diff --git a/bin/main.c b/bin/main.c
index aae35fd..f893001 100644
--- a/bin/main.c
+++ b/bin/main.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ struct xtn_t
 	const char* udo_path;
 
 	int vm_running;
-	int extra_cflags;
+	int lang_flags;
 	/*hcl_oop_t sym_errstr;*/
 };
 
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ static hcl_oop_t execute_in_batch_mode(hcl_t* hcl, int verbose)
 static int on_fed_cnode_in_interactive_mode (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* obj)
 {
 	xtn_t* xtn = (xtn_t*)hcl_getxtn(hcl);
-	if (hcl_compile(hcl, obj, HCL_COMPILE_CLEAR_CODE | HCL_COMPILE_CLEAR_FNBLK | xtn->extra_cflags) <= -1) return -1;
+	if (hcl_compile(hcl, obj, HCL_COMPILE_CLEAR_CODE | HCL_COMPILE_CLEAR_FNBLK) <= -1) return -1;
 	execute_in_interactive_mode (hcl);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ static int on_fed_cnode_in_interactive_mode (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* obj)
 static int on_fed_cnode_in_batch_mode (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* obj)
 {
 	xtn_t* xtn = (xtn_t*)hcl_getxtn(hcl);
-	return hcl_compile(hcl, obj, xtn->extra_cflags);
+	return hcl_compile(hcl, obj, 0);
 }
 
 static int feed_loop (hcl_t* hcl, xtn_t* xtn, int verbose)
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	};
 	static hcl_bopt_t opt =
 	{
-		"l:xv",
+		"l:bnv",
 		lopt
 	};
 
@@ -614,7 +614,8 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	hcl_oow_t heapsize = DEFAULT_HEAPSIZE;
 	int verbose = 0;
 	int show_info = 0;
-	int experimental = 0;
+	int enable_block = 0;
+	int nl_terminator = 0;
 	const char* modlibdirs = HCL_NULL;
 
 #if defined(HCL_BUILD_DEBUG)
@@ -631,7 +632,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	while ((c = hcl_getbopt (argc, argv, &opt)) != HCL_BCI_EOF)
+	while ((c = hcl_getbopt(argc, argv, &opt)) != HCL_BCI_EOF)
 	{
 		switch (c)
 		{
@@ -639,8 +640,12 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 				logopt = opt.arg;
 				break;
 
-			case 'x':
-				experimental = 1;
+			case 'b':
+				enable_block = 1;
+				break;
+
+			case 'n':
+				nl_terminator = 1;
 				break;
 
 			case 'v':
@@ -696,6 +701,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 		goto oops;
 	}
 
+	xtn = (xtn_t*)hcl_getxtn(hcl);
 
 	{
 		hcl_oow_t tab_size;
@@ -710,8 +716,12 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	{
 		hcl_bitmask_t trait = 0;
 
+		if (enable_block) xtn->lang_flags |= HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK;
+		if (nl_terminator) xtn->lang_flags |= HCL_TRAIT_LANG_NL_TERMINATOR;
+
 		/*trait |= HCL_TRAIT_NOGC;*/
 		trait |= HCL_TRAIT_AWAIT_PROCS;
+		trait |= xtn->lang_flags;
 		hcl_setoption (hcl, HCL_TRAIT, &trait);
 
 		/* disable GC logs */
@@ -746,7 +756,6 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	#endif
 	}
 
-	xtn = (xtn_t*)hcl_getxtn(hcl);
 
 	memset (&hclcb, 0, HCL_SIZEOF(hclcb));
 	hclcb.gc = gc_hcl;
@@ -785,7 +794,6 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 		goto oops;
 	}
 
-	if (experimental) xtn->extra_cflags |= HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK;
 	xtn->cci_path = argv[opt.ind++]; /* input source code file */
 	if (opt.ind < argc) xtn->udo_path = argv[opt.ind++];
 
diff --git a/lib/comp.c b/lib/comp.c
index 8efdd52..fb5b604 100644
--- a/lib/comp.c
+++ b/lib/comp.c
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static int check_block_expression_as_body (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* c, const hcl
 	{
 	no_block:
 		hcl_setsynerrbfmt (
-			hcl, HCL_SYNERR_BLOCK, (car? HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(car): HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(c)), HCL_NULL,
+			hcl, HCL_SYNERR_BLOCK, (car? HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(car): c? HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(c): HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(ctx)), HCL_NULL,
 			"block expression expected as body for %.*js", HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKLEN(ctx), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKPTR(ctx)
 		);
 		return -1;
@@ -2298,7 +2298,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE int compile_else (hcl_t* hcl)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK)
+	if (hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK)
 	{
 		if (check_block_expression_as_body(hcl, obj, cmd, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 	}
@@ -2582,7 +2582,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE int compile_class_p1 (hcl_t* hcl)
 		if (emit_push_literal(hcl, tmp, &cf->u._class.start_loc) <= -1) goto oops;
 	}
 
-	if (hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK)
+	if (hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK)
 	{
 		if (check_block_expression_as_body(hcl, obj, cf->u._class.cmd_cnode, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 	}
@@ -2921,7 +2921,7 @@ static int compile_lambda (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* src, int defun)
 	}
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, nargs + nrvars == hcl->c->tv.wcount - saved_tv_wcount);
 
-	if (hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK)
+	if (hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK)
 	{
 		/*
 		 * defun aa(a b) { ...	};
@@ -3610,7 +3610,7 @@ static int compile_while (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* src, int next_cop)
 	cond = HCL_CNODE_CONS_CAR(obj);
 	body = HCL_CNODE_CONS_CDR(obj);
 
-	if (hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK)
+	if (hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK)
 	{
 		if (check_block_expression_as_body(hcl, body, cmd, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 	}
@@ -4488,7 +4488,7 @@ redo:
 				*/
 
 				case HCL_CONCODE_BLOCK:
-					if (!(hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK))
+					if (!(hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK))
 					{
 						hcl_setsynerrbfmt (hcl, HCL_SYNERR_BLOCKBANNED, HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(oprnd), HCL_NULL, "block expression disallowed");
 						return -1;
@@ -4544,7 +4544,7 @@ redo:
 				*/
 
 				case HCL_CONCODE_BLOCK:
-					if (!(hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK))
+					if (!(hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK))
 					{
 						/* this is treated the same as HCL_CNODE_CONS with CONCODE BLOCK */
 						hcl_setsynerrbfmt (hcl, HCL_SYNERR_BLOCKBANNED, HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(oprnd), HCL_NULL, "block expression disallowed");
@@ -4978,7 +4978,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE int post_if_cond (hcl_t* hcl)
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, hcl->code.bc.len < HCL_SMOOI_MAX);
 	body_pos = hcl->code.bc.len;
 
-	if (hcl->c->flags & HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK)
+	if (hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK)
 	{
 		if (check_block_expression_as_body(hcl, cf->operand, cf->u.post_if.cmd_cnode, 1) <= -1) return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/hcl.h b/lib/hcl.h
index da65b43..732e070 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.h
+++ b/lib/hcl.h
@@ -195,9 +195,9 @@ enum hcl_option_t
 	HCL_SYSDIC_SIZE,  /* default system dictionary size */
 	HCL_PROCSTK_SIZE, /* default process stack size */
 
-        HCL_MOD_LIBDIRS,
-        HCL_MOD_PREFIX,
-        HCL_MOD_POSTFIX,
+	HCL_MOD_LIBDIRS,
+	HCL_MOD_PREFIX,
+	HCL_MOD_POSTFIX,
 
 	HCL_MOD_INCTX
 };
@@ -229,7 +229,13 @@ enum hcl_trait_t
 	HCL_TRAIT_NOGC = (1u << 8),
 
 	/* wait for running process when exiting from the main method */
-	HCL_TRAIT_AWAIT_PROCS = (1u << 9)
+	HCL_TRAIT_AWAIT_PROCS = (1u << 9),
+
+	/* treat a line break character like a semicolon */ /* TODO: make this pragma controllable */ 
+	HCL_TRAIT_LANG_NL_TERMINATOR = (1u << 14),
+
+	/* enable block expression as mandatory argument to some expresions */
+	HCL_TRAIT_LANG_ENABLE_BLOCK = (1u << 15),
 };
 typedef enum hcl_trait_t hcl_trait_t;
 
@@ -1479,7 +1485,7 @@ enum hcl_compile_flag_t
 	HCL_COMPILE_CLEAR_FNBLK = (1 << 1),
 
 	/* enable the block {} mode */
-	HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK = (1 << 2)
+	HCL_COMPILE_ENABLE_BLOCK = (1 << 2) /*TODO: make this #pragma controllable */
 };
 typedef enum hcl_compile_flag_t hcl_compile_flag_t;
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/read.c b/lib/read.c
index f2b9afe..cb81e65 100644
--- a/lib/read.c
+++ b/lib/read.c
@@ -1796,6 +1796,15 @@ static int flx_start (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c)
 {
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, FLX_STATE(hcl) == HCL_FLX_START);
 
+	if ((hcl->option.trait & HCL_TRAIT_LANG_NL_TERMINATOR) && is_linebreak(c))
+	{
+/* TODO: check some other context to make this a semicolon.
+  e.g if in ||, don't convert... */
+		FEED_WRAP_UP_WITH_CHAR (hcl, c, HCL_TOK_SEMICOLON);
+		reset_flx_token (hcl);
+		goto consumed;
+	}
+
 	if (is_spacechar(c)) goto consumed; /* skip spaces */
 
 	reset_flx_token (hcl);
@@ -1824,9 +1833,12 @@ static int flx_start (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c)
 			FEED_WRAP_UP_WITH_CHARS (hcl, vocas[VOCA_EOF].str, vocas[VOCA_EOF].len, HCL_TOK_EOF);
 			goto consumed;
 
+		/* this part is never hit because the semicolon sign is part of delim_tok_tab{}
+		   TODO: remove this part once the language spec is finalized to not require this
 		case ';':
 			FEED_CONTINUE_WITH_CHAR (hcl, c, HCL_FLX_COMMENT);
 			goto consumed;
+		*/
 
 		case '#':
 			/* no state date to initialize. just change the state */
diff --git a/t/Makefile.am b/t/Makefile.am
index a54c962..32dd64c 100644
--- a/t/Makefile.am
+++ b/t/Makefile.am
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS) $(check_SCRIPTS) $(check_ERRORS)
 
 TEST_EXTENSIONS = .hcl .err
 
-HCL_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/run.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -x
+HCL_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/run.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -b -n
 AM_HCL_LOG_FLAGS =
 
-ERR_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/err.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -x
+ERR_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/err.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -b -n
 AM_ERR_LOG_FLAGS =
diff --git a/t/Makefile.in b/t/Makefile.in
index 65355a9..eb733e7 100644
--- a/t/Makefile.in
+++ b/t/Makefile.in
@@ -494,9 +494,9 @@ check_ERRORS = \
 
 EXTRA_DIST = $(check_SCRIPTS) $(check_ERRORS)
 TEST_EXTENSIONS = .hcl .err
-HCL_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/run.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -x
+HCL_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/run.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -b -n
 AM_HCL_LOG_FLAGS = 
-ERR_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/err.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -x
+ERR_LOG_COMPILER = sh $(abs_srcdir)/err.sh ../bin/hcl --modlibdirs="@abs_top_builddir@/mod:@abs_top_builddir@/mod/.libs" --heapsize=0 -b -n
 AM_ERR_LOG_FLAGS = 
 all: all-am
 
diff --git a/t/fun-01.hcl b/t/fun-01.hcl
index d55a968..f2eb65c 100644
--- a/t/fun-01.hcl
+++ b/t/fun-01.hcl
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ defun aaa(a b) {
 
 set k (aaa 10 20);
 
-if (= k 30) { printf "OK - %d\n" k; }
-else { printf "ERROR - %d\n" k; };
+if (= k 30) {
+	printf "OK - %d\n" k;
+} else {
+	printf "ERROR - %d\n" k;
+};
 
 ## --------------------------------------
 
@@ -19,15 +22,16 @@ defun mkfun(t) {
 
 set f (mkfun 20);
 set k (f 50);
-if (= k 70) { printf "OK - %d\n" k; }
-else { printf "ERROR - %d\n" k; };
+if (= k 70) {
+	printf "OK - %d\n" k;
+} else {
+	printf "ERROR - %d\n" k;
+};
 
 
 ## --------------------------------------
 
-defclass A
-	| a b c |
-{
+defclass A | a b c | {
 	defun ::* newInstance(x y z) {
 		(set a x)
 		(set b y)
@@ -42,5 +46,8 @@ defclass A
 
 set k (A:newInstance 11 22 33);
 set v (k:get-a);
-if (= v 11) { printf "OK - %d\n" v; }
-else { printf "ERROR - %d\n" v; };
+if (= v 11) {
+	printf "OK - %d\n" v;
+} else {
+	printf "ERROR - %d\n" v;
+};
diff --git a/t/va-01.hcl b/t/va-01.hcl
index 85d6539..01d2dbc 100644
--- a/t/va-01.hcl
+++ b/t/va-01.hcl
@@ -25,17 +25,30 @@ defun x(a b ... ::: x y z) {
 };
 
 set t (x 10 20 30);
-if (/= t 1) { printf "ERROR: t is not 1\n" }
-else { printf "OK: %d\n" t };
+if (/= t 1) {
+	printf "ERROR: t is not 1\n"
+} else {
+	printf "OK: %d\n" t
+};
 
 set t (set-r a b c (x 10 20 30 40 50));
-if (/= t 3) { printf "ERROR: t is not 3\n" }
-else { printf "OK: %d\n" t };
-if (/= a 3) { printf "ERROR: a is not 3\n" }
-else { printf "OK: %d\n" a };
-if (/= b 200) { printf "ERROR: b is not 200\n" }
-else { printf "OK: %d\n" b };
-if (/= c 30) { printf "ERROR: c is not 30\n" }
-else { printf "OK: %d\n" c };
-
-
+if (/= t 3) {
+	printf "ERROR: t is not 3\n"
+} else {
+	printf "OK: %d\n" t
+};
+if (/= a 3) {
+	printf "ERROR: a is not 3\n"
+} else {
+	printf "OK: %d\n" a
+};
+if (/= b 200) {
+	printf "ERROR: b is not 200\n"
+} else {
+	printf "OK: %d\n" b
+};
+if (/= c 30) {
+	printf "ERROR: c is not 30\n"
+} else {
+	printf "OK: %d\n" c
+};