diff --git a/lib/dic.c b/lib/dic.c
index b4f70bb..0325e0f 100644
--- a/lib/dic.c
+++ b/lib/dic.c
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ found:
 
 hcl_oop_t hcl_makedic (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oow_t inisize)
 {
-/* TODO: use hcl_instantiate() */
+#if 0
 	hcl_oop_dic_t obj;
 
 	obj = (hcl_oop_dic_t)hcl_allocoopobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_DIC, 2);
@@ -475,6 +475,37 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_makedic (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oow_t inisize)
 	}
 
 	return (hcl_oop_t)obj;
+#else
+	hcl_oop_dic_t v;
+
+	v = (hcl_oop_dic_t)hcl_instantiate(hcl, hcl->c_dictionary, HCL_NULL, 0);
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!v))
+	{
+		const hcl_ooch_t* orgmsg = hcl_backuperrmsg(hcl);
+		hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_ERRNUM(hcl), "unable to make dictionary - %js", orgmsg);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		hcl_oop_oop_t bucket;
+
+		v->tally = HCL_SMOOI_TO_OOP(0);
+
+		hcl_pushvolat (hcl, (hcl_oop_t*)&v);
+		bucket = (hcl_oop_oop_t)hcl_makearray(hcl, inisize);
+		hcl_popvolat (hcl);
+
+		if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!bucket))
+		{
+			/* TODO: can I remove the instanated object immediately above?
+			 *       it must be ok as the dictionary object is never referenced.
+			 *       some care must be taken not to screw up gc metadata...  */
+			v = HCL_NULL;
+		}
+		else v->bucket = bucket;
+	}
+
+	return (hcl_oop_t)v;
+#endif
 }
 
 int hcl_walkdic (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_dic_t dic, hcl_dic_walker_t walker, void* ctx)
diff --git a/lib/hcl.c b/lib/hcl.c
index d7bd563..edb4c8a 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.c
+++ b/lib/hcl.c
@@ -172,10 +172,10 @@ int hcl_init (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim)
 	hcl->tagged_brands[HCL_OOP_TAG_CHAR] = HCL_BRAND_CHARACTER;
 	hcl->tagged_brands[HCL_OOP_TAG_ERROR] = HCL_BRAND_ERROR;
 
-     hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_SMOOI] = &hcl->c_small_integer;
-     hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_SMPTR] = &hcl->c_small_pointer;
-     hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_CHAR] = &hcl->c_character;
-     hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_ERROR] = &hcl->c_error;
+	hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_SMOOI] = &hcl->c_small_integer;
+	hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_SMPTR] = &hcl->c_small_pointer;
+	hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_CHAR] = &hcl->c_character;
+	hcl->tagged_classes[HCL_OOP_TAG_ERROR] = &hcl->c_error;
 
 	hcl->proc_map_free_first = -1;
 	hcl->proc_map_free_last = -1;
diff --git a/lib/hcl.h b/lib/hcl.h
index 212c605..5aa2a4f 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.h
+++ b/lib/hcl.h
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ typedef enum hcl_obj_type_t hcl_obj_type_t;
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_MOVED_BITS     (2) /* 16 */
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_NGC_BITS       (1) /* 17 */
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_TRAILER_BITS   (1) /* 18 */
-#define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_SYNCODE_BITS   (5) /* 23 */
+#define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_SYNCODE_BITS   (5) /* 23 - syncode for symbol, concode for cons */
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_BRAND_BITS     (6) /* 29 */
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_FLEXI_BITS     (1) /* 30 */
 #define HCL_OBJ_FLAGS_RDONLY_BITS    (1) /* 31 */
@@ -2086,19 +2086,30 @@ typedef enum hcl_concode_t hcl_concode_t;
 #define HCL_IS_NIL(hcl,v) (v == (hcl)->_nil)
 #define HCL_IS_TRUE(hcl,v) (v == (hcl)->_true)
 #define HCL_IS_FALSE(hcl,v) (v == (hcl)->_false)
-#define HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_SYMBOL)
+
+/*#define HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_SYMBOL)*/
+#define HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == (hcl_oop_t)hcl->c_symbol)
+
 #define HCL_IS_CONTEXT(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_CONTEXT)
 #define HCL_IS_FUNCTION(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_FUNCTION)
 #define HCL_IS_BLOCK(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_BLOCK)
 #define HCL_IS_CLASS(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_CLASS)
 #define HCL_IS_INSTANCE(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_INSTANCE)
 #define HCL_IS_PROCESS(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_PROCESS)
-#define HCL_IS_CONS(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_CONS)
+
+/*#define HCL_IS_CONS(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_CONS)*/
+#define HCL_IS_CONS(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == (hcl_oop_t)hcl->c_cons)
 #define HCL_IS_CONS_CONCODED(hcl,v,concode) (HCL_IS_CONS(hcl,v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_SYNCODE(v) == (concode))
-#define HCL_IS_ARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_ARRAY)
-/*#define HCL_IS_ARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == hcl->c_array) TODO: change to check the class instead?? remove brands?? */
-#define HCL_IS_BYTEARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_BYTE_ARRAY)
-#define HCL_IS_DIC(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_DIC)
+
+/*#define HCL_IS_ARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_ARRAY)*/
+#define HCL_IS_ARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == (hcl_oop_t)hcl->c_array)
+
+/*#define HCL_IS_BYTEARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_BYTE_ARRAY)*/
+#define HCL_IS_BYTEARRAY(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == (hcl_oop_t)hcl->c_byte_array)
+
+/*#define HCL_IS_DIC(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_DIC)*/
+#define HCL_IS_DIC(hcl,v) (HCL_CLASSOF(hcl,v) == (hcl_oop_t)hcl->c_dictionary)
+
 #define HCL_IS_PRIM(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_PRIM)
 #define HCL_IS_PBIGINT(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_PBIGINT)
 #define HCL_IS_NBIGINT(hcl,v) (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(v) && HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(v) == HCL_BRAND_NBIGINT)
diff --git a/lib/obj.c b/lib/obj.c
index df336af..309ba21 100644
--- a/lib/obj.c
+++ b/lib/obj.c
@@ -259,18 +259,18 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_hatchundef (hcl_t* hcl)
 	/* create the undef object for bootstrapping.
 	 * this function doesn't set the class field */
 
-	hcl_oop_t o;
-	o = hcl_allocoopobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_UNDEF, 0);
-	if (HCL_LIKELY(o))
-	{
-		HCL_OBJ_SET_FLAGS_KERNEL(o, 1);
-	}
-	else
+	hcl_oop_t v;
+	v = hcl_allocoopobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_UNDEF, 0);
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!v))
 	{
 		const hcl_ooch_t* orgmsg = hcl_backuperrmsg(hcl);
 		hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_ERRNUM(hcl), "unable to make undef - %js", orgmsg);
 	}
-	return o;
+	else
+	{
+		HCL_OBJ_SET_FLAGS_KERNEL(v, 1);
+	}
+	return v;
 }
 
 hcl_oop_t hcl_hatchnil (hcl_t* hcl)
@@ -278,18 +278,18 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_hatchnil (hcl_t* hcl)
 	/* create the nil object for bootstrapping.
 	 * this function doesn't set the class field */
 
-	hcl_oop_t o;
-	o = hcl_allocoopobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_NIL, 0);
-	if (HCL_LIKELY(o))
-	{
-		HCL_OBJ_SET_FLAGS_KERNEL(o, 1);
-	}
-	else
+	hcl_oop_t v;
+	v = hcl_allocoopobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_NIL, 0);
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!v))
 	{
 		const hcl_ooch_t* orgmsg = hcl_backuperrmsg(hcl);
 		hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_ERRNUM(hcl), "unable to make nil - %js", orgmsg);
 	}
-	return o;
+	else
+	{
+		HCL_OBJ_SET_FLAGS_KERNEL(v, 1);
+	}
+	return v;
 }
 
 hcl_oop_t hcl_makebigint (hcl_t* hcl, int brand, const hcl_liw_t* ptr, hcl_oow_t len)