diff --git a/cmd/flux/cmd/repl.go b/cmd/flux/cmd/repl.go
index ff4b2e2f10..716eb462a4 100644
--- a/cmd/flux/cmd/repl.go
+++ b/cmd/flux/cmd/repl.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 var replCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "repl",
 	Short: "Launch a Flux REPL",
-	Long:  "Launch a Flux REPL (Run-Execute-Print-Loop)",
+	Long:  "Launch a Flux REPL (Read-Eval-Print-Loop)",
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		q := NewQuerier()
 		r := repl.New(q)
diff --git a/compiler.go b/compiler.go
index 4a1e03de83..29fc4ccd28 100644
--- a/compiler.go
+++ b/compiler.go
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ package flux
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/influxdata/flux/memory"
 )
 
 // Compiler produces a specification for the query.
 type Compiler interface {
 	// Compile produces a specification for the query.
-	Compile(ctx context.Context) (*Spec, error)
+	Compile(ctx context.Context) (Program, error)
 	CompilerType() CompilerType
 }
 
@@ -24,3 +26,11 @@ func (m CompilerMappings) Add(t CompilerType, c CreateCompiler) error {
 	m[t] = c
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Program defines a Flux script which has been compiled.
+type Program interface {
+	// Start begins execution of the program and returns immediately.
+	// As results are produced they arrive on the channel.
+	// The program is finished once the result channel is closed and all results have been consumed.
+	Start(context.Context, *memory.Allocator) (Query, error)
+}
diff --git a/control/controller.go b/control/controller.go
index d2462708bb..9d10196af1 100644
--- a/control/controller.go
+++ b/control/controller.go
@@ -111,19 +111,13 @@ func New(c Config) *Controller {
 // Query submits a query for execution returning immediately.
 // Done must be called on any returned Query objects.
 func (c *Controller) Query(ctx context.Context, compiler flux.Compiler) (flux.Query, error) {
-	q := c.createQuery(ctx, compiler.CompilerType())
-	if err := c.compileQuery(q, compiler); err != nil {
-		q.setErr(err)
-		c.countQueryRequest(q, labelCompileError)
-		return nil, q.Err()
-	}
-	if err := c.enqueueQuery(q); err != nil {
-		q.setErr(err)
-		c.countQueryRequest(q, labelQueueError)
-		return nil, q.Err()
+	prog, err := compiler.Compile(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	c.countQueryRequest(q, labelSuccess)
-	return q, nil
+
+	a := new(memory.Allocator)
+	return prog.Start(ctx, a)
 }
 
 type Stringer interface {
@@ -171,38 +165,6 @@ func (c *Controller) createQuery(ctx context.Context, ct flux.CompilerType) *Que
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) compileQuery(q *Query, compiler flux.Compiler) error {
-	if !q.tryCompile() {
-		return errors.New("failed to transition query to compiling state")
-	}
-	spec, err := compiler.Compile(q.currentCtx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to compile query")
-	}
-
-	// Incoming query spec may have been produced by an entity other than the
-	// Flux interpreter, so we must set the default Now time if not already set.
-	if spec.Now.IsZero() {
-		spec.Now = q.now
-	}
-
-	q.spec = *spec
-
-	if q.tryPlan() {
-		// Plan query to determine needed resources
-		p, err := c.planner.Plan(&q.spec)
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to plan query")
-		}
-		q.plan = p
-		q.concurrency = p.Resources.ConcurrencyQuota
-		if q.concurrency > c.maxConcurrency {
-			q.concurrency = c.maxConcurrency
-		}
-		q.memory = p.Resources.MemoryBytesQuota
-		if entry := c.logger.Check(zapcore.DebugLevel, "physical plan"); entry != nil {
-			entry.Write(zap.String("plan", fmt.Sprint(plan.Formatted(q.plan))))
-		}
-	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -507,7 +469,7 @@ func (q *Query) Cancel() {
 	q.cancel()
 }
 
-// Ready returns a channel that will deliver the query results.
+// Results returns a channel that will deliver the query results.
 //
 // It's possible that the channel is closed before any results arrive.
 // In particular, if a query's context or the query itself is canceled,
@@ -522,7 +484,7 @@ func (q *Query) Ready() <-chan map[string]flux.Result {
 // Done signals to the Controller that this query is no longer
 // being used and resources related to the query may be freed.
 //
-// The Ready method must have returned a result before calling
+// The Results method must have returned a result before calling
 // this method either by the query executing, being canceled, or
 // an error occurring.
 func (q *Query) Done() {
diff --git a/control/controller_test.go b/control/controller_test.go
index 0359e1aa79..8d34f0772a 100644
--- a/control/controller_test.go
+++ b/control/controller_test.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func TestController_ExecuteQuery_Failure(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// We do not care about the results, just that the query is ready.
-	<-q.Ready()
+	<-q.Results()
 
 	if err := q.Err(); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected error")
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func TestController_CancelQuery_Ready(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// We do not care about the results, just that the query is ready.
-	<-q.Ready()
+	<-q.Results()
 
 	// Cancel the query. This is after the executor has already run,
 	// but before we finalize the query. This ensures that canceling
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ func TestController_CancelQuery_Execute(t *testing.T) {
 	// We should not receive any results as the cancellation should
 	// have signaled to the executor to cancel the query.
 	select {
-	case <-q.Ready():
+	case <-q.Results():
 		// The execute function should have received the cancel signal and exited
 		// with an error.
 	case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ func TestController_CancelQuery_Concurrent(t *testing.T) {
 				// change.
 				query := q
 				doneWaitGroup.Do(func() error {
-					<-query.Ready()
+					<-query.Results()
 					query.Done()
 					return nil
 				})
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ func TestController_BlockedExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		close(done)
-		<-q.Ready()
+		<-q.Results()
 		q.Done()
 	}()
 
@@ -494,8 +494,8 @@ func TestController_CancelledContextPropagatesToExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 		}
-		// Ready will unblock when executor unblocks
-		<-q.Ready()
+		// Results will unblock when executor unblocks
+		<-q.Results()
 		// TODO(jlapacik): query should expose error if cancelled during execution
 		// if q.Err() == nil {
 		//     t.Errorf("expected error; cancelled query context before execution finished")
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ func TestController_Shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	ctrl := New(Config{})
 	ctrl.executor = executor
 
-	// Create a bunch of queries and never call Ready which should leave them in the controller.
+	// Create a bunch of queries and never call Results which should leave them in the controller.
 	queries := make([]flux.Query, 0, 15)
 	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
 		q, err := ctrl.Query(context.Background(), mockCompiler)
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ func TestController_Shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, q := range queries {
 		q := q
 		wg.Do(func() error {
-			<-q.Ready()
+			<-q.Results()
 			q.Done()
 			return nil
 		})
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ func TestController_Statistics(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	<-q.Ready()
+	<-q.Results()
 	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
 	q.Done()
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/refactortests/cmd/refactortests.go b/internal/cmd/refactortests/cmd/refactortests.go
index 43267b8398..943781a96b 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/refactortests/cmd/refactortests.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/refactortests/cmd/refactortests.go
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func executeScript(pkg *ast.Package) (string, string, error) {
 		return "", "", errors.Wrap(err, "error during compilation, check your script and retry")
 	}
 	defer r.Done()
-	results, ok := <-r.Ready()
+	results, ok := <-r.Results()
 	if !ok {
 		return "", "", errors.Wrap(r.Err(), "error retrieving query result")
 	}
diff --git a/lang/compiler.go b/lang/compiler.go
index f71e9bed8e..6336b7bbc7 100644
--- a/lang/compiler.go
+++ b/lang/compiler.go
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/influxdata/flux"
 	"github.com/influxdata/flux/ast"
+	"github.com/influxdata/flux/execute"
+	"github.com/influxdata/flux/memory"
+	"github.com/influxdata/flux/plan"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -38,8 +41,21 @@ type FluxCompiler struct {
 	Query string `json:"query"`
 }
 
-func (c FluxCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (*flux.Spec, error) {
-	return flux.Compile(ctx, c.Query, time.Now())
+func (c FluxCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (flux.Program, error) {
+	spec, err := flux.Compile(ctx, c.Query, time.Now())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	planner := (&plan.PlannerBuilder{}).Build()
+	ps, err := planner.Plan(spec)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return Program{
+		ps: ps,
+	}, err
 }
 
 func (c FluxCompiler) CompilerType() flux.CompilerType {
@@ -51,9 +67,18 @@ type SpecCompiler struct {
 	Spec *flux.Spec `json:"spec"`
 }
 
-func (c SpecCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (*flux.Spec, error) {
-	return c.Spec, nil
+func (c SpecCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (flux.Program, error) {
+	planner := (&plan.PlannerBuilder{}).Build()
+	ps, err := planner.Plan(c.Spec)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return Program{
+		ps: ps,
+	}, err
 }
+
 func (c SpecCompiler) CompilerType() flux.CompilerType {
 	return SpecCompilerType
 }
@@ -64,11 +89,24 @@ type ASTCompiler struct {
 	Now time.Time
 }
 
-func (c ASTCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (*flux.Spec, error) {
-	if c.Now.IsZero() {
-		return flux.CompileAST(ctx, c.AST, time.Now())
+func (c ASTCompiler) Compile(ctx context.Context) (flux.Program, error) {
+	now := c.Now
+	if now.IsZero() {
+		now = time.Now()
 	}
-	return flux.CompileAST(ctx, c.AST, c.Now)
+
+	spec, err := flux.CompileAST(ctx, c.AST, now)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Program{}, err
+	}
+
+	planner := (&plan.PlannerBuilder{}).Build()
+	ps, err := planner.Plan(spec)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Program{}, err
+	}
+
+	return Program{ps: ps}, err
 }
 
 func (ASTCompiler) CompilerType() flux.CompilerType {
@@ -79,3 +117,29 @@ func (ASTCompiler) CompilerType() flux.CompilerType {
 func (c *ASTCompiler) PrependFile(file *ast.File) {
 	c.AST.Files = append([]*ast.File{file}, c.AST.Files...)
 }
+
+// Program implements the flux.Program interface
+type Program struct {
+	deps execute.Dependencies
+	ps   *plan.Spec
+}
+
+func (p Program) Start(ctx context.Context, allocator *memory.Allocator) (flux.Query, error) {
+	e := execute.NewExecutor(p.deps, nil)
+	results, _, err := e.Execute(ctx, p.ps, allocator)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	ch := make(chan flux.Result)
+	go func() {
+		for _, r := range results {
+			ch <- r
+		}
+		close(ch)
+	}()
+
+	return &Query{
+		ch: ch,
+	}, nil
+}
diff --git a/lang/query.go b/lang/query.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b7a979b4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/query.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package lang
+
+import (
+	"github.com/influxdata/flux"
+)
+
+// Query implements the flux.Query interface.
+type Query struct {
+	ch   chan flux.Result
+}
+
+func (q *Query) Results() <-chan flux.Result {
+	return q.ch
+}
+
+func (q *Query) Done() {
+	// consume all remaining elements so channel can be closed
+	for ok := true; ok == true; _, ok = <-q.ch {}
+}
+
+func (*Query) Cancel() {
+}
+
+func (*Query) Err() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (*Query) Statistics() flux.Statistics {
+	return flux.Statistics{}
+}
diff --git a/query.go b/query.go
index 3f9160bb6c..d4e89643eb 100644
--- a/query.go
+++ b/query.go
@@ -6,14 +6,10 @@ import (
 
 // Query represents an active query.
 type Query interface {
-	// Spec returns the spec used to execute this query.
-	// Spec must not be modified.
-	Spec() *Spec
-
-	// Ready returns a channel that will deliver the query results.
+	// Results returns a channel that will deliver the query results.
 	// Its possible that the channel is closed before any results arrive,
 	// in which case the query should be inspected for an error using Err().
-	Ready() <-chan map[string]Result
+	Results() <-chan Result
 
 	// Done must always be called to free resources. It is safe to call Done
 	// multiple times.
diff --git a/result_iterator.go b/result_iterator.go
index a10b23bb59..51dbd4da0c 100644
--- a/result_iterator.go
+++ b/result_iterator.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ type ResultIterator interface {
 type queryResultIterator struct {
 	query    Query
 	released bool
-	results  ResultIterator
+	nextResult Result
 }
 
 func NewResultIteratorFromQuery(q Query) ResultIterator {
@@ -43,31 +43,58 @@ func NewResultIteratorFromQuery(q Query) ResultIterator {
 	}
 }
 
+// More returns true iff there is more data to be produced by the iterator.
+// More is idempotent---successive calls to More with no intervening call to Next should
+// return the same value and leave the iterator in the same state.
 func (r *queryResultIterator) More() bool {
+
+	// When the return value is true, r.nextResult should be non-nil, and nil otherwise.
+
 	if r.released {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if r.results == nil {
-		results, ok := <-r.query.Ready()
-		if !ok {
-			return false
-		}
-		r.results = NewMapResultIterator(results)
+	if r.nextResult != nil {
+		return true
 	}
-	return r.results.More()
+
+	nr, ok := <-r.query.Results()
+	if !ok {
+		r.nextResult = nil
+		return false
+	}
+
+	r.nextResult = nr
+	return true
 }
 
+// Next produces the next result.
+// If there is no more data, Next panics.
+// It is possible to call Next without calling More first (although not recommended).
 func (r *queryResultIterator) Next() Result {
-	return r.results.Next()
+	if r.released {
+		panic("call to Next() on released iterator")
+	}
+	var nr Result
+	if r.nextResult == nil {
+		var ok bool
+		nr, ok = <-r.query.Results()
+		if !ok {
+			panic("call to Next() when More() is false")
+		}
+	} else {
+		nr = r.nextResult
+	}
+
+	r.nextResult = nil
+	return nr
 }
 
+// Release frees resources associated with this iterator.
 func (r *queryResultIterator) Release() {
 	r.query.Done()
 	r.released = true
-	if r.results != nil {
-		r.results.Release()
-	}
+	r.nextResult = nil 	// a panic will occur if caller attempts to call Next().
 }
 
 func (r *queryResultIterator) Err() error {
diff --git a/stdlib/flux_test.go b/stdlib/flux_test.go
index e20445abbb..a1fd3338db 100644
--- a/stdlib/flux_test.go
+++ b/stdlib/flux_test.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func doTestRun(t testing.TB, querier *querytest.Querier, c flux.Compiler) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while executing testing.run: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer r.Done()
-	result, ok := <-r.Ready()
+	result, ok := <-r.Results()
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error retrieving testing.run result: %s", r.Err())
 	}
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func doTestInspect(t testing.TB, querier *querytest.Querier, c flux.Compiler) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while executing testing.inspect: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer r.Done()
-	result, ok := <-r.Ready()
+	result, ok := <-r.Results()
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error retrieving testing.inspect result: %s", r.Err())
 	}