diff --git a/include/xo/reader/exprseq_xs.hpp b/include/xo/reader/exprseq_xs.hpp
index 261cbd5a..861a6321 100644
--- a/include/xo/reader/exprseq_xs.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/reader/exprseq_xs.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ namespace xo {
 
             virtual void on_def_token(const token_type & tk,
                                       exprstatestack * p_stack) override;
+            virtual void on_symbol_token(const token_type & tk,
+                                         exprstatestack * p_stack,
+                                         rp<Expression> * p_emit_expr) override;
+
+            // ----- victory methods -----
+
         };
     } /*namespace scm*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
diff --git a/src/reader/exprseq_xs.cpp b/src/reader/exprseq_xs.cpp
index e0a5af6f..a127cdc8 100644
--- a/src/reader/exprseq_xs.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/exprseq_xs.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,16 @@ namespace xo {
              *   def sq(x : f64) -> f64 { (x * x) }
              */
         }
+
+        void
+        exprseq_xs::on_symbol_token(const token_type & tk,
+                                    exprstatestack * /*p_stack*/,
+                                    rp<Expression> * /*p_emit_expr*/)
+        {
+            constexpr const char * c_self_name = "exprseq_xs::on_symbol_token";
+
+            this->illegal_input_error(c_self_name, tk);
+        }
     } /*namespace scm*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
 
diff --git a/src/reader/exprstate.cpp b/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
index beab670a..3e3ae9ec 100644
--- a/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/exprstate.cpp
@@ -315,13 +315,6 @@ namespace xo {
 
             switch (this->exs_type_) {
             case exprstatetype::expect_toplevel_expression_sequence:
-                throw std::runtime_error
-                    (tostr(c_self_name,
-                           ": unexpected symbol-token at top-level",
-                           " (expecting decl|def)",
-                           xtag("symbol", tk)));
-                break;
-
             case exprstatetype::defexpr:
             case exprstatetype::parenexpr:
                 /* unreachable - redirects to define_xs */
@@ -409,7 +402,7 @@ namespace xo {
                 assert(false);
                 return;
             }
-        } /*on_symbol*/
+        }
 
         void
         exprstate::on_typedescr(TypeDescr /*td*/,