diff --git a/src/lang.zig b/src/lang.zig
index 3d33909..80450f3 100644
--- a/src/lang.zig
+++ b/src/lang.zig
@@ -474,7 +474,29 @@ pub const Command = struct {
     });
 };
 
-pub const CommandList = std.ArrayList(*Command);
+const CmdArrayList = std.ArrayList(*Command);
+
+pub const CommandList = struct {
+    list: CmdArrayList,
+    const Self = @This();
+
+    pub fn init(allocator: *std.mem.Allocator) Self {
+        return .{
+            .list = CmdArrayList.init(allocator),
+        };
+    }
+
+    pub fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
+        for (self.list.items) |cmd_ptr| {
+            self.list.allocator.destroy(cmd_ptr);
+        }
+        self.list.deinit();
+    }
+
+    pub fn append(self: *Self, cmd: *Command) !void {
+        return try self.list.append(cmd);
+    }
+};
 
 /// A parser.
 pub const Lang = struct {
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index a53c1fb..119009e 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ pub fn doRepl(allocator: *std.mem.Allocator, args_it: anytype) !void {
         defer existing_cmds.deinit();
 
         // copy the existing command list into the repl's command list
-        for (existing_cmds.items) |existing_cmd| {
+        for (existing_cmds.list.items) |existing_cmd| {
             try cmds.append(existing_cmd);
         }
     } else {
@@ -210,9 +210,8 @@ pub fn doRepl(allocator: *std.mem.Allocator, args_it: anytype) !void {
         };
 
         // no command? ignore!
-        if (cmds_parsed.items.len == 0) continue;
-
-        current = cmds_parsed.items[0].*;
+        if (cmds_parsed.list.items.len == 0) continue;
+        current = cmds_parsed.list.items[0].*;
 
         // by cloning the parent runner, we can iteratively write
         // whatever command we want and only commit the good results
diff --git a/src/printer.zig b/src/printer.zig
index 69cc4b5..5ea5a7b 100644
--- a/src/printer.zig
+++ b/src/printer.zig
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fn printCommand(stream: anytype, cmd: *langs.Command, comptime tag: langs.Comman
 }
 
 pub fn printList(list: langs.CommandList, stream: anytype) !void {
-    for (list.items) |cmd| {
+    for (list.list.items) |cmd| {
         const command = @tagName(cmd.tag);
         try stream.print("{}", .{command});
 
diff --git a/src/runner.zig b/src/runner.zig
index a9ea3e3..37fade3 100644
--- a/src/runner.zig
+++ b/src/runner.zig
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ pub const Runner = struct {
         cmds: lang.CommandList,
         debug_flag: bool,
     ) !void {
-        for (cmds.items) |cmd| {
+        for (cmds.list.items) |cmd| {
             cmd.print();
             try self.runCommand(cmd.*);
         }