diff --git a/lib/ruby/ruby_compiler.rb b/lib/ruby/ruby_compiler.rb
index 27746258..d614b822 100644
--- a/lib/ruby/ruby_compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby/ruby_compiler.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ module Ruby
         ast = Parser::CurrentRuby.parse( input )
       rescue => e
         puts "Error parsing #{input}"
+        raise e
       end
       begin
         self.new.process(ast)
diff --git a/lib/ruby/send_statement.rb b/lib/ruby/send_statement.rb
index 5611bd5a..ce781d92 100644
--- a/lib/ruby/send_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby/send_statement.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ module Ruby
   # The SendStatement really only provides to_s, so see CallStatement
   #
   class SendStatement < CallStatement
+
+    def to_vool
+      return super unless @receiver.is_a?(ModuleName) and @receiver.name == :X
+      args = @arguments.collect { |arg| arg.to_vool }
+      Vool::MacroExpression.new(name , args)
+    end
     def to_s(depth = 0)
       at_depth( depth , "#{receiver}.#{name}(#{arguments.join(', ')})")
     end
diff --git a/lib/vool/if_statement.rb b/lib/vool/if_statement.rb
index c7ebd829..5c83a833 100644
--- a/lib/vool/if_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/if_statement.rb
@@ -15,12 +15,11 @@ module Vool
       false_label = Mom::Label.new( self , "false_label_#{object_id.to_s(16)}")
       merge_label = Mom::Label.new( self , "merge_label_#{object_id.to_s(16)}")
 
-      check =  Mom::TruthCheck.new(condition.to_slot(compiler) , false_label)
       if @condition.is_a?(CallStatement)
         head = @condition.to_mom(compiler)
-        head << check
+        head << check_slot(compiler , false_label)
       else
-        head = check
+        head = check_slot(compiler , false_label)
       end
       head << true_label
       head << if_true.to_mom(compiler)   if @if_true
@@ -31,6 +30,11 @@ module Vool
       head
     end
 
+    # create the slot lazily, so to_mom gets called first
+    def check_slot(compiler , false_label)
+      Mom::TruthCheck.new(@condition.to_slot(compiler) , false_label)
+    end
+
     def each(&block)
       block.call(condition)
       @if_true.each(&block) if @if_true
diff --git a/lib/vool/macro_expression.rb b/lib/vool/macro_expression.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03a69221
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/vool/macro_expression.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+module Vool
+
+  class MacroExpression < CallStatement
+
+    def initialize(name , arguments )
+      super(name , SelfExpression.new , arguments)
+    end
+
+    def to_mom(compiler)
+      parts = name.to_s.split("_")
+      class_name = "Mom::#{parts.collect{|s| s.capitalize}.join}"
+      eval(class_name).new( self , *arguments)
+    end
+
+    # When used as right hand side, this tells what data to move to get the result into
+    # a varaible. It is (off course) the return value of the message
+    def to_slot(_)
+      Mom::SlotDefinition.new(:message ,[ :return_value])
+    end
+
+    def to_s(depth = 0)
+      sen = "X.#{name}(#{@arguments.collect{|a| a.to_s}.join(', ')})"
+      at_depth(depth , sen)
+    end
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/vool/return_statement.rb b/lib/vool/return_statement.rb
index a19643ba..2ea288de 100644
--- a/lib/vool/return_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/return_statement.rb
@@ -17,13 +17,11 @@ module Vool
     # - store the given return value, this is a SlotMove
     # - activate return sequence (reinstantiate old message and jump to return address)
     def to_mom( compiler )
-      load = Mom::SlotLoad.new( self , [:message , :return_value] ,
-                        @return_value.to_slot(compiler) )
       if @return_value.is_a?(CallStatement)
         ret = @return_value.to_mom(compiler)
-        ret << load
+        ret << slot_load(compiler)
       else
-        ret = load
+        ret = slot_load(compiler)
       end
       ret << Mom::ReturnJump.new(self , compiler.return_label )
     end
@@ -31,5 +29,10 @@ module Vool
     def to_s(depth = 0)
       at_depth(depth , "return #{@return_value.to_s}")
     end
+
+    def slot_load(compiler)
+      Mom::SlotLoad.new( self , [:message , :return_value] ,
+                        @return_value.to_slot(compiler) )
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/vool/statement.rb b/lib/vool/statement.rb
index 44d6b184..bf2fa101 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statement.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ require_relative "if_statement"
 require_relative "ivar_assignment"
 require_relative "lambda_expression"
 require_relative "local_assignment"
+require_relative "macro_expression"
 require_relative "method_expression"
 require_relative "class_method_expression"
 require_relative "return_statement"
diff --git a/test/mains/test_new.rb b/test/mains/test_new.rb
index 3ead3eaa..1b5afbad 100644
--- a/test/mains/test_new.rb
+++ b/test/mains/test_new.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ module Mains
       run_all
       assert_equal ::Integer , get_return.class , " "
       assert_equal 4 , get_return , " "
-      assert_equal "hi" , @interpreter.stdout
+      assert_equal "11111" , @interpreter.stdout
     end
 
   end
diff --git a/test/ruby/helper.rb b/test/ruby/helper.rb
index e5c7d3cd..eb3425ed 100644
--- a/test/ruby/helper.rb
+++ b/test/ruby/helper.rb
@@ -2,12 +2,20 @@ require_relative "../helper"
 
 module Ruby
   module RubyTests
+    include ScopeHelper
     def setup
       Parfait.boot!(Parfait.default_test_options)
     end
     def compile(input)
       RubyCompiler.compile(input)
     end
+    def compile_main(input)
+      RubyCompiler.compile(as_main(input))
+    end
+    def compile_main_vool(input)
+      xcompiler = RubyX::RubyXCompiler.new(RubyX.default_test_options)
+      xcompiler.ruby_to_vool(as_main(input))
+    end
 
     def assert_raises_muted &block
       orig_stdout = $stdout
diff --git a/test/ruby/test_macro_expression.rb b/test/ruby/test_macro_expression.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bdd55cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ruby/test_macro_expression.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+require_relative "helper"
+
+module Ruby
+  class TestPlusEqualsRuby < Minitest::Test
+    include RubyTests
+    def setup
+      @lst = compile_main( "X.plus_equals(1)")
+    end
+    def method_body
+      @lst.body.first.body
+    end
+    def test_class
+      assert_equal Ruby::ClassStatement , @lst.class
+      assert_equal Ruby::Statements , @lst.body.class
+    end
+    def test_method
+      assert_equal Ruby::MethodStatement , @lst.body.first.class
+      assert_equal Ruby::SendStatement , method_body.class
+    end
+    def test_send
+      assert_equal :X , method_body.receiver.name
+      assert_equal :plus_equals , method_body.name
+    end
+  end
+  class TestPlusEquals < Minitest::Test
+    include RubyTests
+    def setup
+      @lst = compile( "X.plus_equals(1)").to_vool
+    end
+    def test_class
+      assert_equal Vool::MacroExpression , @lst.class
+    end
+    def test_arg1
+      assert_equal Vool::IntegerConstant , @lst.arguments.first.class
+    end
+    def test_name
+      assert_equal :plus_equals , @lst.name
+    end
+  end
+  class TestPlusEqualsX < Minitest::Test
+    include RubyTests
+    def setup
+      @lst = compile_main( "X.plus_equals(arg,1)").to_vool
+    end
+    def method_body
+      @lst.body.first.body
+    end
+    def test_class
+      assert_equal Vool::ClassExpression , @lst.class
+      assert_equal Vool::MethodExpression , @lst.body.first.class
+    end
+    def test_macro_class
+      assert_equal Vool::ReturnStatement , method_body.class
+      assert_equal Vool::MacroExpression , method_body.return_value.class
+    end
+    def test_args
+      assert_equal Vool::LocalVariable , method_body.return_value.arguments.first.class
+      assert_equal Vool::IntegerConstant , method_body.return_value.arguments.last.class
+    end
+    def test_name
+      assert_equal :plus_equals , method_body.return_value.name
+    end
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/test/vool/test_macro_expression.rb b/test/vool/test_macro_expression.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c82b62a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vool/test_macro_expression.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+require_relative "helper"
+module Mom
+  class PlusEquals < Instruction
+    attr_reader :a , :b
+    def initialize(source , arg , b)
+      super(source)
+      @a = arg
+      @b = b
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+module Vool
+  class TestMacroMom < MiniTest::Test
+    include VoolCompile
+
+    def setup
+      @compiler = compile_first_method( "X.plus_equals(arg,1)")
+      @ins = @compiler.mom_instructions.next
+    end
+
+    def test_class_compiles
+      assert_equal Mom::PlusEquals , @ins.class , @ins
+    end
+    def test_arg1
+      assert_equal  Vool::LocalVariable , @ins.a.class
+      assert_equal  :arg , @ins.a.name
+    end
+    def test_arg2
+      assert_equal  Vool::IntegerConstant , @ins.b.class
+      assert_equal  1 , @ins.b.value
+    end
+  end
+
+end