diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/readline/readline6.3.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/readline/readline6.3.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2f99b9d72183
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/readline/readline6.3.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+{ fetchurl, stdenv, ncurses }:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation (rec {
+  name = "readline-6.3";
+
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = "mirror://gnu/readline/${name}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "0hzxr9jxqqx5sxsv9vmlxdnvlr9vi4ih1avjb869hbs6p5qn1fjn";
+  };
+
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ncurses];
+
+  patchFlags = "-p0";
+
+  patches =
+    [ ./link-against-ncurses.patch ];
+
+  meta = {
+    description = "GNU Readline, a library for interactive line editing";
+
+    longDescription = ''
+      The GNU Readline library provides a set of functions for use by
+      applications that allow users to edit command lines as they are
+      typed in.  Both Emacs and vi editing modes are available.  The
+      Readline library includes additional functions to maintain a
+      list of previously-entered command lines, to recall and perhaps
+      reedit those lines, and perform csh-like history expansion on
+      previous commands.
+
+      The history facilites are also placed into a separate library,
+      the History library, as part of the build process.  The History
+      library may be used without Readline in applications which
+      desire its capabilities.
+    '';
+
+    homepage = http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/readline/;
+
+    license = "GPLv3+";
+
+    maintainers = [ stdenv.lib.maintainers.ludo ];
+  };
+}
+
+//
+
+# Don't run the native `strip' when cross-compiling.
+(if (stdenv ? cross)
+ then { dontStrip = true; }
+ else { }))
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 020d4e1e915d..392ad1b290b8 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -2323,6 +2323,7 @@ let
 
   bashInteractive = appendToName "interactive" (callPackage ../shells/bash {
     interactive = true;
+    readline = readline63; # Includes many vi mode fixes
   });
 
   bashCompletion = callPackage ../shells/bash-completion { };
@@ -5574,7 +5575,7 @@ let
 
   raul = callPackage ../development/libraries/audio/raul { };
 
-  readline = readline6;
+  readline = readline6; # 6.2 works, 6.3 breaks python, parted
 
   readline4 = callPackage ../development/libraries/readline/readline4.nix { };
 
@@ -5589,6 +5590,8 @@ let
       else stdenv;
   };
 
+  readline63 = callPackage ../development/libraries/readline/readline6.3.nix { };
+
   librdf_raptor = callPackage ../development/libraries/librdf/raptor.nix { };
 
   librdf_raptor2 = callPackage ../development/libraries/librdf/raptor2.nix { };