diff --git a/forge/builtins/builtins.go b/forge/builtins/builtins.go
index 3dbefe2..98ab0ab 100644
--- a/forge/builtins/builtins.go
+++ b/forge/builtins/builtins.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package builtins
 
-import "git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/forge"
+import (
+	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/forge"
+)
 
 type FE = forge.FE
 type XT = forge.XT
@@ -39,27 +41,23 @@ func setup(f FE) *builtins {
 			f.Push(f.Pop().(int) * f.Pop().(int))
 		}),
 		Put: r("!", func(f FE, _ XT) { f.Pop().(FPtr).Set(f.Pop()) }),
-		Reg: r("reg", reg),
+		Reg: r("reg", func(f FE, _ XT) { reg(f) }),
 		Var: r("var", func(f FE, _ XT) {
-			f.Push(forge.Register(voc,
-				forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string), f.Code(f.NewVar()))))
+			f.Register(forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string), f.Code(f.NewVar())))
 		}),
 	}
 	return &b
 }
 
-func reg(f FE, _ XT) {
-	f.Push(forge.Register(f.Voc(),
-		forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string), f.Pop().(FPtr))))
+func reg(f FE) {
+	f.Register(forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string), f.Pop().(FPtr)))
 }
 
-func create(f FE, xt XT) {
+func create(f FE, _ XT) {
 	name := f.Pop().(string)
 	does := forge.AnonCode(f.Pop().(FPtr))
-	f.Push(forge.Register(f.Voc(),
-		forge.GoFunc(name, func(f FE, xt XT) {
-			f.Push(forge.Register(f.Voc(),
-				forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string),
-					f.Code(f.NewVar(), does))))
-		})))
+	f.Register(forge.GoFunc(name, func(f FE, _ XT) {
+		f.Register(forge.FCode(f.Pop().(string),
+			f.Code(f.NewVar(), does)))
+	}))
 }
diff --git a/forge/forge.go b/forge/forge.go
index c0ca465..a5499af 100644
--- a/forge/forge.go
+++ b/forge/forge.go
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ type fvoc = voc.Vocabulary[fitem]
 type Callable func(*forgeEnv, XT)
 
 type forgeEnv struct {
-	ds, rs fstack
-	ip     fptr
-	voc    *fvoc
+	ds, rs   fstack
+	ip       fptr
+	latestxt XT
+	voc      *fvoc
 }
 
 type FE = *forgeEnv
@@ -174,6 +175,15 @@ func (f *forgeEnv) Peek(d int) fitem {
 	return f.ds.Peek(d)
 }
 
+func (f *forgeEnv) LatestXT() XT {
+	return f.latestxt
+}
+
+func (f *forgeEnv) Register(xt XT) {
+	Register(f.Voc(), xt)
+	f.latestxt = xt
+}
+
 // basic functions for executable items
 
 func doFCode(f *forgeEnv, xt XT) {
diff --git a/tests/forge_test.go b/tests/forge_test.go
index fc72a52..0979722 100644
--- a/tests/forge_test.go
+++ b/tests/forge_test.go
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@ func ExecTest(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func CoreTest(t *testing.T) {
-	sq := fe.Exec(fe.Code(b.Dup, b.Mult), "square", b.Reg).Pop()
-	seven := fe.Exec(fe.Code(7), "seven", b.Reg).Pop()
+	sq := fe.Exec(fe.Code(b.Dup, b.Mult), "square", b.Reg).LatestXT()
+	seven := fe.Exec(fe.Code(7), "seven", b.Reg).LatestXT()
 	fe.Exec(3, seven, sq, b.Add)
 	t.AssertEqual(fe.Pop(), 52)
 	//myvar := fe.Exec(fe.Code(fe.NewVar()), "myvar", b.Reg).Pop()
-	dvar := fe.Exec(fe.Code(), "var", b.Create).Pop()
-	myvar := fe.Exec("myvar", dvar).Pop()
+	dvar := fe.Exec(fe.Code(), "var", b.Create).LatestXT()
+	myvar := fe.Exec("myvar", dvar).LatestXT()
 	//myvar := fe.Exec("myvar", b.Var).Pop()
 	fe.Exec(5, myvar, b.Put)
 	fe.Exec(seven, myvar, b.Get, b.Mult)