diff --git a/.config/codebook/codebook.toml b/.config/codebook/codebook.toml
index 8c1dfa3d..792b00a1 100644
--- a/.config/codebook/codebook.toml
+++ b/.config/codebook/codebook.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 words = [
     "diceware",
     "hmac",
+    "linewise",
     "pathlib",
     "ttp",
     "typst",
diff --git a/.config/helix/scripts/paste-util.fish b/.config/helix/scripts/paste-util.fish
index bc67f1db..57718f3d 100755
--- a/.config/helix/scripts/paste-util.fish
+++ b/.config/helix/scripts/paste-util.fish
@@ -9,15 +9,17 @@
 
 set -l cmd $argv[1]
 # get clip contents, and preserve newlines
-set -l contents (wl-paste -n | string collect -N)
+set -l contents (wl-paste -n | string collect -N --allow-empty)
 count "$contents"
 if test "$cmd" = inline
     # if there's more than 1 newline, it
     # has to be linewise
     set -l lines (string split -n \n "$contents")
     set -S lines
+    set -S contents
 
-    printf "%s" "$(string join \n "$lines")"
+    # string join \n $lines
+    printf "%s" (string join \n $lines | string collect -N)
     # if test "$newlines" -eq 1
     # printf "%s" (string trim --chars \n "$contents")
     # else
diff --git a/.config/helix/scripts/paste.py b/.config/helix/scripts/paste.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..60d5971e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/helix/scripts/paste.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+# tiny script to force inline vs. linewise paste in Helix
+
+cmd = sys.argv[1]
+contents = subprocess.check_output(["wl-paste", "-n"], text=True)
+if cmd == "inline":
+    print(contents.rstrip("\n"), end="")
+elif cmd == "linewise":
+    if contents[-1] != "\n":
+        contents += "\n"
+    print(contents, end="")