diff --git a/common/voc/voc.go b/common/voc/voc.go
index 11abe89..f2ba1d3 100644
--- a/common/voc/voc.go
+++ b/common/voc/voc.go
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
 // slice is the current value.
 package voc
 
-import (
-	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/common/funky"
-)
-
 type VocData[V any] map[string][]V
 
 type Vocabulary[V any] struct {
@@ -30,13 +26,14 @@ func (voc *Vocabulary[V]) Register(name string, it V) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (voc *Vocabulary[V]) Lookup(name string) funky.Maybe[V] {
+func (voc *Vocabulary[V]) Lookup(name string) (V, bool) {
 	vi, ok := voc.data[name]
 	if ok {
-		return funky.Just(vi[len(vi)-1])
+		return vi[len(vi)-1], true
 	}
 	if voc.parent != nil {
 		return voc.parent.Lookup(name)
 	}
-	return funky.Nothing[V]()
+	var r V
+	return r, false
 }
diff --git a/forge/builtins/builtins.go b/forge/builtins/builtins.go
index 65459dc..dde6d6a 100644
--- a/forge/builtins/builtins.go
+++ b/forge/builtins/builtins.go
@@ -10,13 +10,12 @@ type builtins struct {
 }
 
 func Get(f FE) *builtins {
-	m := f.Voc().Lookup("builtins")
-	if m.IsNothing() {
-		b := setup(f)
-		f.Voc().Register("builtins", b)
-		return b
+	if v, ok := f.Voc().Lookup("builtins"); ok {
+		return v.(*builtins)
 	}
-	return m.Value().(*builtins)
+	b := setup(f)
+	f.Voc().Register("builtins", b)
+	return b
 }
 
 func setup(f FE) *builtins {
diff --git a/forge/rep/rep.go b/forge/rep/rep.go
index 4773ba5..953565b 100644
--- a/forge/rep/rep.go
+++ b/forge/rep/rep.go
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 package rep
 
 import (
-	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/common/funky"
+	"fmt"
+
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/forge"
 )
 
@@ -23,21 +24,21 @@ func (ci code) Compile(f forge.FE) forge.FPtr {
 		case int:
 			c.Append(i)
 		case string:
-			m := compStr(f, i)
-			if !m.IsNothing() {
-				c.Append(m.Value())
+			if v, err := compStr(f, i); err == nil {
+				c.Append(v)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println(err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	return c.Reset()
 }
 
-func compStr(f forge.FE, s string) funky.Maybe[forge.FItem] {
-	mxt := f.Voc().Lookup(s)
-	if mxt.IsNothing() {
-		return funky.Nothing[forge.FItem]()
+func compStr(f forge.FE, s string) (forge.FItem, error) {
+	if v, ok := f.Voc().Lookup(s); ok {
+		return forge.FItem(v), nil
 	}
-	return funky.Just(forge.FItem(mxt.Value()))
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("not found: %s", s)
 }
 
 // defs - definitions, represented by a map
diff --git a/tests/common_test.go b/tests/common_test.go
index 4ce3a40..7c4616e 100644
--- a/tests/common_test.go
+++ b/tests/common_test.go
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ func StackTest(t *testing.T) {
 func VocTest(t *testing.T) {
 	v1 := voc.NewVoc[int](nil)
 	v1.Register("one", 1)
-	m := v1.Lookup("one")
-	t.AssertEqual(m.IsNothing(), false)
-	t.AssertEqual(m.Value(), 1)
-	m = v1.Lookup("two")
-	t.AssertEqual(m.IsNothing(), true)
+	r1, ok := v1.Lookup("one")
+	t.AssertEqual(ok, true)
+	t.AssertEqual(r1, 1)
+	_, ok = v1.Lookup("two")
+	t.AssertEqual(ok, false)
 }
 
 func PtrValuePointerTest(t *testing.T) {