diff --git a/bin/main.c b/bin/main.c
index acd50f8..79c1e31 100644
--- a/bin/main.c
+++ b/bin/main.c
@@ -1160,6 +1160,7 @@ hcl_logufmt (hcl, HCL_LOG_WARN, fmt, ustr, 0x6789);
 }
 #endif
 
+#if 1
 	if (xtn->reader_istty)
 	{
 		hcl_bitmask_t trait;
@@ -1174,6 +1175,7 @@ else
 	trait |= HCL_TRAIT_INTERACTIVE;
 	hcl_setoption (hcl, HCL_TRAIT, &trait);
 }
+#endif
 
 	while (1)
 	{
diff --git a/lib/comp.c b/lib/comp.c
index 69c0c2e..3da8bb2 100644
--- a/lib/comp.c
+++ b/lib/comp.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static int add_literal (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t obj, hcl_oow_t* index)
 		/* this removes redundancy of symbols, characters, and integers. */
 		if (((hcl_oop_oop_t)hcl->code.lit.arr)->slot[i] == obj)
 		{
-			*index = i;
+			*index = i - lfbase;
 			return i;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ static int compile_lambda (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t src, int defun)
 		/* make_function nargs ntmprs lfbase lfsize */
 		if (emit_double_param_instruction(hcl, HCL_CODE_MAKE_FUNCTION, nargs, ntmprs) <= -1) return -1;
 		lfbase_pos = hcl->code.bc.len;
-		if (emit_long_param(hcl, hcl->code.lit.len) <= -1) return -1; /* lfbase */
+		if (emit_long_param(hcl, hcl->code.lit.len - hcl->c->blk.info[hcl->c->blk.depth - 1].lfbase) <= -1) return -1; /* lfbase */
 		lfsize_pos = hcl->code.bc.len;
 		if (emit_long_param(hcl, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 	}
@@ -1637,7 +1637,6 @@ static HCL_INLINE int compile_symbol (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t obj)
 
 		if (add_literal(hcl, cons, &index) <= -1 ||
 		    emit_single_param_instruction(hcl, HCL_CODE_PUSH_OBJECT_0, index) <= -1) return -1;
-HCL_DEBUG5 (hcl, "************* blk depth [%d] %O , index %d lfbase %d lit len %d\n", (int)hcl->c->blk.depth, cons, (int)index, (int)hcl->c->blk.info[hcl->c->blk.depth].lfbase, (int)hcl->code.lit.len);
 
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -2513,7 +2512,6 @@ static HCL_INLINE int emit_lambda (hcl_t* hcl)
 	hcl_oow_t block_code_size, lfsize;
 	hcl_ooi_t jip;
 
-HCL_DEBUG1 (hcl, "emit_lambda   depth %d\n", (int)hcl->c->blk.depth);
 	cf = GET_TOP_CFRAME(hcl);
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, cf->opcode == COP_EMIT_LAMBDA);
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_OOP_IS_SMOOI(cf->operand));
@@ -2600,7 +2598,6 @@ static HCL_INLINE int emit_set (hcl_t* hcl)
 
 		HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl, cf->operand));
 
-HCL_DEBUG2 (hcl, "emit_set....%O --- %d\n", cf->operand, (int)hcl->c->blk.depth);
 		cons = (hcl_oop_t)hcl_getatsysdic(hcl, cf->operand);
 		if (!cons) 
 		{
@@ -2646,9 +2643,39 @@ int hcl_compile (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t obj)
 
 /* TODO: in case i implement all global variables as block arguments at the top level...what should i do? */
 
-	hcl->c->blk.depth++;
-HCL_DEBUG2 (hcl, "ENTERING DEPTH %d LIT LEN  %d\n", (int)hcl->c->blk.depth, (int)hcl->code.lit.len);
-	if (store_temporary_variable_count_for_block(hcl, hcl->c->tv.size, hcl->code.lit.len) <= -1) return -1;
+	hcl->c->blk.depth++; /* this must be 0 here */
+
+	/* 
+	 * In the non-INTERACTIVE mode, the literal frame base doesn't matter.
+	 * Only the initial function object contains the literal frame. 
+	 * No other function objects are created. All lambda defintions are
+	 * translated to base context objects instead.
+	 * 
+	 * In the INTERACTIVE mode, the literal frame base plays a key role.
+	 * hcl_compile() is called for the top-level expression andthe literal
+	 * frame base can be 0. The means it is ok for a top-level code to 
+	 * reference part of the literal frame reserved for a lambda function.
+	 *
+	 *  (set b 1)
+	 *  (defun set-a(x) (set a x))
+	 *  (set a 2)
+	 *  (set-a 4)
+	 *  (printf "%d\n" a)
+	 * 
+	 * the global literal frame looks like this:
+	 *  @0         (b)
+	 *  @1         (a)
+	 *  @2         (set-a)
+	 *  @3         (printf . #<PRIM>)
+	 *  @4         "%d\n"
+	 *
+	 * @1 to @2 will be copied to a function object when defun is executed.
+	 * The literal frame of the created function object for set-a looks 
+	 * like this
+	 *  @0         (a)
+	 *  @1         (set-a) 
+	 */
+	if (store_temporary_variable_count_for_block(hcl, hcl->c->tv.size, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 
 	PUSH_CFRAME (hcl, COP_COMPILE_OBJECT, obj);
 
diff --git a/lib/decode.c b/lib/decode.c
index 98b1fe9..deccc07 100644
--- a/lib/decode.c
+++ b/lib/decode.c
@@ -566,7 +566,6 @@ int hcl_decode (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oow_t start, hcl_oow_t end)
 
 				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b1 >= 0);
 				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b2 >= b1);
-				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b4 >= b3);
 				break;
 
 			case HCL_CODE_MAKE_BLOCK:
diff --git a/lib/exec.c b/lib/exec.c
index a156512..58237f5 100644
--- a/lib/exec.c
+++ b/lib/exec.c
@@ -1676,7 +1676,6 @@ static int execute (hcl_t* hcl)
 				LOG_INST_1 (hcl, "push_literal @%zu", b1);
 				/*HCL_STACK_PUSH (hcl, hcl->code.lit.arr->slot[b1]);*/
 				HCL_STACK_PUSH (hcl, hcl->active_function->literal_frame[b1]);
-HCL_DEBUG3 (hcl, "*** push literal %O    => %d active_function %p\n", hcl->active_function->literal_frame[b1], b1, hcl->active_function);
 				break;
 
 			/* ------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -1705,7 +1704,6 @@ HCL_DEBUG3 (hcl, "*** push literal %O    => %d active_function %p\n", hcl->activ
 			handle_object:
 				/*ass = hcl->code.lit.arr->slot[b1];*/
 				ass = (hcl_oop_cons_t)hcl->active_function->literal_frame[b1];
-HCL_DEBUG3 (hcl, "handle object ass => %O   => %d active_function %p\n", ass, b1, hcl->active_function);
 				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_IS_CONS(hcl, ass));
 
 				if ((bcode >> 3) & 1)
@@ -2343,7 +2341,6 @@ HCL_DEBUG3 (hcl, "handle object ass => %O   => %d active_function %p\n", ass, b1
 
 				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b1 >= 0);
 				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b2 >= b1);
-				HCL_ASSERT (hcl, b3 >= 0);
 
 				/* the MAKE_FUNCTION instruction is followed by the long JUMP_FORWARD_X instruction.
 				* i can decode the instruction and get the size of instructions
@@ -2354,7 +2351,6 @@ HCL_DEBUG3 (hcl, "handle object ass => %O   => %d active_function %p\n", ass, b1
 				joff = (joff << 8) | hcl->active_code[hcl->ip + 2];
 			#endif
 
-HCL_DEBUG1(hcl, "****  MAKE FUNCTION joff = %zu\n", joff);
 				/* copy the byte codes from the active context to the new context */
 			#if (HCL_HCL_CODE_LONG_PARAM_SIZE == 2)
 				func = (hcl_oop_function_t)make_function(hcl, b4, &hcl->active_code[hcl->ip + 3], joff);