diff --git a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
--- a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
+++ b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
@@ -487,6 +487,10 @@
     'ArcanistUselessOverridingMethodXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase' => 'lint/linter/xhpast/rules/__tests__/ArcanistUselessOverridingMethodXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase.php',
     'ArcanistUserAbortException' => 'exception/usage/ArcanistUserAbortException.php',
     'ArcanistUserConfigurationSource' => 'config/source/ArcanistUserConfigurationSource.php',
+    'ArcanistUserRef' => 'ref/user/ArcanistUserRef.php',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery' => 'ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery.php',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolRef' => 'ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRef.php',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector' => 'ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector.php',
     'ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRule' => 'lint/linter/xhpast/rules/ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRule.php',
     'ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase' => 'lint/linter/xhpast/rules/__tests__/ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase.php',
     'ArcanistVariableVariableXHPASTLinterRule' => 'lint/linter/xhpast/rules/ArcanistVariableVariableXHPASTLinterRule.php',
@@ -527,6 +531,7 @@
     'ConduitClientException' => 'conduit/ConduitClientException.php',
     'ConduitClientTestCase' => 'conduit/__tests__/ConduitClientTestCase.php',
     'ConduitFuture' => 'conduit/ConduitFuture.php',
+    'ConduitSearchFuture' => 'conduit/ConduitSearchFuture.php',
     'ExecFuture' => 'future/exec/ExecFuture.php',
     'ExecFutureTestCase' => 'future/exec/__tests__/ExecFutureTestCase.php',
     'ExecPassthruTestCase' => 'future/exec/__tests__/ExecPassthruTestCase.php',
@@ -537,6 +542,7 @@
     'FilesystemException' => 'filesystem/FilesystemException.php',
     'FilesystemTestCase' => 'filesystem/__tests__/FilesystemTestCase.php',
     'Future' => 'future/Future.php',
+    'FutureAgent' => 'conduit/FutureAgent.php',
     'FutureIterator' => 'future/FutureIterator.php',
     'FutureIteratorTestCase' => 'future/__tests__/FutureIteratorTestCase.php',
     'FuturePool' => 'future/FuturePool.php',
@@ -1455,6 +1461,10 @@
     'ArcanistUselessOverridingMethodXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase' => 'ArcanistXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase',
     'ArcanistUserAbortException' => 'ArcanistUsageException',
     'ArcanistUserConfigurationSource' => 'ArcanistFilesystemConfigurationSource',
+    'ArcanistUserRef' => 'ArcanistRef',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery' => 'ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolRef' => 'ArcanistSymbolRef',
+    'ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector' => 'ArcanistRefInspector',
     'ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRule' => 'ArcanistXHPASTLinterRule',
     'ArcanistVariableReferenceSpacingXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase' => 'ArcanistXHPASTLinterRuleTestCase',
     'ArcanistVariableVariableXHPASTLinterRule' => 'ArcanistXHPASTLinterRule',
@@ -1495,6 +1505,7 @@
     'ConduitClientException' => 'Exception',
     'ConduitClientTestCase' => 'PhutilTestCase',
     'ConduitFuture' => 'FutureProxy',
+    'ConduitSearchFuture' => 'FutureAgent',
     'ExecFuture' => 'PhutilExecutableFuture',
     'ExecFutureTestCase' => 'PhutilTestCase',
     'ExecPassthruTestCase' => 'PhutilTestCase',
@@ -1505,6 +1516,7 @@
     'FilesystemException' => 'Exception',
     'FilesystemTestCase' => 'PhutilTestCase',
     'Future' => 'Phobject',
+    'FutureAgent' => 'Future',
     'FutureIterator' => array(
       'Phobject',
       'Iterator',
diff --git a/src/conduit/ConduitSearchFuture.php b/src/conduit/ConduitSearchFuture.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/conduit/ConduitSearchFuture.php
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+<?php
+
+final class ConduitSearchFuture
+  extends FutureAgent {
+
+  private $conduitEngine;
+  private $method;
+  private $constraints;
+
+  private $objects = array();
+  private $cursor;
+
+  public function setConduitEngine(ArcanistConduitEngine $conduit_engine) {
+    $this->conduitEngine = $conduit_engine;
+    return $this;
+  }
+
+  public function getConduitEngine() {
+    return $this->conduitEngine;
+  }
+
+  public function setMethod($method) {
+    $this->method = $method;
+    return $this;
+  }
+
+  public function getMethod() {
+    return $this->method;
+  }
+
+  public function setConstraints($constraints) {
+    $this->constraints = $constraints;
+    return $this;
+  }
+
+  public function getConstraints() {
+    return $this->constraints;
+  }
+
+  public function isReady() {
+    if ($this->hasResult()) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    $futures = $this->getFutures();
+    $future = head($futures);
+
+    if (!$future) {
+      $future = $this->newFuture();
+    }
+
+    if (!$future->isReady()) {
+      $this->setFutures(array($future));
+      return false;
+    } else {
+      $this->setFutures(array());
+    }
+
+    $result = $future->resolve();
+
+    foreach ($this->readResults($result) as $object) {
+      $this->objects[] = $object;
+    }
+
+    $cursor = idxv($result, array('cursor', 'after'));
+
+    if ($cursor === null) {
+      $this->setResult($this->objects);
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    $this->cursor = $cursor;
+    $future = $this->newFuture();
+    $this->setFutures(array($future));
+
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  private function newFuture() {
+    $engine = $this->getConduitEngine();
+
+    $method = $this->getMethod();
+    $constraints = $this->getConstraints();
+
+    $parameters = array(
+      'constraints' => $constraints,
+    );
+
+    if ($this->cursor !== null) {
+      $parameters['after'] = (string)$this->cursor;
+    }
+
+    $conduit_call = $engine->newCall($method, $parameters);
+    $conduit_future = $engine->newFuture($conduit_call);
+
+    return $conduit_future;
+  }
+
+  private function readResults(array $data) {
+    return idx($data, 'data');
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/conduit/FutureAgent.php b/src/conduit/FutureAgent.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/conduit/FutureAgent.php
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<?php
+
+abstract class FutureAgent
+  extends Future {
+
+  private $futures = array();
+
+  final protected function setFutures(array $futures) {
+    $this->futures = $futures;
+  }
+
+  final protected function getFutures() {
+    return $this->futures;
+  }
+
+  final public function getReadSockets() {
+    $sockets = array();
+    foreach ($this->getFutures() as $future) {
+      foreach ($future->getReadSockets() as $read_socket) {
+        $sockets[] = $read_socket;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return $sockets;
+  }
+
+  final public function getWriteSockets() {
+    $sockets = array();
+    foreach ($this->getFutures() as $future) {
+      foreach ($future->getWriteSockets() as $read_socket) {
+        $sockets[] = $read_socket;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return $sockets;
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserRef.php b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserRef.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserRef.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+
+final class ArcanistUserRef
+  extends ArcanistRef {
+
+  private $parameters;
+
+  public function getRefDisplayName() {
+    return pht('User "%s"', $this->getUsername());
+  }
+
+  public static function newFromConduit(array $parameters) {
+    $ref = new self();
+    $ref->parameters = $parameters;
+    return $ref;
+  }
+
+  public static function newFromConduitWhoami(array $parameters) {
+    // NOTE: The "user.whoami" call returns a different structure than
+    // "user.search". Mangle the data so it looks similar.
+
+    $parameters['fields'] = array(
+      'username' => idx($parameters, 'userName'),
+    );
+
+    return self::newFromConduit($parameters);
+  }
+
+  public function getUsername() {
+    return idxv($this->parameters, array('fields', 'username'));
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery.php b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery.php
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+<?php
+
+final class ArcanistUserSymbolHardpointQuery
+  extends ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery {
+
+  public function getHardpoints() {
+    return array(
+      ArcanistUserSymbolRef::HARDPOINT_OBJECT,
+    );
+  }
+
+  protected function canLoadRef(ArcanistRef $ref) {
+    return ($ref instanceof ArcanistUserSymbolRef);
+  }
+
+  public function loadHardpoint(array $refs, $hardpoint) {
+    $id_map = array();
+    $phid_map = array();
+    $username_map = array();
+    $function_map = array();
+
+    foreach ($refs as $key => $ref) {
+      switch ($ref->getSymbolType()) {
+        case ArcanistUserSymbolRef::TYPE_ID:
+          $id_map[$key] = $ref->getSymbol();
+          break;
+        case ArcanistUserSymbolRef::TYPE_PHID:
+          $phid_map[$key] = $ref->getSymbol();
+          break;
+        case ArcanistUserSymbolRef::TYPE_USERNAME:
+          $username_map[$key] = $ref->getSymbol();
+          break;
+        case ArcanistUserSymbolRef::TYPE_FUNCTION:
+          $symbol = $ref->getSymbol();
+          if ($symbol !== 'viewer()') {
+            throw new Exception(
+              pht(
+                'Only the function "viewer()" is supported.'));
+          }
+          $function_map[$key] = $symbol;
+          break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    $futures = array();
+
+    if ($function_map) {
+      // The only function we support is "viewer()".
+      $function_future = $this->newConduit(
+        'user.whoami',
+        array());
+
+      $futures[] = $function_future;
+    } else {
+      $function_future = null;
+    }
+
+    if ($id_map) {
+      $id_future = $this->newConduitSearch(
+        'user.search',
+        array(
+          'ids' => array_values(array_fuse($id_map)),
+        ));
+
+      $futures[] = $id_future;
+    } else {
+      $id_future = null;
+    }
+
+    if ($phid_map) {
+      $phid_future = $this->newConduitSearch(
+        'user.search',
+        array(
+         'phids' => array_values(array_fuse($phid_map)),
+        ));
+
+      $futures[] = $phid_future;
+    } else {
+      $phid_future = null;
+    }
+
+    if ($username_map) {
+      $username_future = $this->newConduitSearch(
+        'user.search',
+        array(
+          'usernames' => array_values(array_fuse($username_map)),
+        ));
+
+      $futures[] = $username_future;
+    } else {
+      $username_future = null;
+    }
+
+    yield $this->yieldFutures($futures);
+
+    $result_map = array();
+
+    if ($id_future) {
+      $id_results = $id_future->resolve();
+      $id_results = ipull($id_results, null, 'id');
+
+      foreach ($id_map as $key => $id) {
+        $result_map[$key] = idx($id_results, $id);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if ($phid_future) {
+      $phid_results = $phid_future->resolve();
+      $phid_results = ipull($phid_results, null, 'phid');
+
+      foreach ($phid_map as $key => $phid) {
+        $result_map[$key] = idx($phid_results, $phid);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if ($username_future) {
+      $raw_results = $username_future->resolve();
+
+      $username_results = array();
+      foreach ($raw_results as $raw_result) {
+        $username = idxv($raw_result, array('fields', 'username'));
+        $username_results[$username] = $raw_result;
+      }
+
+      foreach ($username_map as $key => $username) {
+        $result_map[$key] = idx($username_results, $username);
+      }
+    }
+
+    foreach ($result_map as $key => $raw_result) {
+      if ($raw_result === null) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      $result_map[$key] = ArcanistUserRef::newFromConduit($raw_result);
+    }
+
+    if ($function_future) {
+      $raw_result = $function_future->resolve();
+
+      if ($raw_result === null) {
+        $function_ref = null;
+      } else {
+        $function_ref = ArcanistUserRef::newFromConduitWhoami($raw_result);
+      }
+
+      foreach ($function_map as $key => $function) {
+        $result_map[$key] = $function_ref;
+      }
+    }
+
+    yield $this->yieldMap($result_map);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRef.php b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRef.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRef.php
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+
+final class ArcanistUserSymbolRef
+  extends ArcanistSymbolRef {
+
+  private $type;
+
+  const TYPE_ID = 'id';
+  const TYPE_PHID = 'phid';
+  const TYPE_USERNAME = 'username';
+  const TYPE_FUNCTION = 'function';
+
+  public function getRefDisplayName() {
+    return pht('User Symbol "%s"', $this->getSymbol());
+  }
+
+  public function getSymbolType() {
+    return $this->type;
+  }
+
+  protected function resolveSymbol($symbol) {
+    $matches = null;
+
+    $is_id = preg_match('/^([1-9]\d*)\z/', $symbol, $matches);
+    if ($is_id) {
+      $this->type = self::TYPE_ID;
+      return (int)$matches[1];
+    }
+
+    $is_phid = preg_match('/^PHID-USER-\S+\z/', $symbol, $matches);
+    if ($is_phid) {
+      $this->type = self::TYPE_PHID;
+      return $matches[0];
+    }
+
+    $is_function = preg_match('/^\S+\(\s*\)\s*\z/', $symbol, $matches);
+    if ($is_function) {
+      $this->type = self::TYPE_FUNCTION;
+      return $matches[0];
+    }
+
+    $is_username = preg_match('/^@?(\S+)\z/', $symbol, $matches);
+    if ($is_username) {
+      $this->type = self::TYPE_USERNAME;
+      return $matches[1];
+    }
+
+    throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
+      pht(
+        'The format of user symbol "%s" is unrecognized. Expected a '.
+        'username like "alice" or "@alice", or a user PHID, or a user '.
+        'ID, or a special function like "viewer()".',
+        $symbol));
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector.php b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ref/user/ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector.php
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+final class ArcanistUserSymbolRefInspector
+  extends ArcanistRefInspector {
+
+  public function getInspectFunctionName() {
+    return 'user';
+  }
+
+  public function newInspectRef(array $argv) {
+    if (count($argv) !== 1) {
+      throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
+        pht(
+          'Expected exactly one argument to "user(...)" with a '.
+          'user symbol.'));
+    }
+
+    return id(new ArcanistUserSymbolRef())
+      ->setSymbol($argv[0]);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/toolset/query/ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery.php b/src/toolset/query/ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery.php
--- a/src/toolset/query/ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery.php
+++ b/src/toolset/query/ArcanistWorkflowHardpointQuery.php
@@ -51,13 +51,35 @@
 
   abstract protected function canLoadRef(ArcanistRef $ref);
 
-  final public function yieldConduit($method, array $parameters) {
+  final public function newConduitSearch($method, $constraints) {
+    $conduit_engine = $this->getWorkflow()
+      ->getConduitEngine();
+
+    $conduit_future = id(new ConduitSearchFuture())
+      ->setConduitEngine($conduit_engine)
+      ->setMethod($method)
+      ->setConstraints($constraints);
+
+    return $conduit_future;
+  }
+
+  final public function yieldConduitSearch($method, $constraints) {
+    $conduit_future = $this->newConduitSearch($method, $constraints);
+    return $this->yieldFuture($conduit_future);
+  }
+
+  final public function newConduit($method, $parameters) {
     $conduit_engine = $this->getWorkflow()
       ->getConduitEngine();
 
     $call_object = $conduit_engine->newCall($method, $parameters);
     $call_future = $conduit_engine->newFuture($call_object);
 
+    return $call_future;
+  }
+
+  final public function yieldConduit($method, array $parameters) {
+    $call_future = $this->newConduit($method, $parameters);
     return $this->yieldFuture($call_future);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/workflow/ArcanistInspectWorkflow.php b/src/workflow/ArcanistInspectWorkflow.php
--- a/src/workflow/ArcanistInspectWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/workflow/ArcanistInspectWorkflow.php
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     $all_refs = array();
     foreach ($objects as $description) {
       $matches = null;
-      $pattern = '/^([\w-]+)(?:\(([^)]+)\))?\z/';
+      $pattern = '/^([\w-]+)(?:\((.*)\))?\z/';
       if (!preg_match($pattern, $description, $matches)) {
         throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
           pht(