diff --git a/forge/sf.lisp b/forge/sf.lisp
index 8fd11cb..0e41101 100644
--- a/forge/sf.lisp
+++ b/forge/sf.lisp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   (:export #:forge-env #:vocabulary #:stack #:current-package
            #:*forge-env* #:*input* #:*code*
            #:word #:comp-word
-           #:exec-list #:exec-input #:comp-input #:call
+           #:exec-list #:exec-string #:exec-input #:comp-input #:call
            #:comp-item
            #:next #:reg #:reg1 #:reg2 #:reg-code
            #:pushd #:popd #:peekd))
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
         (comp-item v)))))
 
 (defun find-word (sym)
-  (let ((sym (find-symbol (symbol-name sym) (current-package *forge-env*))))
+  (let ((sym (intern (symbol-name sym) (current-package *forge-env*))))
     (multiple-value-bind (val found) (gethash sym (vocabulary *forge-env*))
       (when (not found)
         (util:lgw "not found" sym))
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@
   (let ((*input* (iter:list-iterator lst)))
     (exec-input)))
 
+(defun exec-string (s)
+  (let ((*input* (iter:string-iterator s)))
+    (exec-input)))
+
 (defun exec-input ()
   (iter:process *input* #'exec-item))
 
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index b6ea8df..a1e1d08 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@
   (let ((it (iter:string-iterator "a b c")))
     (== (iter:value it) nil)
     (== (iter:next it) nil)
-    (== (iter:value it) (intern "A")))
-    ;(== (iter:value it) (read-from-string "a")))
+    (== (string (iter:value it)) "A"))
   )
 
 (deftest test-shape()
diff --git a/test/test-sf.lisp b/test/test-sf.lisp
index 5ee3ff6..ec0ce5b 100644
--- a/test/test-sf.lisp
+++ b/test/test-sf.lisp
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 ;;;; testing facility for scopes/forge
 
 (defpackage :scopes/test-sf
-  (:use :common-lisp
-        :sf-builtin)
+  (:use :common-lisp)
   (:local-nicknames (:forge :scopes/forge/sf) 
                     (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:t :scopes/testing))
@@ -29,10 +28,12 @@
   (== (forge:popd) 6)
   (forge:exec-list '(<comp dup mul /> in square reg))
   (forge:exec-list '(7 square))
-  (== (forge:popd) 49))
+  (== (forge:popd) 49)
+  (forge:exec-string "8 square")
+  (== (forge:popd) 64))
 
 (deftest test-def ()
   (forge:exec-list '(<comp in <comp swp reg /> in <def reg))
-  (forge:exec-list '(<def cube dup dup mul mul />))
+  (forge:exec-string "<def cube dup dup mul mul />")
   (forge:exec-list '(3 cube))
   (== (forge:popd) 27))