diff --git a/etc/hello.tal b/etc/hello.tal
index a77fc39..2379bcc 100644
--- a/etc/hello.tal
+++ b/etc/hello.tal
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ( init )
 
+%emit { #18 DEO }
+
 |0100 @program
 
 	#1234 SWP
@@ -11,8 +13,8 @@
 	;hello-word
 
 	&while
-		( send ) LDAk #18 DEO
-		( loop ) INC2 LDAk ,&while JCN
+		( send ) LDAk emit
+		( loop ) INC2 LDAk ?&while
 	POP2
 
 	#010f DEO
diff --git a/src/uxnasm.c b/src/uxnasm.c
index 388e596..8851fd0 100644
--- a/src/uxnasm.c
+++ b/src/uxnasm.c
@@ -312,25 +312,32 @@ doinclude(char *filename)
 	return res;
 }
 
+static int
+walkcomment(char *w, FILE *f)
+{
+	int i = 1;
+	char word[0x40];
+	if(slen(w) != 1)
+		fprintf(stderr, "-- Malformed comment: %s\n", w);
+	while(fscanf(f, "%63s", word) == 1) {
+		if(slen(word) != 1)
+			continue;
+		else if(word[0] == '(')
+			i++;
+		else if(word[0] == ')' && --i < 1)
+			break;
+	}
+	return 1;
+}
+
 static int
 parse(char *w, FILE *f)
 {
 	int i;
-	char word[0x40], c;
+	char c;
 	Macro *m;
 	switch(w[0]) {
-	case '(': /* comment */
-		if(slen(w) != 1) fprintf(stderr, "-- Malformed comment: %s\n", w);
-		i = 1; /* track nested comment depth */
-		while(fscanf(f, "%63s", word) == 1) {
-			if(slen(word) != 1)
-				continue;
-			else if(word[0] == '(')
-				i++;
-			else if(word[0] == ')' && --i < 1)
-				break;
-		}
-		break;
+	case '(': return walkcomment(w, f);
 	case '~': return !doinclude(w + 1) ? error_asm("Invalid include") : 1;
 	case '%': return !makemacro(w + 1, f) ? error_asm("Invalid macro") : 1;
 	case '@': return !makelabel(w + 1, 1) ? error_asm("Invalid label") : 1;