diff --git a/runtime/doc/eval.txt b/runtime/doc/eval.txt
index cd5632e70c..c96f51772d 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/eval.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/eval.txt
@@ -2227,6 +2227,8 @@ range({expr} [, {max} [, {stride}]])
 				List	items from {expr} to {max}
 readfile({fname} [, {binary} [, {max}]])
 				List	get list of lines from file {fname}
+reg_executing()			Number	get the executing register name
+reg_recording()			String	get the recording register name
 reltime([{start} [, {end}]])	List	get time value
 reltimefloat({time})		Float	turn the time value into a Float
 reltimestr({time})		String	turn time value into a String
@@ -6434,6 +6436,15 @@ readfile({fname} [, {binary} [, {max}]])
 		the result is an empty list.
 		Also see |writefile()|.
 
+reg_executing()						*reg_executing()*
+		Returns the single letter name of the register being executed.
+		Returns an empty string when no register is being executed.
+		See |@|.
+
+reg_recording()						*reg_recording()*
+		Returns the single letter name of the register being recorded.
+		Returns an empty string string when not recording.  See |q|.
+
 reltime([{start} [, {end}]])				*reltime()*
 		Return an item that represents a time value.  The format of
 		the item depends on the system.  It can be passed to
diff --git a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
index b8fd6cdf7b..def781c109 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
@@ -962,6 +962,8 @@ Various:					*various-functions*
 	getreg()		get contents of a register
 	getregtype()		get type of a register
 	setreg()		set contents and type of a register
+	reg_executing()		return the name of the register being executed
+	reg_recording()		return the name of the register being recorded
 
 	shiftwidth()		effective value of 'shiftwidth'
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/edit.c b/src/nvim/edit.c
index bfd63aab7a..5ac95b64e7 100644
--- a/src/nvim/edit.c
+++ b/src/nvim/edit.c
@@ -7494,7 +7494,7 @@ static bool ins_esc(long *count, int cmdchar, bool nomove)
 
   // When recording or for CTRL-O, need to display the new mode.
   // Otherwise remove the mode message.
-  if (Recording || restart_edit != NUL) {
+  if (reg_recording != 0 || restart_edit != NUL) {
     showmode();
   } else if (p_smd) {
     MSG("");
diff --git a/src/nvim/eval.c b/src/nvim/eval.c
index 1d15e04218..aa4a3da9e5 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval.c
+++ b/src/nvim/eval.c
@@ -13556,6 +13556,26 @@ static void f_readfile(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv, FunPtr fptr)
   fclose(fd);
 }
 
+static void return_register(int regname, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+  char_u buf[2] = {0, 0};
+
+  buf[0] = (char_u)regname;
+  rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
+  rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave(buf);
+}
+
+// "reg_executing()" function
+static void f_reg_executing(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv, FunPtr fptr)
+{
+  return_register(reg_executing, rettv);
+}
+
+// "reg_recording()" function
+static void f_reg_recording(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv, FunPtr fptr)
+{
+  return_register(reg_recording, rettv);
+}
 
 /// list2proftime - convert a List to proftime_T
 ///
diff --git a/src/nvim/eval.lua b/src/nvim/eval.lua
index aff1ff2a74..f36a7ea6c0 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/eval.lua
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ return {
     pyxeval={args=1},
     range={args={1, 3}},
     readfile={args={1, 3}},
+    reg_executing={},
+    reg_recording={},
     reltime={args={0, 2}},
     reltimefloat={args=1},
     reltimestr={args=1},
diff --git a/src/nvim/fileio.c b/src/nvim/fileio.c
index f97ae8778d..e2b77d9605 100644
--- a/src/nvim/fileio.c
+++ b/src/nvim/fileio.c
@@ -6677,7 +6677,7 @@ bool trigger_cursorhold(void) FUNC_ATTR_PURE FUNC_ATTR_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
 
   if (!did_cursorhold
       && has_cursorhold()
-      && !Recording
+      && reg_recording == 0
       && typebuf.tb_len == 0
       && !ins_compl_active()
       ) {
diff --git a/src/nvim/getchar.c b/src/nvim/getchar.c
index ec14803a2e..3e2cbf0a09 100644
--- a/src/nvim/getchar.c
+++ b/src/nvim/getchar.c
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ static void gotchars(char_u *chars, size_t len)
   int c;
 
   // remember how many chars were last recorded
-  if (Recording) {
+  if (reg_recording != 0) {
     last_recorded_len += len;
   }
 
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ static void gotchars(char_u *chars, size_t len)
     c = *s++;
     updatescript(c);
 
-    if (Recording) {
+    if (reg_recording != 0) {
       char buf[2] = { (char)c, NUL };
       add_buff(&recordbuff, buf, 1L);
     }
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ static int vgetorpeek(int advance)
   init_typebuf();
   start_stuff();
   if (advance && typebuf.tb_maplen == 0)
-    Exec_reg = FALSE;
+    reg_executing = 0;
   do {
     /*
      * get a character: 1. from the stuffbuffer
diff --git a/src/nvim/globals.h b/src/nvim/globals.h
index 1a493317e1..78409267a4 100644
--- a/src/nvim/globals.h
+++ b/src/nvim/globals.h
@@ -682,8 +682,8 @@ EXTERN int motion_force INIT(=0);       // motion force for pending operator
 EXTERN int exmode_active INIT(= 0);     // Zero, EXMODE_NORMAL or EXMODE_VIM.
 EXTERN int ex_no_reprint INIT(=false);  // No need to print after z or p.
 
-EXTERN int Recording INIT(= false);     // TRUE when recording into a reg.
-EXTERN int Exec_reg INIT(= false);      // TRUE when executing a register.
+EXTERN int reg_recording INIT(= 0);     // register for recording  or zero
+EXTERN int reg_executing INIT(= 0);     // register being executed or zero
 
 EXTERN int no_mapping INIT(= false);    // currently no mapping allowed
 EXTERN int no_zero_mapping INIT(= 0);   // mapping zero not allowed
diff --git a/src/nvim/message.c b/src/nvim/message.c
index c5b9187117..7498091ade 100644
--- a/src/nvim/message.c
+++ b/src/nvim/message.c
@@ -945,7 +945,6 @@ void wait_return(int redraw)
   int oldState;
   int tmpState;
   int had_got_int;
-  int save_Recording;
   FILE        *save_scriptout;
 
   if (redraw == true) {
@@ -1011,16 +1010,16 @@ void wait_return(int redraw)
       // Temporarily disable Recording. If Recording is active, the
       // character will be recorded later, since it will be added to the
       // typebuf after the loop
-      save_Recording = Recording;
+      const int save_reg_recording = reg_recording;
       save_scriptout = scriptout;
-      Recording = FALSE;
+      reg_recording = 0;
       scriptout = NULL;
       c = safe_vgetc();
       if (had_got_int && !global_busy) {
         got_int = false;
       }
       no_mapping--;
-      Recording = save_Recording;
+      reg_recording = save_reg_recording;
       scriptout = save_scriptout;
 
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/normal.c b/src/nvim/normal.c
index d6e78d9ce4..b63d3812d4 100644
--- a/src/nvim/normal.c
+++ b/src/nvim/normal.c
@@ -552,7 +552,10 @@ static bool normal_need_additional_char(NormalState *s)
         // needs to be followed by a second char, examples:
         // - qc => record using register c
         // - q: => open command-line window
-     || (cmdchar == 'q' && !pending_op && !Recording && !Exec_reg)
+     || (cmdchar == 'q'
+         && !pending_op
+         && reg_recording == 0
+         && reg_executing == 0)
         // 'a' or 'i' after an operator is a text object, examples:
         // - ciw => change inside word
         // - da( => delete parenthesis and everything inside.
@@ -7686,7 +7689,7 @@ static void nv_record(cmdarg_T *cap)
     } else {
       // (stop) recording into a named register, unless executing a
       // register.
-      if (!Exec_reg && do_record(cap->nchar) == FAIL) {
+      if (reg_executing == 0 && do_record(cap->nchar) == FAIL) {
         clearopbeep(cap->oap);
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/nvim/ops.c b/src/nvim/ops.c
index 1c5d4e98a7..9b68b713ad 100644
--- a/src/nvim/ops.c
+++ b/src/nvim/ops.c
@@ -852,13 +852,13 @@ int do_record(int c)
   yankreg_T  *old_y_previous;
   int retval;
 
-  if (Recording == false) {
+  if (reg_recording == 0) {
     // start recording
     // registers 0-9, a-z and " are allowed
     if (c < 0 || (!ASCII_ISALNUM(c) && c != '"')) {
       retval = FAIL;
     } else {
-      Recording = c;
+      reg_recording = c;
       showmode();
       regname = c;
       retval = OK;
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ int do_record(int c)
      * needs to be removed again to put it in a register.  exec_reg then
      * adds the escaping back later.
      */
-    Recording = false;
+    reg_recording = 0;
     if (ui_has(kUIMessages)) {
       showmode();
     } else {
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ do_execreg(
           == FAIL)
         return FAIL;
     }
-    Exec_reg = TRUE;            /* disable the 'q' command */
+    reg_executing = regname == 0 ? '"' : regname;  // disable the 'q' command
   }
   return retval;
 }
diff --git a/src/nvim/screen.c b/src/nvim/screen.c
index b0109b0824..e5e4a850df 100644
--- a/src/nvim/screen.c
+++ b/src/nvim/screen.c
@@ -6412,7 +6412,7 @@ int showmode(void)
                  || restart_edit
                  || VIsual_active
                  ));
-  if (do_mode || Recording) {
+  if (do_mode || reg_recording != 0) {
     /*
      * Don't show mode right now, when not redrawing or inside a mapping.
      * Call char_avail() only when we are going to show something, because
@@ -6533,7 +6533,7 @@ int showmode(void)
 
       need_clear = TRUE;
     }
-    if (Recording
+    if (reg_recording != 0
         && edit_submode == NULL             /* otherwise it gets too long */
         ) {
       recording_mode(attr);
@@ -6600,7 +6600,7 @@ void clearmode(void)
 {
   msg_ext_ui_flush();
   msg_pos_mode();
-  if (Recording) {
+  if (reg_recording != 0) {
     recording_mode(HL_ATTR(HLF_CM));
   }
   msg_clr_eos();
@@ -6612,7 +6612,7 @@ static void recording_mode(int attr)
   MSG_PUTS_ATTR(_("recording"), attr);
   if (!shortmess(SHM_RECORDING)) {
     char_u s[4];
-    vim_snprintf((char *)s, ARRAY_SIZE(s), " @%c", Recording);
+    snprintf((char *)s, ARRAY_SIZE(s), " @%c", reg_recording);
     MSG_PUTS_ATTR(s, attr);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test_functions.vim b/src/nvim/testdir/test_functions.vim
index 46c2d0f4cd..e41af6d7f2 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test_functions.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test_functions.vim
@@ -1076,3 +1076,28 @@ func Test_func_sandbox()
   call assert_fails('call Fsandbox()', 'E48:')
   delfunc Fsandbox
 endfunc
+
+" Test for reg_recording() and reg_executing()
+func Test_reg_executing_and_recording()
+  let s:reg_stat = ''
+  func s:save_reg_stat()
+    let s:reg_stat = reg_recording() . ':' . reg_executing()
+    return ''
+  endfunc
+
+  new
+  call s:save_reg_stat()
+  call assert_equal(':', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("qa\"=s:save_reg_stat()\<CR>pq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('a:', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("@a", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal(':a', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("qb@aq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('b:a', s:reg_stat)
+  call feedkeys("q\"\"=s:save_reg_stat()\<CR>pq", 'xt')
+  call assert_equal('":', s:reg_stat)
+
+  bwipe!
+  delfunc s:save_reg_stat
+  unlet s:reg_stat
+endfunc