diff --git a/tsshbatch.py b/tsshbatch.py
index a4c4e8a..49538a2 100755
--- a/tsshbatch.py
+++ b/tsshbatch.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 CMDINCL      = PROGENV + "CMDS"
 HOSTINCL     = PROGENV + "HOSTS"
 
-CVSID        = "$Id: tsshbatch.py,v 1.193 2014/12/02 20:46:41 tundra Exp $"
+CVSID        = "$Id: tsshbatch.py,v 1.194 2014/12/03 19:12:07 tundra Exp $"
 VERSION      = CVSID.split()[2]
 CPRT         = "(c)"
 DATE         = "2011-2014"
@@ -123,14 +123,18 @@
 
 
 #####
-# Hostname substitution support
+# Builtin Symbols
 #####
 
-
 HOSTNAME    = '__HOSTNAME__'
+HOSTNUM     = '__HOSTNUM__'
 HOSTSHORT   = '__HOSTSHORT__'
-HostName    = ""
-HostShort   = ""          
+
+BuiltIns    = (HOSTNAME, HOSTNUM, HOSTSHORT)
+
+#####
+# Global Symbol Table
+#####
 
 SymbolTable = {}
 
@@ -321,23 +325,14 @@
 
             srcfile = VarSub(src)
 
-            # Process any HOSTNAME, HOSTSHORT substitutions
-
-            srcfile = srcfile.replace(HOSTNAME,  HostName)
-            srcfile = srcfile.replace(HOSTSHORT, HostShort)
-
             for destdir in filelist[src]:
                 
                 # Process any .define substitutions
 
                 destdir = VarSub(destdir)
 
-                # Process any HOSTNAME, HOSTSHORT substitutions
-
-                destdir = destdir.replace(HOSTNAME,  HostName)
-                destdir = destdir.replace(HOSTSHORT, HostShort)
-
                 # Make sure we have a trailing path separator
+
                 destination = destdir
                 if destination[-1] != PATHSEP:
                     destination += PATHSEP
@@ -394,10 +389,9 @@
 
         for command in commands:
 
-            # Resolve references to hostname within the command string
+            # Dereference variables
 
-            command = command.replace(HOSTNAME,  HostName)
-            command = command.replace(HOSTSHORT, HostShort)
+            command = VarSub(command)
 
             # It's possible to get blank lines from stdin.
             # Ignore them.
@@ -563,7 +557,7 @@
 
                 # It's a normal line - do variable substitution and save
                 else:
-                    listcontainer.append(VarSub(line))
+                    listcontainer.append(line)
         f.close()
 
         FileIncludeStack.pop()   # Remove this invocation from the stack
@@ -769,7 +763,7 @@
 if command:
 
     # Do variable substitution here like any other command
-    Commands.append(VarSub(command))
+    Commands.append(command)
 
 #####
 # Authentication Credential Processing
@@ -892,10 +886,36 @@
 
 else : 
 
+    # Check to see if user is trying to override any builtins
+
+    protected = []
+    for builtin in BuiltIns:
+        if builtin in SymbolTable:
+            protected.append(builtin)
+
+    # Now iterate over requested hosts
+    hostnum = 0
     for host in Hosts:
 
-        HostName  = host
-        HostShort = host.split('.')[0]
+        # Update the host counter
+
+        hostnum += 1
+
+        # Add internally generated symbols to the symbol table.
+        # That way, both user-defined and builtin symbols will
+        # subsequently be substituted.
+
+        internals = [(HOSTNAME, host),
+                     (HOSTNUM, str(hostnum)),
+                     (HOSTSHORT, host.split('.')[0]),
+                    ]
+
+        # Install builtins in the symbol table but only if the
+        # user isn't overriding them.
+
+        for symbol, value in internals:
+            if symbol not in protected:
+                SymbolTable[symbol] = value
 
         if Get_Transfer_List:
             HostFileTransfer(host, UNAME, PWORD, Get_Transfer_List, GET=True)