diff --git a/issues/26-shell-abbreviations-and-user-builtins.md b/issues/26-shell-abbreviations-and-user-builtins.md
index 9fa06a47..78f522cb 100644
--- a/issues/26-shell-abbreviations-and-user-builtins.md
+++ b/issues/26-shell-abbreviations-and-user-builtins.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # 26 — Shell abbreviations and user-extensible builtins
 
-**Status:** open
+**Status:** done
 
 ## Problem
 
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ This gives power users access to the shell primitives directly, which is useful
 
 Option B: Expose only `lush.builtins` — safer, sufficient for the abbreviation use case.
 
+Consider the clarity of these endpoints. Would an alternative naming scheme be clearer? i.e.
+```lua
+lush.commands    -- cd, exec, umask, user additions
+lush.run         -- __command (backtick execution)
+lush.interactive -- __interactive (! execution) -- is there an idiotmatic name for this?
+lush.getenv      -- __getenv ($VAR read)
+lush.setenv      -- __setenv ($VAR write)
+```
+
 ### Relationship to f88b1795
 
 That commit deliberately hid these from `_G` to avoid polluting the namespace. Exposing a single `lush` global is a middle ground: one clean entry point instead of scattered `__double_underscore` globals, and users can only extend via a structured API rather than accidentally shadowing internals.
diff --git a/lcmd.c b/lcmd.c
index 535d8de4..f486ab07 100644
--- a/lcmd.c
+++ b/lcmd.c
@@ -1199,3 +1199,34 @@ int lushCmd_setenv (lua_State *L) {
   }
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+/* ===== lush standard library ===== */
+
+static const luaL_Reg lushlib[] = {
+  {"command", lushCmd_command},
+  {"interactive", lushCmd_interactive},
+  {"getenv", lushCmd_getenv},
+  {"setenv", lushCmd_setenv},
+  {"subcmd", lushCmd_subcmd},
+  {NULL, NULL}
+};
+
+LUAMOD_API int luaopen_lush (lua_State *L) {
+  luaL_newlib(L, lushlib);
+  /* also store integer-keyed entries for OP_LUSH VM access */
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_command);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_COMMAND + 1);
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_interactive);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_INTERACTIVE + 1);
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_getenv);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_GETENV + 1);
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_setenv);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_SETENV + 1);
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_subcmd);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_SUBCMD + 1);
+  /* store in registry for OP_LUSH access */
+  lua_pushvalue(L, -1);
+  lua_rawseti(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, LUA_RIDX_LUSH);
+  return 1;
+}
diff --git a/lcmd.h b/lcmd.h
index c922346c..19d82775 100644
--- a/lcmd.h
+++ b/lcmd.h
@@ -23,4 +23,6 @@ int lushCmd_getenv (lua_State *L);
 int lushCmd_setenv (lua_State *L);
 int lushCmd_subcmd (lua_State *L);
 
+LUAMOD_API int luaopen_lush (lua_State *L);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/linit.c b/linit.c
index 209c9a65..0240c4b0 100644
--- a/linit.c
+++ b/linit.c
@@ -39,30 +39,11 @@ static const luaL_Reg stdlibs[] = {
   {LUA_STRLIBNAME, luaopen_string},
   {LUA_TABLIBNAME, luaopen_table},
   {LUA_UTF8LIBNAME, luaopen_utf8},
+  {LUA_LUSHLIBNAME, luaopen_lush},
   {NULL, NULL}
 };
 
 
-/*
-** Store shell functions in a registry table at LUA_RIDX_LUSH.
-** Integer keys 1..5 hold the C functions (accessed by OP_LUSH).
-** String key "builtins" holds the builtins table (set by luaopen_builtins).
-*/
-static void opencommand (lua_State *L) {
-  lua_createtable(L, LUSH_OP_COUNT, 1);
-  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_command);
-  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_COMMAND + 1);
-  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_interactive);
-  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_INTERACTIVE + 1);
-  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_getenv);
-  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_GETENV + 1);
-  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_setenv);
-  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_SETENV + 1);
-  lua_pushcfunction(L, lushCmd_subcmd);
-  lua_rawseti(L, -2, LUSH_OP_SUBCMD + 1);
-  lua_rawseti(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, LUA_RIDX_LUSH);
-}
-
 
 /*
 ** require and preload selected standard libraries
@@ -81,9 +62,8 @@ LUALIB_API void luaL_openselectedlibs (lua_State *L, int load, int preload) {
       lua_setfield(L, -2, lib->name);  /* add library to PRELOAD table */
     }
   }
-  lua_assert((mask >> 1) == LUA_UTF8LIBK);
+  lua_assert((mask >> 1) == LUA_LUSHLIBK);
   lua_pop(L, 1);  /* remove PRELOAD table */
-  opencommand(L);  /* register __command global */
-  luaopen_builtins(L);  /* register __builtins table */
+  luaopen_builtins(L);  /* register builtins in lush table */
 }
 
diff --git a/lualib.h b/lualib.h
index 068f60ab..7f7bbcb7 100644
--- a/lualib.h
+++ b/lualib.h
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ LUAMOD_API int (luaopen_table) (lua_State *L);
 #define LUA_UTF8LIBK	(LUA_TABLIBK << 1)
 LUAMOD_API int (luaopen_utf8) (lua_State *L);
 
+#define LUA_LUSHLIBNAME	"lush"
+#define LUA_LUSHLIBK	(LUA_UTF8LIBK << 1)
+LUAMOD_API int (luaopen_lush) (lua_State *L);
+
 
 /* open selected libraries */
 LUALIB_API void (luaL_openselectedlibs) (lua_State *L, int load, int preload);
diff --git a/testes/lush/lushlib.lua b/testes/lush/lushlib.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49c56577
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testes/lush/lushlib.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+-- testes/lush/lushlib.lua
+-- Tests for the lush standard library (issue #26).
+
+print "testing lush library"
+
+-- === lush global exists and is a table ===
+
+do
+  assert(type(lush) == "table", "lush should be a table")
+end
+
+
+-- === named functions are accessible ===
+
+do
+  assert(type(lush.command) == "function", "lush.command missing")
+  assert(type(lush.interactive) == "function", "lush.interactive missing")
+  assert(type(lush.getenv) == "function", "lush.getenv missing")
+  assert(type(lush.setenv) == "function", "lush.setenv missing")
+  assert(type(lush.subcmd) == "function", "lush.subcmd missing")
+end
+
+
+-- === lush.command works like backtick ===
+
+do
+  local r = lush.command("echo hello")
+  assert(r.code == 0, "lush.command failed")
+  assert(r.stdout == "hello\n", "expected 'hello\\n', got: " .. r.stdout)
+end
+
+
+-- === lush.getenv / lush.setenv ===
+
+do
+  lush.setenv("_LUSH_TEST_VAR", "42")
+  assert(lush.getenv("_LUSH_TEST_VAR") == "42")
+  lush.setenv("_LUSH_TEST_VAR", nil)
+  assert(lush.getenv("_LUSH_TEST_VAR") == nil)
+end
+
+
+-- === lush.builtins exists and has cd ===
+
+do
+  assert(type(lush.builtins) == "table", "lush.builtins missing")
+  assert(type(lush.builtins.cd) == "function", "lush.builtins.cd missing")
+  assert(type(lush.builtins.exec) == "function", "lush.builtins.exec missing")
+  assert(type(lush.builtins.umask) == "function", "lush.builtins.umask missing")
+end
+
+
+-- === user-defined builtin via backtick ===
+
+do
+  lush.builtins.greet = function(cmd, name)
+    -- builtins return {code, stdout, stderr}
+    local t = {}
+    t.code = 0
+    t.stdout = "hello " .. (name or "world") .. "\n"
+    t.stderr = ""
+    return t
+  end
+
+  local r = `greet lush`
+  assert(r.code == 0, "user builtin failed")
+  assert(r.stdout == "hello lush\n",
+         "expected 'hello lush\\n', got: " .. r.stdout)
+
+  -- clean up
+  lush.builtins.greet = nil
+end
+
+
+-- === user-defined builtin via lush.command ===
+
+do
+  lush.builtins.myecho = function(cmd, ...)
+    local args = {...}
+    local t = {}
+    t.code = 0
+    t.stdout = table.concat(args, " ") .. "\n"
+    t.stderr = ""
+    return t
+  end
+
+  local r = lush.command("myecho foo bar")
+  assert(r.code == 0)
+  assert(r.stdout == "foo bar\n",
+         "expected 'foo bar\\n', got: " .. r.stdout)
+
+  lush.builtins.myecho = nil
+end
+
+
+-- === OP_LUSH still works (backtick, $VAR, !cmd syntax) ===
+
+do
+  -- backtick
+  local r = `echo works`
+  assert(r.stdout == "works\n")
+
+  -- $VAR expansion
+  lush.setenv("_LUSH_LIB_TEST", "yes")
+  local val = $_LUSH_LIB_TEST
+  assert(val == "yes", "expected 'yes', got: " .. tostring(val))
+  lush.setenv("_LUSH_LIB_TEST", nil)
+end
+
+
+print "OK"