diff --git a/engine/engine_test.go b/engine/engine_test.go
index f4463c5..4bc06fb 100644
--- a/engine/engine_test.go
+++ b/engine/engine_test.go
@@ -32,16 +32,16 @@ func NewFsWrapper(path string, st *state.State) FsWrapper {
 	}
 }
 
-func(fs FsWrapper) one(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func(fs FsWrapper) one(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "one", nil
 }
 
-func(fs FsWrapper) inky(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func(fs FsWrapper) inky(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "tinkywinky", nil
 }
 
-func(fs FsWrapper) pinky(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
-	return "xyzzy", nil
+func(fs FsWrapper) pinky(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("xyzzy: %x", input), nil
 }
 
 func(fs FsWrapper) FuncFor(sym string) (resource.EntryFunc, error) {
diff --git a/render/size_test.go b/render/size_test.go
index 11ca518..e965775 100644
--- a/render/size_test.go
+++ b/render/size_test.go
@@ -41,19 +41,19 @@ func funcFor(sym string) (resource.EntryFunc, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown func: %s", sym)
 }
 
-func getFoo(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getFoo(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "inky", nil
 }
 
-func getBar(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getBar(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "pinky", nil
 }
 
-func getBaz(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getBaz(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "blinky", nil
 }
 
-func getXyzzy(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getXyzzy(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "inky pinky\nblinky clyde sue\ntinkywinky dipsy\nlala poo\none two three four five six seven\neight nine ten\neleven twelve", nil
 }
 
diff --git a/resource/fs.go b/resource/fs.go
index 66514b1..1b6bda6 100644
--- a/resource/fs.go
+++ b/resource/fs.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func(fs FsResource) FuncFor(sym string) (EntryFunc, error) {
 	if ok {
 		return fn, nil
 	}
-	_, err := fs.getFuncNoCtx(sym)
+	_, err := fs.getFuncNoCtx(sym, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown sym: %s", sym)
 	}
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@ func(fs FsResource) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("fs resource at path: %s", fs.Path)
 }
 
-func(fs FsResource) getFunc(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
-	return fs.getFuncNoCtx(sym)
+func(fs FsResource) getFunc(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+	return fs.getFuncNoCtx(sym, input)
 }
 
-func(fs FsResource) getFuncNoCtx(sym string) (string, error) {
+func(fs FsResource) getFuncNoCtx(sym string, input []byte) (string, error) {
 	fb := sym + ".txt"
 	fp := path.Join(fs.Path, fb)
 	log.Printf("getfunc search dir %s %s for %s", fs.Path, fp, sym)
diff --git a/resource/resource.go b/resource/resource.go
index 3694e20..c406c84 100644
--- a/resource/resource.go
+++ b/resource/resource.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // EntryFunc is a function signature for retrieving value for a key
-type EntryFunc func(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error)
+type EntryFunc func(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error)
 type CodeFunc func(sym string) ([]byte, error)
 type TemplateFunc func(sym string) (string, error)
 type FuncForFunc func(sym string) (EntryFunc, error)
diff --git a/resource/resource_test.go b/resource/resource_test.go
index 1a100c2..66f5a21 100644
--- a/resource/resource_test.go
+++ b/resource/resource_test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func funcFor(sym string) (EntryFunc, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown func: %s", sym)
 }
 
-func get(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func get(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	switch sym {
 	case "foo":
 		return "inky", nil
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ func get(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "", fmt.Errorf("unknown sym: %s", sym)
 }
 
-func getXyzzy(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getXyzzy(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "inky pinky\nblinky clyde sue\ntinkywinky dipsy\nlala poo\none two three four five six seven\neight nine ten\neleven twelve", nil
 }
diff --git a/vm/runner.go b/vm/runner.go
index 1ddfd93..1fe00f4 100644
--- a/vm/runner.go
+++ b/vm/runner.go
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ func(vm *Vm) RunLoad(b []byte, ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return b, err
 	}
-	r, err := refresh(sym, vm.rs, ctx)
+	r, err := vm.refresh(sym, vm.rs, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return b, err
 	}
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func(vm *Vm) RunReload(b []byte, ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
 		return b, err
 	}
 
-	r, err := refresh(sym, vm.rs, ctx)
+	r, err := vm.refresh(sym, vm.rs, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return b, err
 	}
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ func(vm *Vm) Render(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 }
 
 // retrieve data for key
-func refresh(key string, rs resource.Resource, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func(vm *Vm) refresh(key string, rs resource.Resource, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	fn, err := rs.FuncFor(key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ func refresh(key string, rs resource.Resource, ctx context.Context) (string, err
 	if fn == nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("no retrieve function for external symbol %v", key)
 	}
-	return fn(key, ctx)
+	input, _ := vm.st.GetInput()
+	return fn(key, input, ctx)
 }
 
diff --git a/vm/runner_test.go b/vm/runner_test.go
index 72677bf..4f78f8d 100644
--- a/vm/runner_test.go
+++ b/vm/runner_test.go
@@ -20,15 +20,15 @@ type TestResource struct {
 	state *state.State
 }
 
-func getOne(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getOne(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "one", nil
 }
 
-func getTwo(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getTwo(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "two", nil
 }
 
-func getDyn(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func getDyn(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return dynVal, nil
 }
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (r TestResource) FuncFor(sym string) (resource.EntryFunc, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid function: '%s'", sym)
 }
 
-func(r TestResource) getInput(sym string, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+func(r TestResource) getInput(sym string, input []byte, ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	v, err := r.state.GetInput()
 	return string(v), err
 }