diff --git a/include/xo/reader/expect_type_xs.hpp b/include/xo/reader/expect_type_xs.hpp
index 261074f9..c75c91cb 100644
--- a/include/xo/reader/expect_type_xs.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/reader/expect_type_xs.hpp
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ namespace xo {
             expect_type_xs();
 
             static std::unique_ptr<expect_type_xs> make();
+
+            virtual void on_symbol_token(const token_type & tk,
+                                         exprstatestack * p_stack,
+                                         rp<Expression> * p_emit_expr) override;
         };
     } /*namespace scm*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
diff --git a/src/reader/expect_type_xs.cpp b/src/reader/expect_type_xs.cpp
index 65f0f7a9..6c4c5afb 100644
--- a/src/reader/expect_type_xs.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/expect_type_xs.cpp
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@
 
 #include "expect_type_xs.hpp"
 #include "exprstate.hpp"
+#include "xo/reflect/Reflect.hpp"
 
 namespace xo {
+    using xo::reflect::Reflect;
+
     namespace scm {
         std::unique_ptr<expect_type_xs>
         expect_type_xs::make() {
@@ -17,6 +20,39 @@ namespace xo {
             : exprstate(exprstatetype::expect_type)
         {}
 
+        void
+        expect_type_xs::on_symbol_token(const token_type & tk,
+                                        exprstatestack * p_stack,
+                                        rp<Expression> * p_emit_expr)
+        {
+            const char * c_self_name = "expect_type_xs::on_symbol_token";
+
+            TypeDescr td = nullptr;
+
+            /* TODO: replace with typetable lookup */
+
+            if (tk.text() == "f64")
+                td = Reflect::require<double>();
+            else if(tk.text() == "f32")
+                td = Reflect::require<float>();
+            else if(tk.text() == "i16")
+                td = Reflect::require<std::int16_t>();
+            else if(tk.text() == "i32")
+                td = Reflect::require<std::int32_t>();
+            else if(tk.text() == "i64")
+                td = Reflect::require<std::int64_t>();
+
+            if (!td) {
+                throw std::runtime_error
+                    (tostr(c_self_name,
+                           ": unknown type name",
+                           " (expecting f64|f32|i16|i32|i64)",
+                           xtag("typename", tk.text())));
+            }
+
+            std::unique_ptr<exprstate> self = p_stack->pop_exprstate();
+            p_stack->top_exprstate().on_typedescr(td, p_stack, p_emit_expr);
+        }
     } /*namespace scm*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
 
diff --git a/src/reader/exprstate.cpp b/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
index aa916b0d..1b7bd878 100644
--- a/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ namespace xo {
         void
         exprstate::on_symbol_token(const token_type & tk,
                                    exprstatestack * p_stack,
-                                   rp<Expression> * p_emit_expr)
+                                   rp<Expression> * /*p_emit_expr*/)
         {
             constexpr bool c_debug_flag = true;
             scope log(XO_DEBUG(c_debug_flag));
@@ -199,39 +199,11 @@ namespace xo {
             case exprstatetype::parenexpr:
             case exprstatetype::expect_rhs_expression:
             case exprstatetype::expect_symbol:
+            case exprstatetype::expect_type:
                 /* unreachable - redirected to define_xs etc */
                 assert(false);
                 return;
 
-            case exprstatetype::expect_type: {
-                TypeDescr td = nullptr;
-
-                /* TODO: replace with typetable lookup */
-
-                if (tk.text() == "f64")
-                    td = Reflect::require<double>();
-                else if(tk.text() == "f32")
-                    td = Reflect::require<float>();
-                else if(tk.text() == "i16")
-                    td = Reflect::require<std::int16_t>();
-                else if(tk.text() == "i32")
-                    td = Reflect::require<std::int32_t>();
-                else if(tk.text() == "i64")
-                    td = Reflect::require<std::int64_t>();
-
-                if (!td) {
-                    throw std::runtime_error
-                        (tostr(c_self_name,
-                               ": unknown type name",
-                               " (expecting f64|f32|i16|i32|i64)",
-                               xtag("typename", tk.text())));
-                }
-
-                std::unique_ptr<exprstate> self = p_stack->pop_exprstate();
-                p_stack->top_exprstate().on_typedescr(td, p_stack, p_emit_expr);
-                return;
-            }
-
             case exprstatetype::expr_progress:
                 /* unreachable */
                 assert(false);