diff --git a/lib/melon/compiler.rb b/lib/melon/compiler.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8873ea97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/melon/compiler.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+
+
+module Melon
+  class Compiler < AST::Processor
+
+    def self.compile input
+      ast = Parser::Ruby22.parse input
+      compiler = self.new
+      compiler.process ast
+    end
+
+    def on_class statement
+      name , _ , _ = *statement
+      clazz_name = name.children[1]
+      Parfait::Space.object_space.create_class(clazz_name , nil )
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/salama.rb b/lib/salama.rb
index 7d377f93..279c6563 100644
--- a/lib/salama.rb
+++ b/lib/salama.rb
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@ require "register"
 require "register/builtin/space"
 require "arm/arm_machine"
 require "arm/translator"
+
+require "parser/ruby22"
+require "melon/compiler"
diff --git a/lib/typed/parfait/space.rb b/lib/typed/parfait/space.rb
index 89a490f1..da476663 100644
--- a/lib/typed/parfait/space.rb
+++ b/lib/typed/parfait/space.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ module Parfait
     # so we get and keep exactly one per name
     def create_class name , superclass
       raise "create_class #{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Symbol
-      c = Class.new(name , superclass)
+      superclass = :Object unless superclass
+      c = Class.new(name , superclass )
       self.classes[name] = c
     end
 
diff --git a/test/melon/compiler/helper.rb b/test/melon/compiler/helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f91a123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/melon/compiler/helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require_relative '../helper'
diff --git a/test/melon/compiler/test_all.rb b/test/melon/compiler/test_all.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e6f195a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/melon/compiler/test_all.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require_relative "test_class"
diff --git a/test/melon/compiler/test_class.rb b/test/melon/compiler/test_class.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63468091
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/melon/compiler/test_class.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+require_relative "helper"
+
+module Melon
+  class TestClass < MiniTest::Test
+
+    def test_creates_class
+      Register.machine.boot
+      before = Parfait::Space.object_space.classes.length
+      @string_input = <<HERE
+class Testing
+end
+HERE
+      Compiler.compile @string_input
+      assert_equal 1 ,  Parfait::Space.object_space.classes.length - before , "No classes created"
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/melon/helper.rb b/test/melon/helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f91a123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/melon/helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require_relative '../helper'
diff --git a/test/melon/test_all.rb b/test/melon/test_all.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..089b4bd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/melon/test_all.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require_relative "compiler/test_all"