diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index 4b00fceb..52674442 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -151,6 +151,22 @@ cmdq_error(struct cmd_q *cmdq, const char *fmt, ...)
 	free(msg);
 }
 
+/* Print a guard line. */
+void
+cmdq_guard(struct cmd_q *cmdq, const char *guard)
+{
+	struct client	*c = cmdq->client;
+
+	if (c == NULL || c->session == NULL)
+		return;
+	if (!(c->flags & CLIENT_CONTROL))
+		return;
+
+	evbuffer_add_printf(c->stdout_data, "%%%s %ld %u\n", guard,
+	    cmdq->time, cmdq->number);
+	server_push_stdout(c);
+}
+
 /* Add command list to queue and begin processing if needed. */
 void
 cmdq_run(struct cmd_q *cmdq, struct cmd_list *cmdlist)
@@ -179,16 +195,11 @@ cmdq_append(struct cmd_q *cmdq, struct cmd_list *cmdlist)
 int
 cmdq_continue(struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 {
-	struct client		*c = cmdq->client;
 	struct cmd_q_item	*next;
 	enum cmd_retval		 retval;
-	int			 guards, empty;
+	int			 empty;
 	char			 s[1024];
 
-	guards = 0;
-	if (c != NULL && c->session != NULL)
-		guards = c->flags & CLIENT_CONTROL;
-
 	notify_disable();
 
 	empty = TAILQ_EMPTY(&cmdq->queue);
@@ -209,15 +220,15 @@ cmdq_continue(struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 			log_debug("cmdq %p: %s (client %d)", cmdq, s,
 			    cmdq->client != NULL ? cmdq->client->ibuf.fd : -1);
 
-			if (guards)
-				cmdq_print(cmdq, "%%begin");
+			cmdq->time = time(NULL);
+			cmdq->number++;
+
+			cmdq_guard(cmdq, "begin");
 			retval = cmdq->cmd->entry->exec(cmdq->cmd, cmdq);
-			if (guards) {
-				if (retval == CMD_RETURN_ERROR)
-					cmdq_print(cmdq, "%%error");
-				else
-					cmdq_print(cmdq, "%%end");
-			}
+			if (retval == CMD_RETURN_ERROR)
+				cmdq_guard(cmdq, "error");
+			else
+				cmdq_guard(cmdq, "end");
 
 			if (retval == CMD_RETURN_ERROR)
 				break;
diff --git a/control.c b/control.c
index 06f20bbb..c888877e 100644
--- a/control.c
+++ b/control.c
@@ -68,8 +68,13 @@ control_callback(struct client *c, int closed, unused void *data)
 		}
 
 		if (cmd_string_parse(line, &cmdlist, NULL, 0, &cause) != 0) {
-			control_write(c, "%%error in line \"%s\": %s", line,
-			    cause);
+			c->cmdq->time = time(NULL);
+			c->cmdq->number++;
+
+			cmdq_guard(c->cmdq, "begin");
+			control_write(c, "parse error: %s", cause);
+			cmdq_guard(c->cmdq, "error");
+
 			free(cause);
 		} else {
 			cmdq_run(c->cmdq, cmdlist);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index e45cd487..89860cb8 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1412,6 +1412,9 @@ struct cmd_q {
 	struct cmd_q_item	*item;
 	struct cmd		*cmd;
 
+	time_t			 time;
+	u_int			 number;
+
 	void			 (*emptyfn)(struct cmd_q *);
 	void			*data;
 
@@ -1853,6 +1856,7 @@ int		 cmdq_free(struct cmd_q *);
 void printflike2 cmdq_print(struct cmd_q *, const char *, ...);
 void printflike2 cmdq_info(struct cmd_q *, const char *, ...);
 void printflike2 cmdq_error(struct cmd_q *, const char *, ...);
+void		 cmdq_guard(struct cmd_q *, const char *);
 void		 cmdq_run(struct cmd_q *, struct cmd_list *);
 void		 cmdq_append(struct cmd_q *, struct cmd_list *);
 int		 cmdq_continue(struct cmd_q *);