diff --git a/ase/awk/func.c b/ase/awk/func.c
index e21f577b..5d27f4d4 100644
--- a/ase/awk/func.c
+++ b/ase/awk/func.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: func.c,v 1.13 2007/10/25 14:43:17 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: func.c,v 1.14 2007/10/31 13:56:54 bacon Exp $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ skip_close:
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int __flush_extio (
+static int flush_extio (
 	ase_awk_run_t* run, int extio, const ase_char_t* name, int n)
 {
 	int n2;
@@ -337,15 +337,15 @@ static int bfn_fflush (
 		}
 
 		/* flush the given extio */
-		n = __flush_extio (
+		n = flush_extio (
 			run, ASE_AWK_EXTIO_FILE, 
 			((len0 == 0)? ASE_NULL: str0), 1);
 		/*if (n == -99) return -1;*/
-		n = __flush_extio (
+		n = flush_extio (
 			run, ASE_AWK_EXTIO_PIPE,
 			((len0 == 0)? ASE_NULL: str0), n);
 		/*if (n == -99) return -1;*/
-		n = __flush_extio (
+		n = flush_extio (
 			run, ASE_AWK_EXTIO_COPROC,
 			((len0 == 0)? ASE_NULL: str0), n);
 		/*if (n == -99) return -1;*/
diff --git a/ase/awk/jni.c b/ase/awk/jni.c
index 1be8578d..26d176d0 100644
--- a/ase/awk/jni.c
+++ b/ase/awk/jni.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: jni.c,v 1.42 2007/10/30 15:01:31 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: jni.c,v 1.43 2007/10/31 13:56:54 bacon Exp $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -1816,7 +1816,6 @@ static int handle_bfn (
 	(*env)->CallVoidMethod (env, run_data->context_object, run_data->context_clear);
 	if ((*env)->ExceptionCheck(env))
 	{
-/* TODO #1: if exception is thrown in clear, it seems to end with a lot of memory leask. PLEASE CHECK THIS */
 		if (is_debug(awk)) (*env)->ExceptionDescribe (env);
 		(*env)->ExceptionClear (env);
 		ase_awk_setrunerrnum (run, ASE_AWK_EBFNIMPL);
diff --git a/ase/awk/run.c b/ase/awk/run.c
index f84aefb9..5510f4a7 100644
--- a/ase/awk/run.c
+++ b/ase/awk/run.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: run.c,v 1.20 2007/10/28 06:12:37 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: run.c,v 1.21 2007/10/31 13:56:54 bacon Exp $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -5502,13 +5502,25 @@ static ase_awk_val_t* eval_call (
 	ase_dprintf (ASE_T("got return value\n"));
 #endif
 
-	/* this trick has been mentioned in run_return.
-	 * adjust the reference count of the return value.
-	 * the value must not be freed even if the reference count
-	 * is decremented to zero because its reference has been incremented 
-	 * in run_return regardless of its reference count. */
 	v = STACK_RETVAL(run);
-	ase_awk_refdownval_nofree (run, v);
+	if (n == -1)
+	{
+		/* if the earlier operations failed and this function
+		 * has to return a error, the return value is just
+		 * destroyed and replaced by nil */
+		ase_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+		STACK_RETVAL(run) = ase_awk_val_nil;
+	}
+	else
+	{	
+		/* this trick has been mentioned in run_return.
+		 * adjust the reference count of the return value.
+		 * the value must not be freed even if the reference count
+		 * reached zero because its reference has been incremented 
+		 * in run_return or directly by ase_awk_setretval
+		 * regardless of its reference count. */
+		ase_awk_refdownval_nofree (run, v);
+	}
 
 	run->stack_top =  (ase_size_t)run->stack[run->stack_base+1];
 	run->stack_base = (ase_size_t)run->stack[run->stack_base+0];
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java b/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
index 853be3cf..30be5268 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
+++ b/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: AseAwkPanel.java,v 1.15 2007/10/30 15:01:31 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: AseAwkPanel.java,v 1.16 2007/10/31 13:56:54 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 import java.awt.*;
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ public class AseAwkPanel extends Panel
 			//ret.setIntValue (0);
 			//
 			ret.setIndexedRealValue (1, 111.23);
-			ret.setIndexedStringValue (2, "kdk2kd");
-			ret.setIndexedStringValue (3, "3dk3kd");
+			ret.setIndexedStringValue (2, "1111111");
+			ret.setIndexedStringValue (3, "22222222");
 			ret.setIndexedIntValue (4, 444);
 			ret.setIndexedIntValue (5, 55555);
 
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ public class AseAwkPanel extends Panel
 			Return r2 = new Return (ctx);
 			r.setStringValue ("[[%.6f]]");
 
-			ctx.setGlobal (Context.GLOBAL_CONVFMT, ret);
+			//ctx.setGlobal (Context.GLOBAL_CONVFMT, ret);
+			ctx.setGlobal (Context.GLOBAL_CONVFMT, r2);
 		}
 
 		protected int openSource (int mode)