diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index aa9c09e6..ac944a36 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,14 +20,9 @@ add_definitions(${PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS})
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 # output targets
 
+add_subdirectory(src/interpreter2)
 #add_subdirectory(utest)
 
-# ----------------------------------------------------------------
-# header-only library
-
-set(SELF_LIB xo_interpreter2)
-xo_add_headeronly_library(${SELF_LIB})
-xo_install_library4(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
 xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/cmake/xo_interpreter2Config.cmake.in b/cmake/xo_interpreter2Config.cmake.in
index b5c3cd5c..bea8e9cc 100644
--- a/cmake/xo_interpreter2Config.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/xo_interpreter2Config.cmake.in
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ include(CMakeFindDependencyMacro)
 #       must coordinate with xo_dependency() calls
 #       in CMakeLists.txt
 #
-#find_dependency(xo_flatstring)
+find_dependency(xo_expression2)
+find_dependency(xo_gc)
 
 include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/@PROJECT_NAME@Targets.cmake")
 check_required_components("@PROJECT_NAME@")
diff --git a/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp b/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6facb3fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/** @file VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
+ *
+ *  @author Roland Conybare, Jan 2026
+ **/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "VsmInstr.hpp"
+#include <xo/expression2/Expression.hpp>
+#include <xo/gc/GCObject.hpp>
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace scm {
+        /** @class VirtualSchematikaMachine
+         *  @brief virtual machine for schematika
+         **/
+        class VirtualSchematikaMachine {
+        public:
+            // will be DArenaVector<obj<StackFrame>> probably
+            using Stack = void *;
+            using AGCObject = xo::mm::AGCObject;
+
+        public:
+            VirtualSchematikaMachine();
+
+            /** borrow calling thread to run indefinitely,
+             *  until halt instruction
+             **/
+            void run();
+
+            /** execute vsm instruction in @ref pc_.
+             *  @retval instruction count. 1 unless pc_ is halt.
+             **/
+            bool execute_one();
+
+        private:
+            /** Require:
+             *  - expression in @ref expr_
+             **/
+            void _do_eval_op();
+
+            /** evaluate a constant expression
+             *  Require:
+             *  - expression in @ref expr_
+             **/
+            void _do_eval_constant_op();
+
+        private:
+            /*
+             * Some registers are preserved by evaluation:
+             *   stack_
+             *   cont_
+             *
+             * Other registers are not preserved
+             *   pc_
+             *   expr_
+             *   value_
+             */
+
+            /** program counter **/
+            VsmInstr pc_ = VsmInstr::halt();
+
+            /** stack pointer **/
+            Stack stack_;
+
+            /** expression register **/
+            obj<AExpression> expr_;
+
+            /** result register **/
+            obj<AGCObject> value_;
+
+            /** continuation register **/
+            VsmInstr cont_ = VsmInstr::halt();
+        };
+    } /*namespace scm*/
+} /*namespace xo*/
+
+/* end VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp */
diff --git a/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmInstr.hpp b/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmInstr.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca74bc4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmInstr.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/** @file VsmInstr.hpp
+ *
+ *  @author Roland Conybeare, Jan 2026
+ **/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "VsmOpcode.hpp"
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace scm {
+        class VsmInstr {
+        public:
+            explicit VsmInstr(vsm_opcode oc) : opcode_{oc} {}
+
+            static VsmInstr halt() { return VsmInstr{vsm_opcode::halt}; }
+            static VsmInstr eval() { return VsmInstr{vsm_opcode::eval}; }
+
+            vsm_opcode opcode() const noexcept { return opcode_; }
+
+        private:
+            vsm_opcode opcode_;
+        };
+    } /*namespace scm*/
+} /*namespace xo*/
+
+/* end VsmInstr.hpp */
diff --git a/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmOpcode.hpp b/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmOpcode.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3638fa29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/xo/interpreter2/VsmOpcode.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/** @file VsmOpcode.hpp
+ *
+ *  @author Roland Conybeare, Jan 2026
+ **/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace scm {
+        /** Opcode for a virtual schematika expression;
+         *  exeucted by VirtualSchematikaMachine
+         **/
+        enum class vsm_opcode {
+            /** Immediately halt virtual schematika machine. **/
+            halt,
+            /** Evaluate expression in expr register **/
+            eval,
+
+            /** sentinel, counts number of opcodes **/
+            N,
+        };
+
+        static constexpr uint32_t n_opcode = static_cast<uint32_t>(vsm_opcode::N);
+    } /*namespace scm*/
+} /*namespace xo*/
+
+/* end VsmOpcode.hpp */
diff --git a/src/interpreter2/CMakeLists.txt b/src/interpreter2/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15d06fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/interpreter2/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# interpreter2/CMakeLists.txt
+
+set(SELF_LIB xo_interpreter2)
+set(SELF_SRCS
+    VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
+    #IExpression_Any.cpp
+    #interpreter2_register_facets.cpp
+    )
+
+xo_add_shared_library4(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets ${PROJECT_VERSION} 1 ${SELF_SRCS})
+# note: deps here must also appear in cmake/xo_interpreter2Config.cmake.in
+xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} xo_expression2)
+xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} xo_gc)
+#xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} reflect)
+#xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} xo_printable2)
+#xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} xo_flatstring)
+#xo_dependency(${SELF_LIB} indentlog)
diff --git a/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp b/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5882dc89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/** @file VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
+ *
+ *  @author Roland Conybeare, Jan 2026
+ **/
+
+#include "VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp"
+#include <xo/expression2/DConstant.hpp>
+#include <cassert>
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace scm {
+
+        VirtualSchematikaMachine::VirtualSchematikaMachine()
+        {}
+
+        void
+        VirtualSchematikaMachine::run()
+        {
+            while (this->execute_one())
+                ;
+        }
+
+        bool
+        VirtualSchematikaMachine::execute_one()
+        {
+            switch (pc_.opcode()) {
+            case vsm_opcode::halt:
+            case vsm_opcode::N:
+                return false;
+            case vsm_opcode::eval:
+                _do_eval_op();
+            }
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        void
+        VirtualSchematikaMachine::_do_eval_op()
+        {
+            switch(expr_.extype()) {
+            case exprtype::invalid:
+            case exprtype::N:
+                break;
+            case exprtype::constant:
+                _do_eval_constant_op();
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        void
+        VirtualSchematikaMachine::_do_eval_constant_op()
+        {
+            auto expr
+                = obj<AExpression,DConstant>::from(expr_);
+
+            this->value_ = expr.data()->value();
+            this->pc_ = this->cont_;
+        }
+
+    } /*namespace scm*/
+} /*namespace xo*/
+
+/* end VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp */