diff --git a/IPython/core/history.py b/IPython/core/history.py
index 7f2af33..ccf1873 100644
--- a/IPython/core/history.py
+++ b/IPython/core/history.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import sys
 # Our own packages
 import IPython.utils.io
 
-from IPython.core import ipapi
 from IPython.core.inputlist import InputList
 from IPython.utils.pickleshare import PickleShareDB
 from IPython.utils.io import ask_yes_no
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@ class HistoryManager(object):
             print(r"only has ASCII characters, e.g. c:\home")
             print("Now it is", self.ipython_dir)
             sys.exit()
-        self.shadow_hist = ShadowHist(self.shadow_db)
+        self.shadow_hist = ShadowHist(self.shadow_db, self.shell)
         
     def save_hist(self):
         """Save input history to a file (via readline library)."""
@@ -456,11 +455,12 @@ def rep_f(self, arg):
 _sentinel = object()
 
 class ShadowHist(object):
-    def __init__(self, db):
+    def __init__(self, db, shell):
         # cmd => idx mapping
         self.curidx = 0
         self.db = db
         self.disabled = False
+        self.shell = shell
     
     def inc_idx(self):
         idx = self.db.get('shadowhist_idx', 1)
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ class ShadowHist(object):
             #print("new", newidx) # dbg
             self.db.hset('shadowhist',ent, newidx)
         except:
-            ipapi.get().showtraceback()
+            self.shell.showtraceback()
             print("WARNING: disabling shadow history")
             self.disabled = True
     
diff --git a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
index efe053f..614e252 100644
--- a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
     deep_reload = CBool(False, config=True)
     displayhook_class = Type(DisplayHook)
     exit_now = CBool(False)
+    # Monotonically increasing execution counter
+    execution_count = Int(1)
     filename = Str("<ipython console>")
     ipython_dir= Unicode('', config=True) # Set to get_ipython_dir() in __init__
 
@@ -370,6 +372,10 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
         self.compile = codeop.CommandCompiler()
 
         # User input buffers
+        # NOTE: these variables are slated for full removal, once we are 100%
+        # sure that the new execution logic is solid.  We will delte runlines,
+        # push_line and these buffers, as all input will be managed by the
+        # frontends via an inputsplitter instance.
         self.buffer = []
         self.buffer_raw = []
 
@@ -399,9 +405,6 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
         # Indentation management
         self.indent_current_nsp = 0
 
-        # Increasing execution counter
-        self.execution_count = 1
-
     def init_environment(self):
         """Any changes we need to make to the user's environment."""
         pass
@@ -2066,27 +2069,6 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
         cell : str
           A single or multiline string.
         """
-        #################################################################
-        # FIXME
-        # =====
-        # This execution logic should stop calling runlines altogether, and
-        # instead we should do what runlines does, in a controlled manner, here
-        # (runlines mutates lots of state as it goes calling sub-methods that
-        # also mutate state).  Basically we should:
-        # - apply dynamic transforms for single-line input (the ones that
-        # split_blocks won't apply since they need context).
-        # - increment the global execution counter (we need to pull that out
-        # from outputcache's control; outputcache should instead read it from
-        # the main object).
-        # - do any logging of input
-        # - update histories (raw/translated)
-        # - then, call plain run_source (for single blocks, so displayhook is
-        # triggered) or run_code (for multiline blocks in exec mode).
-        #
-        # Once this is done, we'll be able to stop using runlines and we'll
-        # also have a much cleaner separation of logging, input history and
-        # output cache management.
-        #################################################################
         
         # We need to break up the input into executable blocks that can be run
         # in 'single' mode, to provide comfortable user behavior.
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
index d15af47..3ddd9bb 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def test_shist():
     tfile = tempfile.mktemp('','tmp-ipython-')
     
     db = pickleshare.PickleShareDB(tfile)
-    s = ShadowHist(db)
+    s = ShadowHist(db, get_ipython())
     s.add('hello')
     s.add('world')
     s.add('hello')