diff --git a/xo-indentlog/include/xo/indentlog/print/tag.hpp b/xo-indentlog/include/xo/indentlog/print/tag.hpp
index 008dcbdd..678eb0f7 100644
--- a/xo-indentlog/include/xo/indentlog/print/tag.hpp
+++ b/xo-indentlog/include/xo/indentlog/print/tag.hpp
@@ -158,6 +158,17 @@ namespace xo {
         return ref_tag_impl<false, tagstyle::raw, std::decay_t<Name>, std::decay_t<Value>>(n, v);
     }
 
+    // ----- xrefrtag -----
+
+    /** 'reference raw tag'.  Like @ref refrtag, but precede with a single space
+     **/
+    template <typename Name, typename Value>
+    auto
+    xrefrtag(Name && n, Value && v)
+    {
+        return ref_tag_impl<true, tagstyle::raw, std::decay_t<Name>, std::decay_t<Value>>(n, v);
+    }
+
     // ----- operator<< on tag_impl -----
 
     template <bool PrefixSpace, tagstyle TagStyle, typename Name, typename Value>
diff --git a/xo-reader/src/reader/apply_xs.cpp b/xo-reader/src/reader/apply_xs.cpp
index d5f5daed..d6315a08 100644
--- a/xo-reader/src/reader/apply_xs.cpp
+++ b/xo-reader/src/reader/apply_xs.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ namespace xo {
 
             if (this->applyxs_type_ == applyexprstatetype::apply_3) {
                 this->applyxs_type_ = applyexprstatetype::apply_2;
+                expect_expr_xs::start(p_psm);
             } else {
                 constexpr const char * c_self_name = "apply_xs::on_comma_token";
                 const char * exp = this->get_expect_str();
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ namespace xo {
 
             if (this->applyxs_type_ == applyexprstatetype::apply_1) {
                 this->applyxs_type_ = applyexprstatetype::apply_2;
+                expect_expr_xs::start(p_psm);
             } else {
                 constexpr const char * c_self_name = "apply_xs::on_leftparen_token";
                 const char * exp = this->get_expect_str();
diff --git a/xo-reader/src/reader/define_xs.cpp b/xo-reader/src/reader/define_xs.cpp
index c4e1a4a4..2403359a 100644
--- a/xo-reader/src/reader/define_xs.cpp
+++ b/xo-reader/src/reader/define_xs.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ namespace xo {
         {
             scope log(XO_DEBUG(p_psm->debug_flag()));
 
-            log && log("defxs_type", defxs_type_);
+            log && log(xtag("defxs_type", defxs_type_), xtag("env_stack_size", p_psm->env_stack_size()));
 
             if (this->defxs_type_ == defexprstatetype::def_1) {
                 this->defxs_type_ = defexprstatetype::def_2;
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ namespace xo {
                 // For interactive top-level defs we want to evaluate as we go,
                 // so need incremental bindings.
 
-                if (p_psm->env_stack_size() == 2) {
+                if (p_psm->env_stack_size() == 1) {
                     /* remember variable binding in lexical context,
                      * so we can refer to it later
                      */
diff --git a/xo-reader/src/reader/parser.cpp b/xo-reader/src/reader/parser.cpp
index 83615867..b650f297 100644
--- a/xo-reader/src/reader/parser.cpp
+++ b/xo-reader/src/reader/parser.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace xo {
 
             /* stack_ is non-empty */
 
-            log && log(xtag("top", psm_.xs_stack_.top_exprstate()));
+            log && log(xrefrtag("top", psm_.xs_stack_.top_exprstate()));
 
             psm_.xs_stack_.top_exprstate().on_input(tk, &psm_);