diff --git a/ase/awk/awk_i.h b/ase/awk/awk_i.h
index c4e17861..95e62e20 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk_i.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk_i.h
@@ -255,6 +255,9 @@ struct ase_awk_run_t
 	/*ase_size_t scache32_count;
 	ase_size_t scache64_count;*/
 
+	ase_awk_val_int_t* ifree;
+	ase_awk_val_chunk_t* ichunk;
+
 	ase_awk_nde_blk_t* active_block;
 	ase_byte_t* pattern_range_state;
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/run.c b/ase/awk/run.c
index 546b087b..c00e5153 100644
--- a/ase/awk/run.c
+++ b/ase/awk/run.c
@@ -747,6 +747,8 @@ static int init_run (
 	run->fcache_count = 0;
 	/*run->scache32_count = 0;
 	run->scache64_count = 0;*/
+	run->ichunk = ASE_NULL;
+	run->ifree = ASE_NULL;
 
 	run->errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOERR;
 	run->errlin = 0;
@@ -976,6 +978,13 @@ static void deinit_run (ase_awk_run_t* run)
 		ase_awk_val_str_t* tmp = run->scache64[--run->scache64_count];
 		ase_awk_freeval (run, (ase_awk_val_t*)tmp, ase_false);
 	}*/
+
+	while (run->ichunk != ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		ase_awk_val_pool_t* next = run->ichunk->next;
+		ASE_AWK_FREE (run->awk, run->ichunk);
+		run->ichunk = next;
+	}
 }
 
 static int build_runarg (
diff --git a/ase/awk/val.c b/ase/awk/val.c
index 7c8385e5..3d9767fb 100644
--- a/ase/awk/val.c
+++ b/ase/awk/val.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ ase_awk_val_t* ase_awk_makeintval (ase_awk_run_t* run, ase_long_t v)
 		return (ase_awk_val_t*)&awk_int[v-awk_int[0].val];
 	}
 
+	/*
 	if (run->icache_count > 0)
 	{
 		val = run->icache[--run->icache_count];
@@ -82,6 +83,35 @@ ase_awk_val_t* ase_awk_makeintval (ase_awk_run_t* run, ase_long_t v)
 			return ASE_NULL;
 		}
 	}
+	*/
+	ase_awk_val_pool_t* p = run->ipool;
+	ase_awk_val_int_t* f = run->ifree;
+
+	if (f = ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		ase_awk_val_int_t* x;
+		ase_size_t i;
+
+		p = ASE_AWK_MALLOC (run->awk, 
+			ASE_SIZEOF(ase_awk_val_pool_t)+
+			ASE_SIZEOF(ase_awk_val_int_t)*100);
+		if (p == ASE_NULL)
+		{
+			ase_awk_setrunerrnum (run, ASE_AWK_ENOMEM);
+			return ASE_NULL;
+		}
+
+		x = (ase_awk_val_int_t*)(p + 1);
+		for (i = 0; i < 100-1; i++) f
+			x[i].nde = (ase_awk_nde_int_t*)&x[i+1];
+		x[i].nde = ASE_NULL;
+
+		run->ifree = &f[0];
+		p->next = run->ipool;
+	}
+
+	val = run->ifree;
+	p->ifree = (ase_awk_val_int_t*)p->ifree->nde;
 
 	val->type = ASE_AWK_VAL_INT;
 	val->ref = 0;
@@ -385,12 +415,20 @@ void ase_awk_freeval (ase_awk_run_t* run, ase_awk_val_t* val, ase_bool_t cache)
 	}
 	else if (val->type == ASE_AWK_VAL_INT)
 	{
+		/*
 		if (cache && run->icache_count < ASE_COUNTOF(run->icache))
 		{
 			run->icache[run->icache_count++] = 
 				(ase_awk_val_int_t*)val;	
 		}
 		else ASE_AWK_FREE (run->awk, val);
+		*/
+		if (cache)
+		{
+			val->nde = (ase_awk_val_nde_t*)run->ifree;
+			run->ifree = val;
+		}
+		else ASE_AWK_FREE (run->awk, val);
 	}
 	else if (val->type == ASE_AWK_VAL_REAL)
 	{
diff --git a/ase/awk/val.h b/ase/awk/val.h
index 06dd6f2a..f47551b0 100644
--- a/ase/awk/val.h
+++ b/ase/awk/val.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ typedef struct ase_awk_val_rex_t  ase_awk_val_rex_t;
 typedef struct ase_awk_val_map_t  ase_awk_val_map_t;
 typedef struct ase_awk_val_ref_t  ase_awk_val_ref_t;
 
+/* this is not a value. it is just a value holder */
+typedef struct ase_awk_val_chunk_t ase_awk_val_chunk_t;
+
 #if ASE_SIZEOF_INT == 2
 #define ASE_AWK_VAL_HDR \
 	unsigned int type: 3; \
@@ -149,6 +152,11 @@ struct ase_awk_val_ref_t
 	ase_awk_val_t** adr;
 };
 
+struct ase_awk_val_chunk_t
+{
+	ase_awk_val_chunk_t* next;
+};
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif