diff --git a/lib/typed/compiler/field_access.rb b/lib/typed/compiler/field_access.rb
index 15b3976f..0a77081a 100644
--- a/lib/typed/compiler/field_access.rb
+++ b/lib/typed/compiler/field_access.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module Typed
       clazz = Register.machine.space.get_class_by_name receiver.type
       field_name = statement.field.name
       index = clazz.instance_type.variable_index(field_name)
-      raise "field access, but no such field:#{field_name} for class #{clazz.name}" unless index
+      raise "no such field:#{field_name} for class #{clazz.name}:#{clazz.instance_type.inspect}" unless index
       value = use_reg(clazz.instance_type.type_at(index))
 
       add_code Register.get_slot(statement , receiver , index, value)
diff --git a/lib/typed/compiler/name_expression.rb b/lib/typed/compiler/name_expression.rb
index fecfad6f..bd4ea197 100644
--- a/lib/typed/compiler/name_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/typed/compiler/name_expression.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module Typed
       private
 
       def handle_local statement
-        index = @method.has_local( name )
+        index = @method.has_local( statement.name )
         raise "must define variable '#{name}' before using it" unless index
         frame = use_reg :Frame
         add_code Register.get_slot(statement , :message , :frame , frame )
diff --git a/test/typed/expressions/helper.rb b/test/typed/expressions/helper.rb
index 67de4f1d..22152ce0 100644
--- a/test/typed/expressions/helper.rb
+++ b/test/typed/expressions/helper.rb
@@ -25,4 +25,9 @@ module ExpressionHelper
     produced
   end
 
+  # test hack to in place change object type
+  def add_object_field(name,type)
+    class_type = Register.machine.space.get_class_by_name(:Object).instance_type
+    class_type.send(:private_add_instance_variable, name , type)
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/typed/expressions/test_all.rb b/test/typed/expressions/test_all.rb
index 1c8dda15..6b2411ac 100644
--- a/test/typed/expressions/test_all.rb
+++ b/test/typed/expressions/test_all.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 require_relative "test_basic"
+require_relative "test_field_access"
+require_relative "test_ops"
 #require_relative "test_call"
-#require_relative "test_field_access"
-#require_relative "test_ops"
diff --git a/test/typed/expressions/test_call.rb b/test/typed/expressions/test_call.rb
index c13634c1..45b908e7 100644
--- a/test/typed/expressions/test_call.rb
+++ b/test/typed/expressions/test_call.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ module Register
 
     def setup
       Register.machine.boot
-      @root = :call_site
       @output = Register::RegisterValue
     end
 
diff --git a/test/typed/expressions/test_field_access.rb b/test/typed/expressions/test_field_access.rb
index 8ba3be86..f612d041 100644
--- a/test/typed/expressions/test_field_access.rb
+++ b/test/typed/expressions/test_field_access.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require_relative "helper"
 module Register
   class TestFields < MiniTest::Test
     include ExpressionHelper
+    include AST::Sexp
 
     def setup
       Register.machine.boot
@@ -10,49 +11,25 @@ module Register
 
     def test_field_not_defined
       @root = :field_access
-      @input = <<HERE
-self.a
-HERE
+      @input = s(:field_access, s(:receiver, s(:name, :self)), s(:field, s(:name, :a)))
       assert_raises(RuntimeError) { check }
     end
 
     def test_field_not_space
       @root = :field_access
-      @input = <<HERE
-self.space
-HERE
+      @input = s(:field_access,
+  s(:receiver,
+    s(:name, :self)),
+  s(:field,
+    s(:name, :space)))
+
       assert_raises(RuntimeError) { check }
     end
 
     def test_field
-      Register.machine.space.get_class_by_name(:Object).instance_type.add_instance_variable(:bro,:Object)
+      add_object_field(:bro,:Object)
       @root = :field_access
-      @input = <<HERE
-self.bro
-HERE
-      @output = Register::RegisterValue
-      check
-    end
-
-    def test_local
-      Register.machine.space.get_main.ensure_local(:bar , :Integer)
-      @root = :name
-      @input    = 'bar '
-      @output = Register::RegisterValue
-      check
-    end
-
-    def test_space
-      @root = :name
-      @input    = 'space '
-      @output = Register::RegisterValue
-      check
-    end
-
-    def test_args
-      Register.machine.space.get_main.arguments.push Parfait::Variable.new(:Integer , :bar)
-      @root = :name
-      @input    = 'bar '
+      @input = s(:field_access,  s(:receiver, s(:name, :self)),  s(:field,    s(:name, :bro)))
       @output = Register::RegisterValue
       check
     end
diff --git a/test/typed/expressions/test_ops.rb b/test/typed/expressions/test_ops.rb
index 1654d502..7fb13eee 100644
--- a/test/typed/expressions/test_ops.rb
+++ b/test/typed/expressions/test_ops.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require_relative "helper"
 module Register
   class TestOps < MiniTest::Test
     include ExpressionHelper
+    include AST::Sexp
 
     def setup
       Register.machine.boot
@@ -11,34 +12,37 @@ module Register
     end
 
     def operators
-      ["+" , "-" , "*" , "/" , "=="]
+      [:+ , :- , :* , :/ , :== ]
     end
     def test_ints
       operators.each do |op|
-        @input = '2 + 3'.sub("+" , op)
+        @input = s(:operator_value, op , s(:int, 2), s(:int, 3))
         check
       end
     end
     def test_local_int
       Register.machine.space.get_main.ensure_local(:bar , :Integer)
-      @input    = 'bar  + 3'
+      @input    = s(:operator_value, :+, s(:name, :bar), s(:int, 3))
       check
     end
     def test_int_local
       Register.machine.space.get_main.ensure_local(:bar , :Integer)
-      @input    = '3  + bar'
+      @input    = s(:operator_value, :+, s(:int, 3), s(:name, :bar))
       check
     end
 
     def test_field_int
-      Register.machine.space.get_class_by_name(:Object).instance_type.add_instance_variable(:bro,:int)
-      @input = "self.bro + 3"
+      add_object_field(:bro,:int)
+      @input = s(:operator_value, :+, s(:field_access,  s(:receiver, s(:name, :self)),
+                                                        s(:field, s(:name, :bro))),
+                                      s(:int, 3))
       check
     end
 
     def test_int_field
-      Register.machine.space.get_class_by_name(:Object).instance_type.add_instance_variable(:bro,:int)
-      @input = "3 + self.bro"
+      add_object_field(:bro,:int)
+      @input = s(:operator_value, :+, s(:int, 3), s(:field_access, s(:receiver, s(:name, :self)),
+                                                  s(:field,s(:name, :bro))))
       check
     end
   end