diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a15238b..fbfc266 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ Here `|` denotes the current cursor position. No manual cursor motion involved :
   `...|`
 - the set of pairs is configurable
 
+To disable completing pairs unless the cursor is at the end of the line, set
+the `$pisces_only_insert_at_eol` variable:
+
+```fish
+set -U pisces_only_insert_at_eol 1
+```
 
 ### Installation
 
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_bind_pair.fish b/functions/_pisces_bind_pair.fish
index 44c5b8a..1557db0 100644
--- a/functions/_pisces_bind_pair.fish
+++ b/functions/_pisces_bind_pair.fish
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ function _pisces_bind_pair -a mode left right -d "Creates bindings for the given
 
     if [ $left = $right ]
 
-        bind -M $mode $r "_pisces_skip $right; or _pisces_append $right"
+        bind -M $mode $r "_pisces_insert_identical $right"
     else
 
-        bind -M $mode $l "commandline -i -- $left; and _pisces_append $right"
-        bind -M $mode $r "_pisces_skip $right"
+        bind -M $mode $l "_pisces_insert_left $left $right"
+        bind -M $mode $r "_pisces_insert_right $right"
     end
 end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_insert_identical.fish b/functions/_pisces_insert_identical.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de12199
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_pisces_insert_identical.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+function _pisces_insert_identical -a text -d "The binding command for a pair where the left and right delimiters are identical"
+    if _pisces_should_insert $text
+        _pisces_skip $text
+        or _pisces_append $text
+    else
+        commandline -i -- $text
+    end
+end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_insert_left.fish b/functions/_pisces_insert_left.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dbfe99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_pisces_insert_left.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+function _pisces_insert_left -a left right -d "The binding command to insert the left delimiter"
+    commandline -i -- $left
+    and _pisces_should_insert $right
+    and _pisces_append $right
+end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_insert_right.fish b/functions/_pisces_insert_right.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a847b09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_pisces_insert_right.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+function _pisces_insert_right -a right -d "The binding command to insert the right delimiter"
+    if _pisces_should_insert $right
+        _pisces_skip $right
+    else
+        commandline -i -- $right
+    end
+end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_lookup.fish b/functions/_pisces_lookup.fish
index 8d7968d..5c8f7fb 100644
--- a/functions/_pisces_lookup.fish
+++ b/functions/_pisces_lookup.fish
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ function _pisces_lookup -a pos len -d "Returns the text at the given position re
     set input (commandline -b)
 
     # NOTE: it's important to quote $input, because it may have newlines
-    string sub --start (math "$cur + $pos + 1") --length $len -- "$input" ^/dev/null
+    string sub --start (math "$cur + $pos + 1") --length $len -- "$input" 2>/dev/null
     or echo '' # if it's out of bounds (probably better to return cut part)
 end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_should_insert.fish b/functions/_pisces_should_insert.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..517be79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_pisces_should_insert.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+function _pisces_should_insert -a insert -d "Determines if we should insert text"
+    # If $pisces_only_insert_at_eol is unset, return true
+    # Otherwise, return true if the cursor is at the end of the line OR
+    # if the cursor is before a copy of $insert (i.e. a delimiter) at the end
+    # of the line.
+    set cmd_to_cursor (commandline -c)
+    set cmd (commandline)
+    test -z "$pisces_only_insert_at_eol" \
+        -o "$cmd_to_cursor" = "$cmd" \
+        -o "$cmd_to_cursor$insert" = "$cmd"
+end
diff --git a/functions/_pisces_skip.fish b/functions/_pisces_skip.fish
index 2ed8902..1651b34 100644
--- a/functions/_pisces_skip.fish
+++ b/functions/_pisces_skip.fish
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ function _pisces_skip -a text -d "Skips given text if it's already under the cur
 
     set length (string length -- $text)
 
-    if [ (_pisces_lookup 0 $length) = $text ]
+    if test (_pisces_lookup 0 $length) = "$text"
         _pisces_jump $length
         return 0
     else