	// Continuation statements are split into the final boolean, and the statements before (if any).
+	pstatement->ptriple_for_pre_continuation_statements = sllv_alloc();
+	// Empty continuation for triple-for is an implicit TRUE.
+	if (pcontinuation_statements_node->pchildren->length == 0) {
+		pstatement->ptriple_for_continuation_evaluator = rval_evaluator_alloc_from_boolean(TRUE);
+	} else {
+		for (sllve_t* pe = pcontinuation_statements_node->pchildren->phead; pe != NULL && pe->pnext != NULL; pe = pe->pnext) {
+			mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pbody_ast_node = pe->pvvalue;
+			sllv_append(pstatement->ptriple_for_pre_continuation_statements,
+				mlr_dsl_cst_alloc_statement(pcst, pbody_ast_node,
+				type_inferencing, context_flags & ~IN_BREAKABLE));
+		}
+		mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pfinal_continuation_statement_node = pcontinuation_statements_node->pchildren->ptail->pvvalue;
+		if (mlr_dsl_ast_node_cannot_be_bare_boolean(pfinal_continuation_statement_node)) {
+			fprintf(stderr,
+				"%s: the final triple-for continutation statement must be a bare boolean.\n",
+				MLR_GLOBALS.bargv0);
+			exit(1);
+		}
+		pstatement->ptriple_for_continuation_evaluator = rval_evaluator_alloc_from_ast(pfinal_continuation_statement_node,
+			pcst->pfmgr, type_inferencing, (context_flags & ~IN_BREAKABLE) | IN_TRIPLE_FOR_CONTINUE);
+	}
 
 	pstatement->ptriple_for_update_statements = sllv_alloc();
 	for (sllve_t* pe = pupdate_statements_node->pchildren->phead; pe != NULL; pe = pe->pnext) {
diff --git a/c/mapping/rval_expr_evaluators.c b/c/mapping/rval_expr_evaluators.c
index 9dabbbcf9..55df1fcd5 100644
--- a/c/mapping/rval_expr_evaluators.c
+++ b/c/mapping/rval_expr_evaluators.c
@@ -58,16 +58,9 @@ rval_evaluator_t* rval_evaluator_alloc_from_ast(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode, fmgr_
 			break;
 
 		default:
-			if (context_flags & IN_MLR_FINAL_FILTER) {
-				fprintf(stderr,
-					"%s: expressions for mlr filter must be single statements, evaluating to boolean.\n",
-					MLR_GLOBALS.bargv0);
-				exit(1);
-			} else {
-				fprintf(stderr, "%s: internal coding error detected in file %s at line %d.\n",
-					MLR_GLOBALS.bargv0, __FILE__, __LINE__);
-				exit(1);
-			}
+			fprintf(stderr, "%s: internal coding error detected in file %s at line %d.\n",
+				MLR_GLOBALS.bargv0, __FILE__, __LINE__);
+			exit(1);
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -94,6 +87,9 @@ rval_evaluator_t* rval_evaluator_alloc_from_ast(mlr_dsl_ast_node_t* pnode, fmgr_
 		if ((pnode->type != MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_NON_SIGIL_NAME) && (pnode->type != MD_AST_NODE_TYPE_OPERATOR)) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "%s: internal coding error detected in file %s at line %d (node type %s).\n",
 				MLR_GLOBALS.bargv0, __FILE__, __LINE__, mlr_dsl_ast_node_describe_type(pnode->type));
+			printf("XXX\n");
+			mlr_dsl_ast_node_print(pnode);
+			printf("XXX\n");
 			exit(1);
 		}