diff --git a/test/test-process-input b/test/test-process-input
index 7663ba7..c476c85 100755
--- a/test/test-process-input
+++ b/test/test-process-input
@@ -28,14 +28,18 @@ process-input "foo bar" 2>/dev/null <<< "" && {
 
 # test data
 scene_opendoor="opendoor"
+doorspeak="Yo. I'm a door."
 testscene="
 TYPE input
 
 OBJECT door
+    DEFAULT MSG What about the door?
     ACTION open GO $scene_opendoor
     ACTION invalid
     ACTION unknown UNKNOWNCMD foo
     ACTION badgo GO
+    ACTION talk MSG $doorspeak
+    ACTION badtalk MSG
 
 STORY
 This is a test scene.
@@ -81,3 +85,13 @@ tryinput "badgo door" 2>/dev/null && {
     simplefail "GO command should require a target scene"
 }
 
+# MSG should return a message
+assert-equal "$( tryinput "talk door" )" "MSG $doorspeak" || {
+    fail "MSG command should return a message"
+}
+
+# MSG command should require an argument
+tryinput "badtalk door" 2>/dev/null && {
+    simplefail "MSG should require output text"
+}
+
diff --git a/util/process-input b/util/process-input
index 9ce9fa8..15e2642 100755
--- a/util/process-input
+++ b/util/process-input
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #
 # Processes input text and outputs result
 #
+# This script will return one of two commands with an associated argument, which
+# should be interpreted as follows:
+#   - MSG - Output the provided message
+#   - GO  - Go to the scene matching the provided id
+#
 #   Copyright (C) 2011 Mike Gerwitz
 #
 #   This file is part of gsgp. This program is free software: you can
@@ -60,18 +65,29 @@ fi
 
 # what type of command should we execute?
 cmd=$( cut -d' ' -f1 <<< "$action_data" )
-target=$( cut -s -d' ' -f2 <<< "$action_data" )
+arg=$( cut -s -d' ' -f2- <<< "$action_data" )
 
 case "$cmd" in
     GO)
-        if [ ! "$target" ]; then
+        if [ ! "$arg" ]; then
             echo "ERROR: GO command requires target scene" >&2
             exit 4
         fi
 
         # the action will be to go to the target scene
-        echo "GO $target"
+        echo "GO $arg"
         ;;
+
+    MSG)
+        if [ ! "$arg" ]; then
+            echo "ERROR: MSG requires an output string" >&2
+            exit 4
+        fi
+
+        # the MSG action will indicate that a message should be output
+        echo "MSG $arg"
+        ;;
+
     *)
         echo "ERROR: Unknown command '$cmd' for action: $words" >&2
         exit 4