diff --git a/src/cg/06-textEditor.cg b/src/cg/06-textEditor.cg
index 1075d23..abcb686 100644
--- a/src/cg/06-textEditor.cg
+++ b/src/cg/06-textEditor.cg
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ textEditor = name \
     { state = state, emit = [rebindAt [buffersKey, name] content] };
 
   apply = state \
-    content = name & " = " & (join "\n" state.lines) & ";";
+    # content = name & " = " & (join "\n" state.lines) & ";";
+    content = (join "\n" state.lines);
     result = eval! content;
     _ = debug! "apply" [content, result];
     result
diff --git a/src/runtime-js.ts b/src/runtime-js.ts
index a235b24..bc4358d 100644
--- a/src/runtime-js.ts
+++ b/src/runtime-js.ts
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ export const _rt = {
         const trimmed = code.trim();
 
         // is it a definition
-        const defMatch = /^([a-z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*)\s*=(?![=])/.exec(trimmed);
+        const defMatch = /^([a-z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*)\s*[:=]/.exec(trimmed);
 
         if (defMatch) {
             try {
@@ -214,7 +214,8 @@ export const _rt = {
                 if (defs.length > 0) {
                     const def = defs[0];
                     recompile(def.name, def.body!);
-                    const source = prettyPrint({ kind: 'definition', name: def.name, body: def.body });
+                    definitions.set(def.name, def);
+                    const source = prettyPrint(def);
                     appendChangeLog(def.name, source);
                     saveDefinitions();
                     return { _tag: 'Defined', _0: def.name };