diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+0.3.1.0
+=======
+
+  * Improved exception handling
+
+  * Relaxed the licesnse to BSD2
+
+  * Made compatible with GHC 8.8
+
 0.3.0.0
 =======
 
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Copyright (c) 2013, Matvey Aksenov
+Copyright (c) 2013-2017, Matvey Aksenov
 
 All rights reserved.
 
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@
       copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
       disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
       with the distribution.
-
-    * Neither the name of Matvey Aksenov nor the names of other
-      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
-      from this software without specific prior written permission.
 
 THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
 "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,4 +74,4 @@
 See [`examples/CommandT.hs`][1]
 
   [0]: https://github.com/biegunka/command-qq/blob/master/src/System/Command/QQ/Predef.hs
-  [1]: https://github.com/biegunka/command-qq/blob/master/examples/CommandT.hs
+  [1]: https://github.com/biegunka/command-qq/blob/master/example/CommandT.hs
diff --git a/command-qq.cabal b/command-qq.cabal
--- a/command-qq.cabal
+++ b/command-qq.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                command-qq
-version:             0.3.0.0
+version:             0.3.1.0
 synopsis:            Quasiquoters for external commands
 description:
   Features:
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     See @examples/CommandT.hs@
   .
 homepage:            http://biegunka.github.io/command-qq/
-license:             BSD3
+license:             BSD2
 license-file:        LICENSE
 author:              Matvey Aksenov
 maintainer:          matvey.aksenov@gmail.com
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 source-repository this
   type:              git
   location:          https://github.com/biegunka/command-qq
-  tag:               0.3.0.0
+  tag:               0.3.1.0
 
 library
   default-language:  Haskell2010
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
   build-depends:
       base == 4.*
     , doctest
+    , transformers
   hs-source-dirs:    test
   main-is:           Doctests.hs
 
@@ -89,3 +90,5 @@
   other-modules:
     System.Command.QQ.EmbedSpec
     System.Command.QQ.EvalSpec
+    System.Command.QQ.PredefSpec
+    System.Command.QQSpec
diff --git a/src/System/Command/QQ.hs b/src/System/Command/QQ.hs
--- a/src/System/Command/QQ.hs
+++ b/src/System/Command/QQ.hs
@@ -19,16 +19,16 @@
   , module System.Command.QQ.Eval
   ) where
 
-import Control.Applicative
-import Data.Char (isLower, isUpper)
-import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
-import Language.Haskell.TH
-import Language.Haskell.TH.Quote
-import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
-import Text.Read (readMaybe)
+import           Data.Char (isLower, isUpper)
+import           Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
+import           Language.Haskell.TH (Q, Exp)
+import qualified Language.Haskell.TH as TH
+import           Language.Haskell.TH.Quote (QuasiQuoter(..))
+import           System.Environment (lookupEnv)
+import           Text.Read (readMaybe)
 
-import System.Command.QQ.Embed
-import System.Command.QQ.Eval
+import           System.Command.QQ.Embed
+import           System.Command.QQ.Eval
 
 -- $setup
 -- >>> :set -XQuasiQuotes
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 -- "7 apples!\n"
 sh :: QuasiQuoter
 sh = quoter $ \string -> do
-  shellEx <- runIO $ getEnvDefault "/bin/sh" "SHELL"
+  shellEx <- TH.runIO (getEnvDefault "/bin/sh" "SHELL")
   callCommand shellEx ["-c"] string
 
 -- | Simple quasiquoter for the default shell
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 -- hello, world!
 sh_ :: QuasiQuoter
 sh_ = quoter $ \string -> do
-  shellEx <- runIO $ getEnvDefault "/bin/sh" "SHELL"
+  shellEx <- TH.runIO (getEnvDefault "/bin/sh" "SHELL")
   callCommand_ shellEx ["-c"] string
 
 -- | Shell's quasiquoter constructor
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
   }
  where
   failure kind =
-    fail $ "this quasiquoter does not support splicing " ++ kind
+    error ("this quasiquoter does not support splicing " ++ kind)
 
 -- | Construct Haskell expression for external command call
 callCommand
@@ -146,14 +146,14 @@
       _                            -> fail "Should never happen"
 
   var (break (== '}') -> parts) = case parts of
-     (b : efore, '}' : after)
-        | isLower b                     -> external (VarE (mkName (b:efore))) after
-        | isUpper b                     -> external (ConE (mkName (b:efore))) after
-        | Just i <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (LitE (IntegerL i)) after
-        | Just d <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (LitE (RationalL (toRational (d :: Double)))) after
-        | Just c <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (LitE (CharL c)) after
-        | Just s <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (LitE (StringL s)) after
-     (before, _)                        -> fail $ "Invalid name: " ++ before
+    (b : efore, '}' : after)
+      | isLower b                     -> external (TH.VarE (TH.mkName (b:efore))) after
+      | isUpper b                     -> external (TH.ConE (TH.mkName (b:efore))) after
+      | Just i <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (TH.LitE (TH.IntegerL i)) after
+      | Just d <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (TH.LitE (TH.RationalL (toRational (d :: Double)))) after
+      | Just c <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (TH.LitE (TH.CharL c)) after
+      | Just s <- readMaybe (b:efore) -> external (TH.LitE (TH.StringL s)) after
+    (before, _)                        -> fail ("Invalid name: " ++ before)
 
   external :: Exp -> String -> Q Exp
   external e after = [e| embed $(return e) ++ $(raw after) |]
@@ -163,4 +163,4 @@
   :: String -- ^ The default vefault
   -> String -- ^ Environment variable
   -> IO String
-getEnvDefault def query = fromMaybe def <$> lookupEnv query
+getEnvDefault def = fmap (fromMaybe def) . lookupEnv
diff --git a/src/System/Command/QQ/Embed.hs b/src/System/Command/QQ/Embed.hs
--- a/src/System/Command/QQ/Embed.hs
+++ b/src/System/Command/QQ/Embed.hs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
   ( Embed(..)
   ) where
 
-import           Control.Applicative
 import           Data.Int
 import           Data.Ratio (Ratio)
 import qualified Data.Text as Text
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@
 -- >>> embed 'c'
 -- "c"
 instance Embed Char where
-  embed = pure
+  embed x = [x]
 
 -- |
 -- >>> embed ("hi" :: String)
diff --git a/src/System/Command/QQ/Eval.hs b/src/System/Command/QQ/Eval.hs
--- a/src/System/Command/QQ/Eval.hs
+++ b/src/System/Command/QQ/Eval.hs
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@
   ( Eval(..)
   ) where
 
-import           Control.Applicative
 import           Control.Concurrent
-import           Control.Exception (evaluate)
+import           Control.Exception (evaluate, mask, onException)
 import           Control.Monad
+import           Data.Foldable (traverse_)
 import           Data.Text.Lazy (Text)
-import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as T
-import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.IO as T
+import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as Text
+import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.IO as Text
 import           System.Exit (ExitCode)
 import qualified System.Process as P
 import           System.IO (hFlush, hClose)
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 -- >>> [sh|echo hello world|] :: IO ()
 -- hello world
 instance Eval (IO ()) where
-  eval command args = () <$ P.rawSystem command args
+  eval command = void . P.rawSystem command
 
 -- | Return exit code of the external process
 --
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 -- ExitFailure 7
 instance Eval (IO ExitCode) where
   eval command args = do
-    (s, _, _) <- eval command args (T.pack "")
+    (s, _, _) <- eval command args Text.empty
     return s
 
 -- | Return stdout of the external process as 'Text'
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 -- >>> [sh|echo -n hello world|] :: IO String
 -- "hello world"
 instance Eval (IO String) where
-  eval command args = T.unpack <$> eval command args
+  eval command = fmap Text.unpack . eval command
 
 -- | Return exit code, stdout, and stderr of external process
 --
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
   , o ~ Text
   , e ~ Text
   ) => Eval (IO (s, o, e)) where
-  eval command args = eval command args (T.pack "")
+  eval command args = eval command args Text.empty
 
 -- | Return exit code, stdout, and stderr of the external process
 -- and pass supplied 'Text' to its stdin
@@ -90,30 +90,36 @@
   eval = readProcessWithExitCode
 
 readProcessWithExitCode :: String -> [String] -> Text -> IO (ExitCode, Text, Text)
-readProcessWithExitCode cmd args input = do
-  (Just inh, Just outh, Just errh, p) <-
-      P.createProcess (P.proc cmd args)
-        { P.std_in  = P.CreatePipe
-        , P.std_out = P.CreatePipe
-        , P.std_err = P.CreatePipe
-        }
+readProcessWithExitCode cmd args input =
+  mask $ \restore -> do
+    (Just inh, Just outh, Just errh, pid) <-
+        P.createProcess (P.proc cmd args)
+          { P.std_in  = P.CreatePipe
+          , P.std_out = P.CreatePipe
+          , P.std_err = P.CreatePipe
+          }
 
-  var <- newEmptyMVar
-  out <- T.hGetContents outh
-  err <- T.hGetContents errh
+    onException
+      (restore $ do
+        var <- newEmptyMVar
+        out <- Text.hGetContents outh
+        err <- Text.hGetContents errh
 
-  forkFinally (evaluate (T.length out)) (\_ -> putMVar var ())
-  forkFinally (evaluate (T.length err)) (\_ -> putMVar var ())
+        forkFinally (evaluate (Text.length out)) (\_ -> putMVar var ())
+        forkFinally (evaluate (Text.length err)) (\_ -> putMVar var ())
 
-  unless (T.null input) $
-    T.hPutStr inh input >> hFlush inh
-  hClose inh
+        unless (Text.null input) $
+          Text.hPutStr inh input >> hFlush inh
+        hClose inh
 
-  takeMVar var
-  takeMVar var
-  hClose outh
-  hClose errh
+        takeMVar var
+        takeMVar var
+        hClose outh
+        hClose errh
 
-  s <- P.waitForProcess p
+        s <- P.waitForProcess pid
 
-  return (s, out, err)
+        return (s, out, err))
+      (do P.terminateProcess pid
+          traverse_ hClose [inh, outh, errh]
+          P.waitForProcess pid)
diff --git a/src/System/Command/QQ/Predef.hs b/src/System/Command/QQ/Predef.hs
--- a/src/System/Command/QQ/Predef.hs
+++ b/src/System/Command/QQ/Predef.hs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import System.Command.QQ (interpreter, shell, quoter, callCommand)
 
+
 -- | @bash@ shell
 bash :: QuasiQuoter
 bash = shell "bash"
@@ -15,11 +16,11 @@
 
 -- | @awk@ interpreter
 awk :: QuasiQuoter
-awk = quoter $ callCommand "awk" []
+awk = quoter (callCommand "awk" [])
 
 -- | @ghci@ interpreter
 ghci :: QuasiQuoter
-ghci = quoter $ callCommand "ghc" ["-ignore-dot-ghci", "-e"]
+ghci = quoter (callCommand "ghc" ["-ignore-dot-ghci", "-e"])
 
 -- | @perl@ interpreter
 perl :: QuasiQuoter
diff --git a/test/System/Command/QQ/PredefSpec.hs b/test/System/Command/QQ/PredefSpec.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/System/Command/QQ/PredefSpec.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}
+module System.Command.QQ.PredefSpec (spec) where
+
+import           Data.Text.Lazy (Text)
+import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as Text
+import           System.Exit (ExitCode(..))
+import           Test.Hspec
+
+import           System.Command.QQ.Predef
+
+
+spec :: Spec
+spec = do
+  it "runs bash" $
+    fmap stdout [bash|echo $0|] `shouldReturn` "bash\n"
+
+  it "runs zsh" $
+    fmap stdout [zsh|echo $0|] `shouldReturn` "zsh\n"
+
+  it "runs awk interpreter" $
+    fmap stdout [awk|BEGIN { print 4 * 7 } |] `shouldReturn` "28\n"
+
+  it "runs ghci" $
+    fmap stdout [ghci|print (4 * 7)|] `shouldReturn` "28\n"
+
+  it "runs perl interpreter" $
+    fmap stdout [perl|print 4 * 7 . "\n"|] `shouldReturn` "28\n"
+
+  it "runs ruby interpreter" $
+    fmap stdout [ruby|puts 4 * 7|] `shouldReturn` "28\n"
+
+  let traceback = "Traceback (most recent call last):"
+
+  it "python shows tracebacks" $ do
+    err <- fmap (Text.lines . stderr) [python|print(4 / 0)|]
+    err `shouldContain` [traceback]
+
+  it "python2 shows tracebacks" $ do
+    err <- fmap (Text.lines . stderr) [python2|print(4 / 0)|]
+    err `shouldContain` [traceback]
+
+  it "python3 shows tracebacks" $ do
+    err <- fmap (Text.lines . stderr) [python3|print(4 / 0)|]
+    err `shouldContain` [traceback]
+
+  it "python3 really runs python 3" $ do
+    err <- fmap (Text.lines . stderr) [python3|print 7|]
+    err `shouldSatisfy` (any ("SyntaxError:" `Text.isPrefixOf`))
+
+
+stdout, stderr :: (ExitCode, Text, Text) -> Text
+stderr (_, _, xs) = xs
+stdout (_, xs, _) = xs
diff --git a/test/System/Command/QQSpec.hs b/test/System/Command/QQSpec.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/System/Command/QQSpec.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-}
+module System.Command.QQSpec (spec) where
+
+import Test.Hspec
+
+import System.Command.QQ (substituteVars)
+
+
+spec :: Spec
+spec = do
+  describe "substituteVars" $ do
+    it "does not change simple string literals" $
+      $(substituteVars "hello!") `shouldBe` "hello!"
+
+    it "substitutes variables of type Int" $ do
+      let foo = 5 :: Int
+      $(substituteVars "hello#{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "hello5bye!"
+
+    it "substitutes variables of type String" $ do
+      let foo = "or"
+      $(substituteVars "hello#{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "helloorbye!"
+
+    it "leaves an escape hatch for typing literal #{} in" $ do
+      let foo = "or"
+      $(substituteVars "hello#\\{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "hello#{foo}bye!"
+
+    it "escape hatch can be escaped" $ do
+      let foo = "or"
+      $(substituteVars "hello#\\\\{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "hello#\\{foo}bye!"
+
+    it "leaves another (possibly more natural) escape hatch for typing literal #{} in" $ do
+      let foo = "or"
+      $(substituteVars "hello\\#{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "hello#{foo}bye!"
+
+    it "another escape hatch can be escaped too" $ do
+      let foo = "or"
+      $(substituteVars "hello\\\\#{foo}bye!") `shouldBe` "hello\\orbye!"