diff --git a/lib/comp.c b/lib/comp.c
index 7e3b213..a2d7720 100644
--- a/lib/comp.c
+++ b/lib/comp.c
@@ -1259,6 +1259,7 @@ enum
 	COP_COMPILE_CLASS_P3,
 
 	COP_EMIT_PUSH_NIL,
+	COP_EMIT_PUSH_SYMBOL,
 	COP_EMIT_CALL,
 	COP_EMIT_SEND,
 
@@ -2190,7 +2191,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE int compile_class_p1 (hcl_t* hcl)
 		if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!tmp)) goto oops;
 		if (emit_push_literal(hcl, tmp, &cf->u._class.start_loc) <= -1) goto oops;
 	}
-	
+
 	if (ncvars > 0)
 	{
 		hcl_oop_t tmp;
@@ -3500,10 +3501,15 @@ static int compile_cons_mlist_expression (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* obj, int nret
 		return -1;
 	}
 	car = HCL_CNODE_CONS_CAR(cdr);
-/* TODO: if car is a normal symbol, it is a method name of the receiver's class.
- *       don't evalutate it.
- *       however, if it's enclosed in another () or (:), evaluate it... */
-	PUSH_CFRAME (hcl, COP_COMPILE_OBJECT, car);
+	if (HCL_CNODE_IS_SYMBOL_PLAIN(car))
+	{
+		PUSH_CFRAME (hcl, COP_EMIT_PUSH_SYMBOL, car);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+/* TODO: more sanity check on what can be used as a method */
+		PUSH_CFRAME (hcl, COP_COMPILE_OBJECT, car);
+	}
 
 	/* compile <operand1> ... etc */
 	cdr = HCL_CNODE_CONS_CDR(cdr);
@@ -3958,7 +3964,6 @@ redo:
 			hcl_setsynerrbfmt (hcl, HCL_SYNERR_TRPCOLONSBANNED, HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(oprnd), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOK(oprnd), "triple colons disallowed in this context", HCL_CNODE_GET_TYPE(oprnd));
 			return -1;
 
-			
 		default:
 			hcl_setsynerrbfmt (hcl, HCL_SYNERR_INTERN, HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(oprnd), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOK(oprnd), "internal error - unexpected object type %d", HCL_CNODE_GET_TYPE(oprnd));
 			return -1;
@@ -4531,6 +4536,23 @@ static HCL_INLINE int emit_push_nil (hcl_t* hcl)
 	return n;
 }
 
+static HCL_INLINE int emit_push_symbol (hcl_t* hcl)
+{
+	hcl_cframe_t* cf;
+	hcl_oop_t lit;
+
+	cf = GET_TOP_CFRAME(hcl);
+	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, cf->opcode == COP_EMIT_PUSH_SYMBOL);
+	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, cf->operand != HCL_NULL);
+
+	lit = hcl_makesymbol(hcl, HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKPTR(cf->operand), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKLEN(cf->operand));
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!lit)) return -1;
+	if (emit_push_literal(hcl, lit, HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(cf->operand)) <= -1) return -1;
+
+	POP_CFRAME (hcl);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static HCL_INLINE int emit_send (hcl_t* hcl)
 {
 	hcl_cframe_t* cf;
@@ -5063,6 +5085,10 @@ int hcl_compile (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* obj, int flags)
 				if (emit_push_nil(hcl) <= -1) goto oops;
 				break;
 
+			case COP_EMIT_PUSH_SYMBOL:
+				if (emit_push_symbol(hcl) <= -1) goto oops;
+				break;
+
 			case COP_EMIT_SEND:
 				if (emit_send(hcl) <= -1) goto oops;
 				break;
diff --git a/lib/exec.c b/lib/exec.c
index b3909a7..77f9a51 100644
--- a/lib/exec.c
+++ b/lib/exec.c
@@ -1900,8 +1900,8 @@ static int prepare_new_context (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_block_t rcv_blk, hcl_ooi_t n
 
 	tmpr_mask = HCL_OOP_TO_SMOOI(rcv_blk->tmpr_mask);
 
-	fblk_nrvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NRVARS(tmpr_mask);	
-	fblk_nlvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NLVARS(tmpr_mask);	
+	fblk_nrvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NRVARS(tmpr_mask);
+	fblk_nlvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NLVARS(tmpr_mask);
 	fixed_nargs = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NARGS(tmpr_mask);
 	actual_nargs = nargs - nargs_offset;
 	excess_nargs = actual_nargs - fixed_nargs;
@@ -2021,8 +2021,8 @@ static int __activate_function (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_function_t rcv_func, hcl_ooi
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_IS_FUNCTION(hcl, rcv_func));
 
 	tmpr_mask = HCL_OOP_TO_SMOOI(rcv_func->tmpr_mask);
-	nrvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NRVARS(tmpr_mask);	
-	nlvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NLVARS(tmpr_mask);	
+	nrvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NRVARS(tmpr_mask);
+	nlvars = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NLVARS(tmpr_mask);
 	fixed_nargs = GET_BLKTMPR_MASK_NARGS(tmpr_mask);
 	actual_nargs = nargs - nargs_offset;
 	excess_nargs = actual_nargs - fixed_nargs;
@@ -2108,6 +2108,16 @@ static HCL_INLINE int call_primitive (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 	return ((hcl_pfimpl_t)rcv->impl)(hcl, (hcl_mod_t*)rcv->mod, nargs);
 }
 
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+static HCL_INLINE int send_message (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t rcv, hcl_oop_t op, int to_super, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
+{
+	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_IS_INSTANCE(hcl, rcv));
+	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl, op));
+
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 static HCL_INLINE int do_throw (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t val, hcl_ooi_t ip)
@@ -3667,32 +3677,9 @@ if (do_throw(hcl, hcl->_nil, fetched_instruction_pointer) <= -1)
 
 				rcv = HCL_STACK_GETRCV(hcl, b1);
 				op = HCL_STACK_GETOP(hcl, b1);
-				if (HCL_OOP_IS_POINTER(op))
+				if (HCL_IS_INSTANCE(hcl, rcv) && HCL_IS_SYMBOL(hcl, op))
 				{
-					switch (HCL_OBJ_GET_FLAGS_BRAND(op))
-					{
-						case HCL_BRAND_FUNCTION:
-							if (activate_function(hcl, b1) <= -1) goto call_failed;
-							break;
-
-						case HCL_BRAND_BLOCK:
-							if (activate_block(hcl, b1, 0) <= -1) goto call_failed;
-							break;
-
-						case HCL_BRAND_PRIM:
-							if (call_primitive(hcl, b1) <= -1) 
-							{
-/*
-TODO: translate a certain primitive failure to a catchable exception. this seems to work . i need to capture the throw value instead of hcl->_nil .
-if (do_throw(hcl, hcl->_nil, fetched_instruction_pointer) <= -1)
-*/
-								goto call_failed;
-							}
-							break;
-
-						default:
-							goto cannot_send;
-					}
+					if (send_message(hcl, rcv, op, ((bcode >> 2) & 1), b1) <= -1) goto send_failed;
 				}
 				else
 				{