diff --git a/stix/lib/Stix.st b/stix/lib/Stix.st
index 13e1836..8e5a7a4 100644
--- a/stix/lib/Stix.st
+++ b/stix/lib/Stix.st
@@ -241,6 +241,10 @@
 {
 }
 
+#class Namespace(Set)
+{
+}
+
 #class MethodDictionary(Dictionary)
 {
 
diff --git a/stix/lib/comp.c b/stix/lib/comp.c
index 2d1d496..ca8e8c7 100644
--- a/stix/lib/comp.c
+++ b/stix/lib/comp.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 /* initial method dictionary size */
 #define INSTANCE_METHOD_DICTIONARY_SIZE 256 /* TODO: choose the right size */
 #define CLASS_METHOD_DICTIONARY_SIZE 128 /* TODO: choose the right size */
+#define NAMESPACE_SIZE 128 /* TODO: choose the right size */
 
 enum class_mod_t
 {
@@ -4313,63 +4314,105 @@ static int compile_class_definition (stix_t* stix, int extend)
 	return n;
 }
 
+static int add_namespace (stix_t* stix, stix_oop_set_t dic, const stix_ucs_t* name)
+{
+	stix_size_t tmp_count = 0;
+	stix_oop_t sym;
+	stix_oop_set_t ns;
+
+	stix_pushtmp (stix, (stix_oop_t*)&dic); tmp_count++;
+
+	sym = stix_makesymbol (stix, name->ptr, name->len);
+	if (!sym) goto oops;
+
+	stix_pushtmp (stix, &sym); tmp_count++;
+
+	ns = stix_makedic (stix, stix->_namespace, NAMESPACE_SIZE);
+	if (!ns) goto oops;
+
+	/*stix_pushtmp (stix, &ns); tmp_count++;*/
+
+	if (!stix_putatdic (stix, dic, sym, (stix_oop_t)ns)) goto oops;
+
+	stix_poptmps (stix, tmp_count);
+	return 0;
+
+oops:
+	stix_poptmps (stix, tmp_count);
+	return -1;
+}
+
 static int compile_namespace (stix_t* stix)
 {
-	/* the name sapce path must not contain any space between segments
-	 * #namespace Abc.Def .Hij
-	 * Abc.Def comprises a valid name space. a period before Hij acts
-	 * as a terminator for the namespace declaration. Hij itself causes
-	 * a syntax error */
+	const stix_uch_t* ptr, * dot;
+	stix_size_t len;
+	stix_ucs_t seg;
+	stix_oop_set_t dic;
+	stix_oop_association_t ass;
 
-	stix_iotok_t seg_tok;
-
-	if (stix->c->tok.type != STIX_IOTOK_IDENT)
+	if (stix->c->tok.type != STIX_IOTOK_IDENT &&
+	    stix->c->tok.type != STIX_IOTOK_IDENT_DOTTED)
 	{
 		set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_IDENT, &stix->c->tok.loc, &stix->c->tok.name);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	seg_tok = stix->c->tok;
+/* TODO: handle namespace attribute like dupok or missingok. #namespace(dupok) XXX. */
 
-/*clone_nameseg_segment ().*/
-
-	GET_TOKEN (stix);
-	while (stix->c->tok.type == STIX_IOTOK_PERIOD)
+	dic = stix->sysdic;
+	ptr = stix->c->tok.name.ptr;
+	len = stix->c->tok.name.len;
+	while (1)
 	{
-		GET_TOKEN (stix);
-		if (stix->c->tok.type != STIX_IOTOK_IDENT) goto ok;
+		seg.ptr = (stix_uch_t*)ptr;
 
-		if (stix->c->tok.loc.line == seg_tok.loc.line && 
-		    stix->c->tok.loc.colm == seg_tok.loc.colm + seg_tok.name.len + 1)
+		dot = stix_findchar (ptr, len, '.');
+		if (dot)
 		{
-			stix_oop_association_t ass;
+			seg.len = dot - ptr;
 
-			ass = stix_lookupsysdic (stix, &seg_tok.name);
-			if (ass == STIX_NULL || STIX_CLASSOF(stix, ass->value) != stix->_namespace)
+			ass = stix_lookupdic (stix, dic, &seg);
+			if (ass && (STIX_CLASSOF(stix, ass->value) == stix->_namespace || 
+			            (seg.ptr == stix->c->tok.name.ptr && ass->value == (stix_oop_t)stix->sysdic)))
 			{
-				/* unknown name space */
-				/*set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_UNKNOW*/
+				/* ok */
+				dic = (stix_oop_set_t)ass->value;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_NAMESPACE, &stix->c->tok.loc, &stix->c->tok.name);
 				return -1;
 			}
-
-			seg_tok = stix->c->tok;
-			GET_TOKEN (stix);
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			goto ok;
+			/* this is the last segment.  */
+			seg.len = len;
+
+			ass = stix_lookupdic (stix, dic, &seg);
+			if (ass)
+			{
+				/* duplicate name space or conflicting name */
+				set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_NAMESPACEDUP, &stix->c->tok.loc, &stix->c->tok.name);
+				return -1;
+			}
+
+			if (add_namespace (stix, dic, &seg) <= -1) return -1;
+			break;
 		}
+
+		ptr = dot + 1;
+		len -= seg.len + 1;
 	}
 
-	set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_PERIOD, &stix->c->tok.loc, &stix->c->tok.name);
-	return -1;
+	GET_TOKEN (stix);
+	if (stix->c->tok.type != STIX_IOTOK_PERIOD)
+	{
+		set_syntax_error (stix, STIX_SYNERR_PERIOD, &stix->c->tok.loc, &stix->c->tok.name);
+		return -1;
+	}
 
-ok:
-/*
-	name = stix_makesymbol (stix, seg_tok.name);
-	ns = stix_instantiate (stix, stix->_namespace, XXXXXXXXXXX);
-	stix_putatdic (stix, dic, name, ns);
-*/
+	GET_TOKEN (stix);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/stix/lib/exec.c b/stix/lib/exec.c
index 943dcea..e82e924 100644
--- a/stix/lib/exec.c
+++ b/stix/lib/exec.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ static STIX_INLINE int activate_new_method (stix_t* stix, stix_oop_method_t mth)
 	 *   | ....                | slot[..] 
 	 *   | receiver            | slot[..] <-- sp - nargs(1)
 	 *   | arg1                | slot[..] <-- sp
- 	 *   | ....                | slot[..] 
+	 *   | ....                | slot[..] 
 	 *   |                     | slot[stack_size - 1] 
 	 *   +---------------------+
 	 */
diff --git a/stix/lib/ignite.c b/stix/lib/ignite.c
index 97d7906..9861b1f 100644
--- a/stix/lib/ignite.c
+++ b/stix/lib/ignite.c
@@ -226,6 +226,8 @@ static int ignite_3 (stix_t* stix)
 		{ 12, { 'S','m','a','l','l','I','n','t','e','g','e','r'                  } }
 	};
 
+	static stix_uch_t stix_str[] = { 'S','t','a','x' };
+
 	stix_oow_t i;
 	stix_oop_t sym;
 	stix_oop_t* stix_ptr;
@@ -239,10 +241,14 @@ static int ignite_3 (stix_t* stix)
 		sym = stix_makesymbol (stix, symnames[i].str, symnames[i].len);
 		if (!sym) return -1;
 
-		if (!stix_putatsysdic (stix, sym, *stix_ptr)) return -1;
+		if (!stix_putatsysdic(stix, sym, *stix_ptr)) return -1;
 		stix_ptr++;
 	}
 
+	sym = stix_makesymbol (stix, stix_str, 4);
+	if (!sym) return -1;
+	if (!stix_putatsysdic(stix, sym, (stix_oop_t)stix->sysdic)) return -1;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/stix/lib/main.c b/stix/lib/main.c
index 68d0cd1..b4bce7b 100644
--- a/stix/lib/main.c
+++ b/stix/lib/main.c
@@ -214,7 +214,9 @@ static char* syntax_error_msg[] =
 	"too many block arguments",
 	"too large block",
 	"wrong primitive number",
-	"#include error"
+	"#include error",
+	"wrong namespace name",
+	"duplicate namespace name"
 };
 
 stix_uch_t str_stix[] = { 'S', 't', 'i', 'x' };
diff --git a/stix/lib/stix-prv.h b/stix/lib/stix-prv.h
index 7c714a9..bd4bc50 100644
--- a/stix/lib/stix-prv.h
+++ b/stix/lib/stix-prv.h
@@ -328,7 +328,9 @@ enum stix_synerrnum_t
 	STIX_SYNERR_BLKARGFLOOD,   /* too many block arguments */
 	STIX_SYNERR_BLKFLOOD,      /* too large block */
 	STIX_SYNERR_PRIMNO,        /* wrong primitive number */
-	STIX_SYNERR_INCLUDE        /* #include error */
+	STIX_SYNERR_INCLUDE,       /* #include error */
+	STIX_SYNERR_NAMESPACE,     /* wrong namespace name */
+	STIX_SYNERR_NAMESPACEDUP   /* duplicate namespace name */
 };
 typedef enum stix_synerrnum_t stix_synerrnum_t;
 
@@ -842,7 +844,13 @@ int stix_equalchars (
 void stix_copychars (
 	stix_uch_t*       dst,
 	const stix_uch_t* src,
-	stix_size_t len
+	stix_size_t       len
+);
+
+stix_uch_t* stix_findchar (
+	const stix_uch_t* ptr,
+	stix_size_t       len,
+	stix_uch_t        c
 );
 
 /* ========================================================================= */
@@ -1038,7 +1046,7 @@ int stix_compile (
 );
 
 void stix_getsynerr (
-	stix_t* stix,
+	stix_t*        stix,
 	stix_synerr_t* synerr
 );
 
diff --git a/stix/lib/stix.c b/stix/lib/stix.c
index 421b868..b392a84 100644
--- a/stix/lib/stix.c
+++ b/stix/lib/stix.c
@@ -217,6 +217,20 @@ void stix_copychars (stix_uch_t* dst, const stix_uch_t* src, stix_size_t len)
 	for (i = 0; i < len; i++) dst[i] = src[i];
 }
 
+stix_uch_t* stix_findchar (const stix_uch_t* ptr, stix_size_t len, stix_uch_t c)
+{
+	const stix_uch_t* end;
+
+	end = ptr + len;
+	while (ptr < end)
+	{
+		if (*ptr == c) return (stix_uch_t*)ptr;
+		ptr++;
+	}
+
+	return STIX_NULL;
+}
+
 void* stix_allocmem (stix_t* stix, stix_size_t size)
 {
 	void* ptr;