diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
@@ -150,8 +150,7 @@
 
   ## Pick up globals or default them.
 
-  persistent FUNCTION = struct ("EDITOR", cstrcat (EDITOR (), " %s"),
-                                "HOME", fullfile (default_home, "octave"),
+  persistent FUNCTION = struct ("HOME", fullfile (default_home, "octave"),
                                 "AUTHOR", default_user(1),
                                 "EMAIL",  [],
                                 "LICENSE",  "GPL",
@@ -163,7 +162,7 @@
   if (nargin == 2)
     switch (toupper (file))
     case "EDITOR"
-      FUNCTION.EDITOR = state;
+      EDITOR (state);
     case "HOME"
       if (! isempty (state) && state(1) == "~")
         state = [ default_home, state(2:end) ];
@@ -195,6 +194,8 @@
     case "GET"
       if (isfield (FUNCTION, toupper(state)))
         ret = FUNCTION.(toupper (state));
+      elseif (strcmpi (state, "editor"))
+        ret = EDITOR;
       else
         ret = FUNCTION;
       endif
@@ -207,11 +208,10 @@
   ## Start the editor without a file if no file is given.
   if (nargin < 1)
     if (exist (FUNCTION.HOME, "dir") == 7 && (isunix () || ! ispc ()))
-      system (cstrcat ("cd \"", FUNCTION.HOME, "\" ; ",
-                      sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, "")),
+      system (cstrcat ("cd \"", FUNCTION.HOME, "\" ; ", EDITOR),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
     else
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR,""), [], FUNCTION.MODE);
+      system (EDITOR, [], FUNCTION.MODE);
     endif
     return;
   endif
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@
     ## If the file exists, then edit it.
     if (FUNCTION.EDITINPLACE)
       ## Edit in place even if it is protected.
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf ("%s %s", EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
     else
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@
       else
         fclose (fid);
       endif
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf ("%s %s", EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
     endif
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@
     case {"cc", "m"}
       0;
     otherwise
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf ("%s %s", EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
   endswitch
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@
   fclose (fid);
 
   ## Finally we are ready to edit it!
-  system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+  system (sprintf ("%s %s", EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
           [], FUNCTION.MODE);
 
 endfunction