diff --git a/fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml b/fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml
index 1fe29f1..4cba737 100644
--- a/fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml
+++ b/fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml
@@ -18,24 +18,41 @@ struct
 
   val tables = #[startTable, notNewlineTable, oneNewlineTable, twoNewLineTable]
 
+  fun next (currentState, chr) =
+    let val table = Vector.sub (tables, Word8.toInt currentState)
+    in Vector.sub (table, Char.ord chr)
+    end
+
   structure ViL =
     MakeNextDfaLoop
       (struct
          val startState = startState
 
-         structure Folder =
-           MakeCharFolderNext
-             (struct
-                val startState = startState
-                val tables = tables
+         fun loop (idx, absIdx, str, tl, currentState, counter) =
+           if idx = String.size str then
+             case tl of
+               str :: tl => loop (0, absIdx, str, tl, currentState, counter)
+             | [] => absIdx
+           else
+             let
+               val chr = String.sub (str, idx)
+               val newState = next (currentState, chr)
+             in
+               if newState = twoNewlineState then
+                 if counter - 1 = ~1 then
+                   absIdx - 1
+                 else
+                   loop (idx + 1, absIdx + 1, str, tl, startState, counter - 1)
+               else if newState = notNewlineState then
+                 if counter - 1 = ~1 then
+                   absIdx
+                 else
+                   loop (idx + 1, absIdx + 1, str, tl, startState, counter - 1)
+               else
+                 loop (idx + 1, absIdx + 1, str, tl, newState, counter)
+             end
 
-                fun finish x = x
-                fun isFinal currentState =
-                  currentState = notNewlineState
-                  orelse currentState = oneNewlineState
-              end)
-
-         val fStart = Folder.foldNext
+         val fStart = loop
        end)
 
   val next = ViL.next
diff --git a/fcore/cursor.sml b/fcore/cursor.sml
index a0b2a53..7c1e329 100644
--- a/fcore/cursor.sml
+++ b/fcore/cursor.sml
@@ -56,56 +56,7 @@ struct
   val viDlr = ViDlrDfa.next
   val viDlrForDelete = ViDlrDfa.nextForDelete
 
-  fun helpViL (strIdx, hd, cursorIdx, tl) =
-    if String.sub (hd, strIdx) = #"\n" then
-      (* if line break, go to next idx, no matter what chr is there *)
-      cursorIdx + 1
-    else if strIdx + 1 < String.size hd then
-      (* next chr is in hd *)
-      if String.sub (hd, strIdx + 1) = #"\n" then
-        (* if non-line break followed by line break, go to chr + 2 *)
-        cursorIdx + 2
-      else
-        cursorIdx + 1
-    else
-      (case tl of
-         tlhd :: _ =>
-           if String.sub (tlhd, 0) = #"\n" then
-             (* non-line break followed by line break *)
-             cursorIdx + 2
-           else
-             (* non-line break followed by non-line break *)
-             cursorIdx + 1
-       | [] => cursorIdx)
-
-  (* Prerequisite: lineGap is moved to requested idx first 
-   * todo: check if we are in a \r\n pair, but this is not a priority *)
-  fun viL (lineGap: LineGap.t, cursorIdx) =
-    let
-      val {rightStrings, idx = bufferIdx, ...} = lineGap
-    in
-      case rightStrings of
-        hd :: tl =>
-          let
-            (* convert absolute cursorIdx to idx relative to hd string *)
-            val strIdx = cursorIdx - bufferIdx
-          in
-            if strIdx < String.size hd then
-              (* strIdx is in hd *)
-              helpViL (strIdx, hd, cursorIdx, tl)
-            else
-              (* strIdx is in tl *)
-              (case tl of
-                 tlhd :: tltl =>
-                   let val strIdx = strIdx - String.size hd
-                   in helpViL (strIdx, tlhd, cursorIdx, tltl)
-                   end
-               | [] => cursorIdx)
-          end
-      | [] =>
-          (* return original cursorIdx if there is nothing to the right *)
-          cursorIdx
-    end
+  val viL = ViLDfa.next
 
   structure ViH =
     MakeIfCharFolderPrev
diff --git a/fcore/move.sml b/fcore/move.sml
index c70d9a8..140a93d 100644
--- a/fcore/move.sml
+++ b/fcore/move.sml
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ end
 structure MoveViH = MakeMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.viH end)
 structure MoveViJ = MakeMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.viJ end)
 structure MoveViK = MakeMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.viK end)
-structure MoveViL = MakeMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.viL end)
 
 structure MoveToStartOfLine = MakeMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.vi0 end)
 
@@ -77,6 +76,8 @@ struct
     end
 end
 
+structure MoveViL = MakeDfaMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.viL end)
+
 structure MoveToNextWord = MakeDfaMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.nextWord end)
 structure MoveToNextWORD = MakeDfaMove (struct val fMove = Cursor.nextWORD end)
 
diff --git a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
index bc337bd..145071b 100644
--- a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
+++ b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct
           val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineStart, buffer)
           val lineEnd = Cursor.viDlr (buffer, lineStart, 1)
           val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineEnd, buffer)
-          val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd)
+          val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd, 1)
 
           val count = if lineEnd = nextLine then 0 else count - 1
         in
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ struct
           val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineStart, buffer)
           val lineEnd = Cursor.viDlr (buffer, lineStart, 1)
           val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineEnd, buffer)
-          val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd)
+          val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd, 1)
 
           val count = if lineEnd = nextLine then 0 else count - 1
         in
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ struct
         val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineStart, buffer)
         val lineEnd = Cursor.viDlr (buffer, lineStart, 1)
         val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (lineEnd, buffer)
-        val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd)
+        val nextLine = Cursor.viL (buffer, lineEnd, 1)
         val newCursorIdx = Int.min (lineEnd, cursorIdx)
 
         val buffer =
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ struct
       case chrCmd of
       (* terminal commands: require no input after *)
         #"h" => NormalDelete.delete (app, count, Cursor.viH, time)
-      | #"l" => NormalDelete.delete (app, count, Cursor.viL, time)
+      | #"l" => NormalDelete.deleteByDfa (app, count, Cursor.viL, time)
       (* vi's 'j' and 'k' commands move up or down a column
        * but 'dj' or 'dk' delete whole lines
        * so their implementation differs from
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ struct
       case chrCmd of
       (* terminal commands: require no input after *)
         #"h" => NormalYankDelete.delete (app, count, Cursor.viH, time)
-      | #"l" => NormalYankDelete.delete (app, count, Cursor.viL, time)
+      | #"l" => NormalYankDelete.deleteByDfa (app, count, Cursor.viL, time)
       (* vi's 'j' and 'k' commands move up or down a column
        * but 'dj' or 'dk' delete whole lines
        * so their implementation differs from
diff --git a/shf-tests.mlb b/shf-tests.mlb
index b007167..aa2e5a7 100644
--- a/shf-tests.mlb
+++ b/shf-tests.mlb
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ in
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-word-dfa.sml
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-caps-word-dfa.sml
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-dlr-dfa.sml
+  fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml
   fcore/rect.sml
   fcore/pipe-cursor.sml
 end
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-mode.sml
 
 fcore/app-update.sml
 
+
 (* TEST FILES *)
 $(SML_LIB)/basis/mlton.mlb
 shell/exception-logger.sml
diff --git a/shf.mlb b/shf.mlb
index 759c80d..763be7e 100644
--- a/shf.mlb
+++ b/shf.mlb
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ in
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-word-dfa.sml
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-caps-word-dfa.sml
   fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-dlr-dfa.sml
+  fcore/cursor-dfa/vi-l-dfa.sml
   fcore/rect.sml
   fcore/pipe-cursor.sml
 end