diff --git a/src/eval.rs b/src/eval.rs
index 1125aa4..5b37a07 100644
--- a/src/eval.rs
+++ b/src/eval.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
-use crate::segment::{Ast, Ctr};
+use crate::segment::{Ast, Ctr, new_ast};
 use crate::func::{FTable, func_call};
 use crate::vars::VTable;
 
@@ -50,21 +50,19 @@ fn eval_inner(
      *    (and set new.cdr to result)
      * 5. return new ast
      */
-    let ret: Ast;
-    let mret = ret.clone().borrow_mut();
-    let ast_inner = ast.clone().borrow_mut();
+    let ret = new_ast(Ctr::None, Ctr::None);
 
     match process_ctr(
-        ast_inner.car,
+        ast.borrow().clone().car,
         vars.clone(),
         funcs.clone(),
         sym_loose,
         first_item,
         true,
-        mret.cdr
+        ret.borrow().clone().cdr
     ) {
         Ok(ctr) => {
-            mret.car = ctr;
+            ret.borrow_mut().car = ctr;
         },
         Err(err) => {
             return Err(err)
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ fn eval_inner(
     }
 
     match process_ctr(
-        ast_inner.cdr,
+        ast.borrow().clone().cdr,
         vars.clone(),
         funcs.clone(),
         sym_loose,
@@ -81,7 +79,7 @@ fn eval_inner(
         Ctr::None
     ) {
         Ok(ctr) => {
-            mret.cdr = ctr;
+            ret.borrow_mut().cdr = ctr;
         },
         Err(err) => {
             return Err(err)
@@ -108,23 +106,23 @@ fn process_ctr(
      *   4. finally, return a clone (shallow copy) of datum
      */
 
-    match ctr {
+    match ctr.clone() {
         Ctr::Symbol(token) => {
             let mut tok = token;
             if let Some(s) = vars.borrow().get(&tok) {
 
                 // is function, or variable alias?
                 if first_item {
-                    if let Ctr::Symbol(t) = *s.clone() {
-                        if let Some(f) = funcs.borrow().get(&t) {
+                    if let Ctr::Symbol(t) = &*(s.clone()) {
+                        if let Some(_f) = funcs.borrow().get(t) {
                             // leave this set for the function call case below
-                            tok = t;
+                            tok = t.clone();
                         }
                     }
 
                 // is a basic value.
                 } else {
-                    return Ok(*s.clone())
+                    return Ok((*s.clone()).clone())
                 }
 
             // variable not found case
@@ -136,7 +134,7 @@ fn process_ctr(
             if first_item {
                 if let Some(f) = funcs.borrow().get(&tok) {
                     if let Ctr::Seg(args) = rest {
-                        match func_call(*f, args, vars.clone(), funcs.clone()) {
+                        match func_call(f.clone(), args, vars.clone(), funcs.clone()) {
                             Ok(a) => return Ok(a.clone()),
                             Err(s) => return Err(s)
                         }
diff --git a/src/func.rs b/src/func.rs
index 147b727..be1b7f4 100644
--- a/src/func.rs
+++ b/src/func.rs
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ pub fn func_call(
         Operation::Internal(f) => Ok((f)(n_args, vars, funcs)),
         Operation::External(f) => {
             for n in 0..f.arg_syms.len() {
-                vars.borrow().insert(
+                vars.borrow_mut().insert(
                     f.arg_syms[n].clone(),
                     Rc::new(list_idx(n_args.clone(), n as u128))
                 );
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ pub fn func_call(
 
             let result = eval(f.ast.clone(), vars.clone(), funcs, called_func.loose_syms);
             for n in 0..f.arg_syms.len() {
-                vars.borrow().remove(&f.arg_syms[n].clone());
+                vars.borrow_mut().remove(&f.arg_syms[n].clone());
             }
 
             match result {
-                Ok(r) => Ok(r.borrow().car),
+                Ok(r) => Ok(r.borrow().clone().car),
                 Err(e) => Err(e)
             }
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_func.rs b/tests/test_func.rs
index 39a3470..e03b91e 100644
--- a/tests/test_func.rs
+++ b/tests/test_func.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ mod func_tests {
             eval_lazy: true,
             args: Args::Strict(vec![Type::Bool]),
             function: Operation::Internal(
-                |a: Ast, _b: Rc<RefCell<VTable>>, _c: Rc<RefCell<FTable>>| -> Ast {
+                |a: Ast, _b: Rc<RefCell<VTable>>, _c: Rc<RefCell<FTable>>| -> Ctr {
                     let inner = a.borrow();
                     let mut is_bool = false;
                     if let Ctr::Bool(_) = &inner.car {