diff --git a/docs/reference.md b/docs/reference.md
index 8a535dd..991e45d 100644
--- a/docs/reference.md
+++ b/docs/reference.md
@@ -20,6 +20,26 @@ Run a shell command. Commands are interpreted by `mvdan.cc/sh` (a bash-like
 shell in Go), so quoting, parameter expansion, and redirections generally work
 as expected.
 
+If a command is incomplete according to the shell parser, following transcript
+lines are treated as part of the same command until the command is complete.
+Only the first line uses the `$` opcode:
+
+```cmdt
+$ cat > fixture.txt <<'EOF'
+alpha
+beta
+EOF
+
+$ cat fixture.txt
+1 alpha
+1 beta
+```
+
+This supports shell forms such as heredocs, multiline quoted strings, and
+multiline shell blocks. Lines inside an incomplete command are raw shell text,
+even if they begin with transcript opcodes such as `$`, `1`, `2`, `%`, `?`, or
+`#`.
+
 ### `1` / `2` output
 
 Match an output line from the previous command:
diff --git a/docs/user-guide.md b/docs/user-guide.md
index 7f05077..4445476 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide.md
@@ -66,6 +66,21 @@ If output is large, or if the output is binary, transcripts can reference an
 external file via `1<`/`2<`. `transcript update` will automatically create
 numbered `*.bin` files for binary output.
 
+Commands may also use shell heredocs to create readable multiline fixtures:
+
+```cmdt
+$ cat > config.txt <<'EOF'
+name = "example"
+enabled = true
+EOF
+
+$ mytool config.txt
+1 loaded example
+```
+
+The heredoc body is part of the shell command, so its lines do not need
+transcript opcodes.
+
 ## Go Tests
 
 You can embed `*.cmdt` scripts in Go tests:
diff --git a/internal/core/interp.go b/internal/core/interp.go
index 142c90b..7a39eca 100644
--- a/internal/core/interp.go
+++ b/internal/core/interp.go
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@ package core
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"mvdan.cc/sh/v3/syntax"
 )
 
 // Interprets a transcript file.
@@ -22,6 +25,9 @@ type Interpreter struct {
 	// Private state.
 	acceptResults bool
 	prevFD        int // stdout (1), stderr (2) or none (0).
+
+	pendingCommandLineno int
+	pendingCommandLines  []string
 }
 
 // Handler provides callbacks for processing transcript operations.
@@ -79,12 +85,18 @@ func (t *Interpreter) ExecTranscript(ctx context.Context, r io.Reader) error {
 	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("scanning: %w", err)
 	}
+	if t.pendingCommandLineno != 0 {
+		return t.syntaxErrorAtLinef(t.pendingCommandLineno, "unterminated command")
+	}
 
 	return t.flushCommand(ctx)
 }
 
 func (t *Interpreter) ExecLine(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
 	hdlr := t.Handler
+	if t.pendingCommandLineno != 0 {
+		return t.appendCommandLine(ctx, text)
+	}
 	if strings.TrimSpace(text) == "" || text[0] == '#' {
 		return hdlr.HandleComment(ctx, text)
 	}
@@ -99,10 +111,7 @@ func (t *Interpreter) ExecLine(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
 		if err := t.flushCommand(ctx); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		t.Command = payload
-		t.CommandLineno = t.Lineno
-		t.acceptResults = true
-		return hdlr.HandleRun(ctx, payload)
+		return t.startCommand(ctx, payload)
 
 	case "1", "2":
 		if !t.acceptResults {
@@ -165,6 +174,40 @@ func (t *Interpreter) ExecLine(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func (t *Interpreter) startCommand(ctx context.Context, command string) error {
+	t.pendingCommandLineno = t.Lineno
+	t.pendingCommandLines = []string{command}
+	return t.finishCommandIfComplete(ctx)
+}
+
+func (t *Interpreter) appendCommandLine(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
+	t.pendingCommandLines = append(t.pendingCommandLines, text)
+	return t.finishCommandIfComplete(ctx)
+}
+
+func (t *Interpreter) finishCommandIfComplete(ctx context.Context) error {
+	command := strings.Join(t.pendingCommandLines, "\n")
+	if commandIncomplete(command) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	t.Command = command
+	t.CommandLineno = t.pendingCommandLineno
+	t.acceptResults = true
+	t.pendingCommandLineno = 0
+	t.pendingCommandLines = nil
+	return t.Handler.HandleRun(ctx, command)
+}
+
+func commandIncomplete(command string) bool {
+	_, err := parseStmt(command)
+	if syntax.IsIncomplete(err) {
+		return true
+	}
+	var parseErr syntax.ParseError
+	return errors.As(err, &parseErr) && strings.HasPrefix(parseErr.Text, "unclosed here-document ")
+}
+
 func (t *Interpreter) flushCommand(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if t.CommandLineno == 0 {
 		return nil
@@ -176,3 +219,7 @@ func (t *Interpreter) flushCommand(ctx context.Context) error {
 func (t *Interpreter) syntaxErrorf(message string, v ...any) error {
 	return fmt.Errorf("syntax error on line %d: "+message, append([]any{t.Lineno}, v...)...)
 }
+
+func (t *Interpreter) syntaxErrorAtLinef(lineno int, message string, v ...any) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("syntax error on line %d: "+message, append([]any{lineno}, v...)...)
+}
diff --git a/tests/multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt b/tests/multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c7ec86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Multiline heredoc commands should be treated as a single shell command.
+$ cat > fixture.txt <<'EOF'
+alpha
+beta
+# This is fixture data, not a transcript comment.
+$ This is fixture data, not a transcript command.
+1 This is fixture data, not expected output.
+EOF
+
+$ cat fixture.txt
+1 alpha
+1 beta
+1 # This is fixture data, not a transcript comment.
+1 $ This is fixture data, not a transcript command.
+1 1 This is fixture data, not expected output.
+
+# Multiline quoted strings should be treated as a single shell command.
+$ printf '%s' 'line one
+line two
+'
+1 line one
+1 line two
+
+# Multiline shell blocks should be treated as a single shell command.
+$ if true; then
+echo selected
+fi
+1 selected
+
+# Multiple heredocs in one command should consume their bodies in shell order.
+$ cat > left.txt <<'LEFT' && cat > right.txt <<'RIGHT'
+left value
+LEFT
+right value
+RIGHT
+
+$ paste -d / left.txt right.txt
+1 left value/right value
diff --git a/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/source.cmdt b/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/source.cmdt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..708cc4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/source.cmdt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+$ cat > fixture.txt <<'EOF'
+alpha
+beta
+EOF
+
+$ cat fixture.txt
+1 stale
diff --git a/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt b/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea8dc73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/update-multiline-command-blocks/test.cmdt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Update should preserve multiline command blocks while refreshing assertions.
+
+$ transcript update --dry-run source.cmdt
+1 $ cat > fixture.txt <<'EOF'
+1 alpha
+1 beta
+1 EOF
+1 
+1 $ cat fixture.txt
+1 1 alpha
+1 1 beta