diff --git a/hawk/lib/hawk-prv.h b/hawk/lib/hawk-prv.h
index 65e47267..91841d7e 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/hawk-prv.h
+++ b/hawk/lib/hawk-prv.h
@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@ struct hawk_rtx_t
 
 	struct
 	{
+		void* brs[2];
 		void* rs[2];
 		void* fs[2]; 
 		int ignorecase;
diff --git a/hawk/lib/hawk.c b/hawk/lib/hawk.c
index 5bda8ecb..0ca2e809 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/hawk.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/hawk.c
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ static hawk_rbt_walk_t unload_module (hawk_rbt_t* rbt, hawk_rbt_pair_t* pair, vo
 	hawk_t* awk = (hawk_t*)ctx;
 	hawk_mod_data_t* md;
 
-	md = HAWK_RBT_VPTR(pair);	
+	md = HAWK_RBT_VPTR(pair);
 	if (md->mod.unload) md->mod.unload (&md->mod, awk);
 	if (md->handle) awk->prm.modclose (awk, md->handle);
 
diff --git a/hawk/lib/hawk.h b/hawk/lib/hawk.h
index e1769143..6217d1ef 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/hawk.h
+++ b/hawk/lib/hawk.h
@@ -1288,6 +1288,7 @@ typedef const hawk_ooch_t* (*hawk_errstr_t) (
 enum hawk_gbl_id_t
 {
 	/* this table should match gtab in parse.c.
+	 *
 	 * in addition, hawk_rtx_setgbl also counts 
 	 * on the order of these values.
 	 * 
@@ -1298,6 +1299,7 @@ enum hawk_gbl_id_t
 	 * but is this check really necessary???
 	 */
 
+	HAWK_GBL_BRS,
 	HAWK_GBL_CONVFMT,
 	HAWK_GBL_FILENAME,
 	HAWK_GBL_FNR,
@@ -1318,7 +1320,7 @@ enum hawk_gbl_id_t
 	/* these are not not the actual IDs and are used internally only 
 	 * Make sure you update these values properly if you add more 
 	 * ID definitions, however */
-	HAWK_MIN_GBL_ID = HAWK_GBL_CONVFMT,
+	HAWK_MIN_GBL_ID = HAWK_GBL_BRS,
 	HAWK_MAX_GBL_ID = HAWK_GBL_SUBSEP
 };
 typedef enum hawk_gbl_id_t hawk_gbl_id_t;
diff --git a/hawk/lib/parse.c b/hawk/lib/parse.c
index 9cd26d48..a7840f41 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/parse.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/parse.c
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ static global_t gtab[] =
 	 * this table must match the order of the hawk_gbl_id_t enumerators 
 	 */
 
+	{ HAWK_T("BRS"),          3,  0 },
+
 	/* output real-to-str conversion format for other cases than 'print' */
 	{ HAWK_T("CONVFMT"),      7,  0 },
 
@@ -360,6 +362,7 @@ static global_t gtab[] =
 	{ HAWK_T("ORS"),          3,  HAWK_RIO },
 
 	{ HAWK_T("RLENGTH"),      7,  0 },
+
 	{ HAWK_T("RS"),           2,  0 },
 
 	{ HAWK_T("RSTART"),       6,  0 },
diff --git a/hawk/lib/rio.c b/hawk/lib/rio.c
index 08f38e9b..508fe905 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/rio.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/rio.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static HAWK_INLINE int resolve_rs (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_val_t* rs, hawk_oocs_t*
 	hawk_val_type_t rs_vtype;
 
 
-	rs_vtype = HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE (rtx, rs);
+	rs_vtype = HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE(rtx, rs);
 
 	switch (rs_vtype)
 	{
@@ -219,6 +219,36 @@ static HAWK_INLINE int resolve_rs (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_val_t* rs, hawk_oocs_t*
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static HAWK_INLINE int resolve_brs (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_val_t* brs, hawk_bcs_t* rrs)
+{
+	/* record separator for bytes reading */
+
+	int ret = 0;
+	hawk_val_type_t brs_vtype;
+
+	brs_vtype = HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE(rtx, brs);
+
+	switch (brs_vtype)
+	{
+		case HAWK_VAL_NIL:
+			rrs->ptr = HAWK_NULL;
+			rrs->len = 0;
+			break;
+
+		case HAWK_VAL_MBS:
+			rrs->ptr = ((hawk_val_mbs_t*)brs)->val.ptr;
+			rrs->len = ((hawk_val_mbs_t*)brs)->val.len;
+			break;
+
+		default:
+			rrs->ptr = hawk_rtx_valtobcstrdup(rtx, brs, &rrs->len);
+			if (rrs->ptr == HAWK_NULL) ret = -1;
+			break;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_rs (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_ooecs_t* buf, hawk_rio_arg_t* p)
 {
 	hawk_oocs_t match;
@@ -276,18 +306,16 @@ static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_rs (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_ooecs_t* buf, hawk_r
 	return ret;
 }
 
-
-#if 0
-
-static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_rs_bytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_becs_t* buf, hawk_rio_arg_t* p)
+static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_brs(hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_becs_t* buf, hawk_rio_arg_t* p)
 {
-	hawk_oocs_t match;
+	hawk_bcs_t match;
 	int ret;
 
-	HAWK_ASSERT (rtx->gbl.rs[0] != HAWK_NULL);
-	HAWK_ASSERT (rtx->gbl.rs[1] != HAWK_NULL);
+	HAWK_ASSERT (rtx->gbl.brs[0] != HAWK_NULL);
+	HAWK_ASSERT (rtx->gbl.brs[1] != HAWK_NULL);
 
-	ret = hawk_rtx_matchrex(rtx, rtx->gbl.rs[rtx->gbl.ignorecase], HAWK_BECS_OOCS(buf), HAWK_BECS_OOCS(buf), &match, HAWK_NULL);
+/*TODO: mbs match rex */
+	ret = hawk_rtx_matchrex(rtx, rtx->gbl.brs[rtx->gbl.ignorecase], HAWK_BECS_OOCS(buf), HAWK_BECS_OOCS(buf), &match, HAWK_NULL);
 	if (ret >= 1)
 	{
 		if (p->in.eof)
@@ -314,14 +342,14 @@ static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_rs_bytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_becs_t* buf, h
 			 * of the buffer is not indeterministic as we don't have the
 			 * full input yet.
 			 */
-			const hawk_ooch_t* be = HAWK_BECS_PTR(buf) + HAWK_BECS_LEN(buf);
-			const hawk_ooch_t* me = match.ptr + match.len;
+			const hawk_bch_t* be = HAWK_BECS_PTR(buf) + HAWK_BECS_LEN(buf);
+			const hawk_bch_t* me = match.ptr + match.len;
 
 			if (me < be)
 			{
 				/* the match ends before the ending boundary.
-				 * it must be the longest match. drop the RS part
-				 * and the characters after RS. */
+				 * it must be the longest match. drop the BRS part
+				 * and the characters after BRS. */
 				HAWK_BECS_LEN(buf) -= match.len + (be - me);
 				p->in.pos -= (be - me);
 			}
@@ -336,8 +364,6 @@ static HAWK_INLINE int match_long_rs_bytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_becs_t* buf, h
 	return ret;
 }
 
-#endif
-
 int hawk_rtx_readio (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_ooecs_t* buf)
 {
 	hawk_rio_arg_t* p;
@@ -650,7 +676,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readio (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (rrs.ptr && HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE (rtx, rs) != HAWK_VAL_STR) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rrs.ptr);
+	if (rrs.ptr && HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE(rtx, rs) != HAWK_VAL_STR) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rrs.ptr);
 	hawk_rtx_refdownval (rtx, rs);
 
 	return ret;
@@ -664,8 +690,8 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 	hawk_rio_impl_t handler;
 	int ret;
 
-	hawk_val_t* rs;
-	hawk_oocs_t rrs;
+	hawk_val_t* brs;
+	hawk_bcs_t rrs;
 
 	hawk_oow_t line_len = 0;
 	hawk_bch_t c = '\0', pc;
@@ -677,12 +703,12 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 	hawk_becs_clear (buf);
 
 	/* get the record separator */
-	rs = hawk_rtx_getgbl(rtx, HAWK_GBL_RS);
-	hawk_rtx_refupval (rtx, rs);
+	brs = hawk_rtx_getgbl(rtx, HAWK_GBL_BRS);
+	hawk_rtx_refupval (rtx, brs);
 
-	if (resolve_rs(rtx, rs, &rrs) <= -1)
+	if (resolve_brs(rtx, brs, &rrs) <= -1)
 	{
-		hawk_rtx_refdownval (rtx, rs);
+		hawk_rtx_refdownval (rtx, brs);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -740,7 +766,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 					/* TODO: handle different line terminator */
 					/* drop the line terminator from the record
 					 * if RS is a blank line and EOF is reached. */
-					if (HAWK_BECS_LASTCHAR(buf) == HAWK_T'\n')
+					if (HAWK_BECS_LASTCHAR(buf) == '\n')
 					{
 						HAWK_BECS_LEN(buf) -= 1;
 						if (rtx->awk->opt.trait & HAWK_CRLF)
@@ -760,7 +786,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 					 * At EOF, the match at the end is considered 
 					 * the longest as there are no more characters
 					 * left */
-					int n = match_long_rs_bytes(rtx, buf, p);
+					int n = match_long_brs(rtx, buf, p);
 					if (n != 0)
 					{
 						if (n <= -1) ret = -1;
@@ -970,7 +996,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (rrs.ptr && HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE (rtx, rs) != HAWK_VAL_STR) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rrs.ptr);
+	if (rrs.ptr && HAWK_RTX_GETVALTYPE(rtx, brs) != HAWK_VAL_MBS) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rrs.ptr);
 	hawk_rtx_refdownval (rtx, rs);
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/hawk/lib/run.c b/hawk/lib/run.c
index 89b59e4d..9e8dcd67 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/run.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/run.c
@@ -352,6 +352,45 @@ static int set_global (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int idx, hawk_nde_var_t* var, hawk_val_t
 	/* perform actual assignment or assignment-like operation */
 	switch (idx)
 	{
+		case HAWK_GBL_BRS:
+		{
+			hawk_bcs_t rss;
+
+			/* due to the expression evaluation rule, the 
+			 * regular expression can not be an assigned 
+			 * value */
+			HAWK_ASSERT (vtype != HAWK_VAL_REX);
+
+			rss.ptr = hawk_rtx_getvalbcstr(rtx, val, &rss.len);
+			if (!rss.ptr) return -1;
+
+			if (rtx->gbl.brs[0])
+			{
+				hawk_rtx_freerex (rtx, rtx->gbl.brs[0], rtx->gbl.brs[1]);
+				rtx->gbl.brs[0] = HAWK_NULL;
+				rtx->gbl.brs[1] = HAWK_NULL;
+			}
+
+			if (rss.len > 1)
+			{
+				hawk_tre_t* rex, * irex;
+
+				/* compile the regular expression */
+/* TODO: mbs buildrex */
+				if (hawk_rtx_buildrex(rtx, rss.ptr, rss.len, &rex, &irex) <= -1)
+				{
+					hawk_rtx_freevalbcstr (rtx, val, rss.ptr);
+					return -1;
+				}
+
+				rtx->gbl.brs[0] = rex;
+				rtx->gbl.brs[1] = irex;
+			}
+
+			hawk_rtx_freevalbcstr (rtx, val, rss.ptr);
+			break;
+		}
+
 		case HAWK_GBL_CONVFMT:
 		{
 			hawk_oow_t i;
@@ -542,24 +581,13 @@ static int set_global (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int idx, hawk_nde_var_t* var, hawk_val_t
 		{
 			hawk_oocs_t rss;
 
-			if (vtype == HAWK_VAL_STR)
-			{
-				rss = ((hawk_val_str_t*)val)->val;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				hawk_rtx_valtostr_out_t out;
+			/* due to the expression evaluation rule, the 
+			 * regular expression can not be an assigned 
+			 * value */
+			HAWK_ASSERT (vtype != HAWK_VAL_REX);
 
-				/* due to the expression evaluation rule, the 
-				 * regular expression can not be an assigned 
-				 * value */
-				HAWK_ASSERT (vtype != HAWK_VAL_REX);
-
-				out.type = HAWK_RTX_VALTOSTR_CPLDUP;
-				if (hawk_rtx_valtostr(rtx, val, &out) <= -1) return -1;
-
-				rss = out.u.cpldup;
-			}
+			rss.ptr = hawk_rtx_getvaloocstr(rtx, val, &rss.len);
+			if (!rss.ptr) return -1;
 
 			if (rtx->gbl.rs[0])
 			{
@@ -575,7 +603,7 @@ static int set_global (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int idx, hawk_nde_var_t* var, hawk_val_t
 				/* compile the regular expression */
 				if (hawk_rtx_buildrex(rtx, rss.ptr, rss.len, &rex, &irex) <= -1)
 				{
-					if (vtype != HAWK_VAL_STR) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rss.ptr);
+					hawk_rtx_freevaloocstr (rtx, val, rss.ptr);
 					return -1;
 				}
 
@@ -583,8 +611,7 @@ static int set_global (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int idx, hawk_nde_var_t* var, hawk_val_t
 				rtx->gbl.rs[1] = irex;
 			}
 
-			if (vtype != HAWK_VAL_STR) hawk_rtx_freemem (rtx, rss.ptr);
-
+			hawk_rtx_freevaloocstr (rtx, val, rss.ptr);
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -642,7 +669,7 @@ HAWK_INLINE void hawk_rtx_setretval (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_val_t* val)
 HAWK_INLINE int hawk_rtx_setgbl (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int id, hawk_val_t* val)
 {
 	HAWK_ASSERT (id >= 0 && id < (int)HAWK_ARR_SIZE(rtx->awk->parse.gbls));
-	return set_global (rtx, id, HAWK_NULL, val, 0);
+	return set_global(rtx, id, HAWK_NULL, val, 0);
 }
 
 int hawk_rtx_setfilename (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_oow_t len)
@@ -954,6 +981,8 @@ static int init_rtx (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_t* awk, hawk_rio_cbs_t* rio)
 		rtx->rio.chain = HAWK_NULL;
 	}
 
+	rtx->gbl.brs[0] = HAWK_NULL;
+	rtx->gbl.brs[1] = HAWK_NULL;
 	rtx->gbl.rs[0] = HAWK_NULL;
 	rtx->gbl.rs[1] = HAWK_NULL;
 	rtx->gbl.fs[0] = HAWK_NULL;
@@ -1001,6 +1030,12 @@ static void fini_rtx (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int fini_globals)
 	hawk_rtx_cleario (rtx);
 	HAWK_ASSERT (rtx->rio.chain == HAWK_NULL);
 
+	if (rtx->gbl.brs[0])
+	{
+		hawk_rtx_freerex (rtx, rtx->gbl.brs[0], rtx->gbl.brs[1]);
+		rtx->gbl.brs[0] = HAWK_NULL;
+		rtx->gbl.brs[1] = HAWK_NULL;
+	}
 	if (rtx->gbl.rs[0])
 	{
 		hawk_rtx_freerex (rtx, rtx->gbl.rs[0], rtx->gbl.rs[1]);
@@ -1220,8 +1255,8 @@ static int defaultify_globals (hawk_rtx_t* rtx)
 	static struct gtab_t gtab[7] =
 	{
 		{ HAWK_GBL_CONVFMT,    { DEFAULT_CONVFMT, DEFAULT_CONVFMT  } },
-		{ HAWK_GBL_FILENAME,   { HAWK_NULL,        HAWK_NULL         } },
-		{ HAWK_GBL_OFILENAME,  { HAWK_NULL,        HAWK_NULL         } },
+		{ HAWK_GBL_FILENAME,   { HAWK_NULL,       HAWK_NULL         } },
+		{ HAWK_GBL_OFILENAME,  { HAWK_NULL,       HAWK_NULL         } },
 		{ HAWK_GBL_OFMT,       { DEFAULT_OFMT,    DEFAULT_OFMT     } },
 		{ HAWK_GBL_OFS,        { DEFAULT_OFS,     DEFAULT_OFS      } },
 		{ HAWK_GBL_ORS,        { DEFAULT_ORS,     DEFAULT_ORS_CRLF } },