diff --git a/src/libcore/hash.rs b/src/libcore/hash.rs
index 7c1448c88eef7..4a1a1952907c6 100644
--- a/src/libcore/hash.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/hash.rs
@@ -186,6 +186,39 @@ fn SipState(key0: u64, key1: u64) -> SipState {
     state
 }
 
+// sadly, these macro definitions can't appear later,
+// because they're needed in the following defs;
+// this design could be improved.
+
+macro_rules! u8to64_le (
+    ($buf:expr, $i:expr) =>
+    ($buf[0+$i] as u64 |
+     $buf[1+$i] as u64 << 8 |
+     $buf[2+$i] as u64 << 16 |
+     $buf[3+$i] as u64 << 24 |
+     $buf[4+$i] as u64 << 32 |
+     $buf[5+$i] as u64 << 40 |
+     $buf[6+$i] as u64 << 48 |
+     $buf[7+$i] as u64 << 56)
+)
+
+macro_rules! rotl (
+    ($x:expr, $b:expr) =>
+    (($x << $b) | ($x >> (64 - $b)))
+)
+
+macro_rules! compress (
+    ($v0:expr, $v1:expr, $v2:expr, $v3:expr) =>
+    ({
+        $v0 += $v1; $v1 = rotl!($v1, 13); $v1 ^= $v0;
+        $v0 = rotl!($v0, 32);
+        $v2 += $v3; $v3 = rotl!($v3, 16); $v3 ^= $v2;
+        $v0 += $v3; $v3 = rotl!($v3, 21); $v3 ^= $v0;
+        $v2 += $v1; $v1 = rotl!($v1, 17); $v1 ^= $v2;
+        $v2 = rotl!($v2, 32);
+    })
+)
+
 
 impl io::Writer for SipState {
 
@@ -193,35 +226,6 @@ impl io::Writer for SipState {
     #[inline(always)]
     fn write(&self, msg: &[const u8]) {
 
-        macro_rules! u8to64_le (
-            ($buf:expr, $i:expr) =>
-            ($buf[0+$i] as u64 |
-             $buf[1+$i] as u64 << 8 |
-             $buf[2+$i] as u64 << 16 |
-             $buf[3+$i] as u64 << 24 |
-             $buf[4+$i] as u64 << 32 |
-             $buf[5+$i] as u64 << 40 |
-             $buf[6+$i] as u64 << 48 |
-             $buf[7+$i] as u64 << 56)
-        );
-
-        macro_rules! rotl (
-            ($x:expr, $b:expr) =>
-            (($x << $b) | ($x >> (64 - $b)))
-        );
-
-        macro_rules! compress (
-            ($v0:expr, $v1:expr, $v2:expr, $v3:expr) =>
-            ({
-                $v0 += $v1; $v1 = rotl!($v1, 13); $v1 ^= $v0;
-                $v0 = rotl!($v0, 32);
-                $v2 += $v3; $v3 = rotl!($v3, 16); $v3 ^= $v2;
-                $v0 += $v3; $v3 = rotl!($v3, 21); $v3 ^= $v0;
-                $v2 += $v1; $v1 = rotl!($v1, 17); $v1 ^= $v2;
-                $v2 = rotl!($v2, 32);
-            })
-        );
-
         let length = msg.len();
         self.length += length;
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/_match.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/_match.rs
index df6073f9339b4..3686c31ea6e64 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/_match.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/_match.rs
@@ -172,11 +172,6 @@ use syntax::ast_util;
 use syntax::codemap::span;
 use syntax::print::pprust::pat_to_str;
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
-
 // An option identifying a literal: either a unit-like struct or an
 // expression.
 pub enum Lit {
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/controlflow.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/controlflow.rs
index 4cf12576a78ee..57cb1a937764c 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/controlflow.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/controlflow.rs
@@ -18,11 +18,6 @@ use middle::trans::datum::*;
 
 use core::str;
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
-
 pub fn trans_block(bcx: block, b: &ast::blk, dest: expr::Dest) -> block {
     let _icx = bcx.insn_ctxt("trans_block");
     let mut bcx = bcx;
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/expr.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/expr.rs
index a7b12d13d4e12..6226e83d046b3 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/expr.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/expr.rs
@@ -149,8 +149,6 @@ use syntax::codemap::spanned;
 // These are passed around by the code generating functions to track the
 // destination of a computation's value.
 
-fn macros() { include!("macros.rs"); } // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-
 pub enum Dest {
     SaveIn(ValueRef),
     Ignore,
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/macros.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/macros.rs
index dad4a8bd2bf4b..14ed7692661d4 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/macros.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/macros.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-{
+#[macro_escape];
 
 macro_rules! unpack_datum(
     ($bcx: ident, $inp: expr) => (
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ macro_rules! unpack_datum(
             db.datum
         }
     )
-);
+)
 
 macro_rules! unpack_result(
     ($bcx: ident, $inp: expr) => (
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ macro_rules! unpack_result(
             db.val
         }
     )
-);
+)
 
 macro_rules! trace_span(
     ($bcx: ident, $sp: expr, $str: expr) => (
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ macro_rules! trace_span(
             }
         }
     )
-);
+)
 
 macro_rules! trace(
     ($bcx: ident, $str: expr) => (
@@ -50,6 +50,5 @@ macro_rules! trace(
             }
         }
     )
-);
+)
 
-}
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/meth.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/meth.rs
index 02ea29f915d69..07b6556df6aa0 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/meth.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/meth.rs
@@ -39,11 +39,6 @@ use syntax::ast_util::local_def;
 use syntax::print::pprust::expr_to_str;
 use syntax::{ast, ast_map};
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
-
 /**
 The main "translation" pass for methods.  Generates code
 for non-monomorphized methods only.  Other methods will
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/combine.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/combine.rs
index 1c6b1507629c5..f63dac4c5ae55 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/combine.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/combine.rs
@@ -72,11 +72,6 @@ use syntax::ast::{Onceness, purity, ret_style};
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::codemap::span;
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
-
 pub trait Combine {
     fn infcx(&self) -> @mut InferCtxt;
     fn tag(&self) -> ~str;
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/lub.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/lub.rs
index df4b8c0be09b5..4fee6f061b1ca 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/lub.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/lub.rs
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@ use std::list;
 use syntax::ast::{Many, Once, extern_fn, m_const, impure_fn, noreturn};
 use syntax::ast::{pure_fn, ret_style, return_val, unsafe_fn};
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
-
 pub enum Lub = CombineFields;  // least-upper-bound: common supertype
 
 pub impl Lub {
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/macros.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/macros.rs
index 01174d1620ada..e02772d951c55 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/macros.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/macros.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-{
+#[macro_escape];
 
 macro_rules! if_ok(
     ($inp: expr) => (
@@ -17,6 +17,5 @@ macro_rules! if_ok(
             Err(e) => { return Err(e); }
         }
     )
-);
+)
 
-}
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/mod.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/mod.rs
index b55b45a318341..8bb1f2f47e5e4 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/mod.rs
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ use syntax::codemap;
 use syntax::ast_util;
 use syntax::codemap::span;
 
+pub mod macros;
 pub mod combine;
 pub mod glb;
 pub mod lattice;
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/sub.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/sub.rs
index 661c67dbefc62..12a9a6c4076e7 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/sub.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/infer/sub.rs
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ use std::list::Nil;
 use std::list;
 use syntax::ast::{m_const, purity, ret_style};
 
-pub fn macros() {
-    // FIXME(#3114): Macro import/export.
-    include!("macros.rs");
-}
 
 pub enum Sub = CombineFields;  // "subtype", "subregion" etc
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/rustc.rc b/src/librustc/rustc.rc
index 01758a1845d7c..617a64f32d3ec 100644
--- a/src/librustc/rustc.rc
+++ b/src/librustc/rustc.rc
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ use back_ = back;
 
 pub mod middle {
     pub mod trans {
+        pub mod macros;
         pub mod inline;
         pub mod monomorphize;
         pub mod controlflow;
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/extract.rs b/src/librustdoc/extract.rs
index 0184945d6f8fd..f129df3f300c1 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/extract.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/extract.rs
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ fn nmoddoc_from_mod(
           ast::foreign_item_const(*) => {} // XXX: Not implemented.
         }
     }
-    doc:: NmodDoc {
+    doc::NmodDoc {
         item: itemdoc,
         fns: fns,
         index: None
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ast.rs b/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
index 6befb2f188042..5af67aa0e3b33 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
@@ -29,8 +29,37 @@ macro_rules! interner_key (
         (-3 as uint, 0u)))
 )
 
+// an identifier contains an index into the interner
+// table and a SyntaxContext to track renaming and
+// macro expansion per Flatt et al., "Macros
+// That Work Together"
 #[deriving_eq]
-pub struct ident { repr: uint }
+pub struct ident { repr: Name }
+
+// a SyntaxContext represents a chain of macro-expandings
+// and renamings. Each macro expansion corresponds to
+// a fresh uint
+#[deriving_eq]
+pub enum SyntaxContext {
+    MT,
+    Mark (Mrk,~SyntaxContext),
+    Rename (~ident,Name,~SyntaxContext)
+}
+
+/*
+// ** this is going to have to apply to paths, not to idents.
+// Returns true if these two identifiers access the same
+// local binding or top-level binding... that's what it
+// should do. For now, it just compares the names.
+pub fn free_ident_eq (a : ident, b: ident) -> bool{
+    a.repr == b.repr
+}
+*/
+// a name represents a string, interned
+type Name = uint;
+// a mark represents a unique id associated
+// with a macro expansion
+type Mrk = uint;
 
 pub impl<S:Encoder> Encodable<S> for ident {
     fn encode(&self, s: &S) {
@@ -1230,6 +1259,7 @@ pub enum item_ {
               Option<@trait_ref>, // (optional) trait this impl implements
               @Ty, // self
               ~[@method]),
+    // a macro invocation (which includes macro definition)
     item_mac(mac),
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/auto_encode.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/auto_encode.rs
index 7fbba987cc7df..2c685c360e9d0 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/auto_encode.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/auto_encode.rs
@@ -1173,6 +1173,8 @@ mod test {
         CallToEmitEnumVariantArg(uint),
         CallToEmitUint(uint),
         CallToEmitNil,
+        CallToEmitStruct(~str,uint),
+        CallToEmitField(~str,uint),
         // all of the ones I was too lazy to handle:
         CallToOther
     }
@@ -1251,11 +1253,11 @@ mod test {
         fn emit_rec(&self, f: fn()) {
             self.add_unknown_to_log(); f();
         }
-        fn emit_struct(&self, _name: &str, +_len: uint, f: fn()) {
-            self.add_unknown_to_log(); f();
+        fn emit_struct(&self, name: &str, +len: uint, f: fn()) {
+            self.add_to_log(CallToEmitStruct (name.to_str(),len)); f();
         }
-        fn emit_field(&self, _name: &str, +_idx: uint, f: fn()) {
-            self.add_unknown_to_log(); f();
+        fn emit_field(&self, name: &str, +idx: uint, f: fn()) {
+            self.add_to_log(CallToEmitField (name.to_str(),idx)); f();
         }
 
         fn emit_tup(&self, +_len: uint, f: fn()) {
@@ -1267,23 +1269,12 @@ mod test {
     }
 
 
-    #[auto_decode]
-    #[auto_encode]
-    struct Node {id: uint}
-
     fn to_call_log (val: Encodable<TestEncoder>) -> ~[call] {
         let mut te = TestEncoder {call_log: ~[]};
         val.encode(&te);
         te.call_log
     }
-/*
-    #[test] fn encode_test () {
-        check_equal (to_call_log(Node{id:34}
-                                 as Encodable::<std::json::Encoder>),
-                     ~[CallToEnum (~"Node"),
-                       CallToEnumVariant]);
-    }
-*/
+
     #[auto_encode]
     enum Written {
         Book(uint,uint),
@@ -1300,4 +1291,17 @@ mod test {
                        CallToEmitEnumVariantArg (1),
                        CallToEmitUint (44)]);
         }
+
+    pub enum BPos = uint;
+
+    #[auto_encode]
+    pub struct HasPos { pos : BPos }
+
+    #[test] fn encode_newtype_test () {
+        check_equal (to_call_log (HasPos {pos:BPos(48)}
+                                 as Encodable::<TestEncoder>),
+                    ~[CallToEmitStruct(~"HasPos",1),
+                      CallToEmitField(~"pos",0),
+                      CallToEmitUint(48)]);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
index f3a74302400c9..0eaf6849b7eb7 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ use parse::{parser, token};
 
 use core::io;
 use core::vec;
-use std::oldmap::HashMap;
+use core::hashmap::linear::LinearMap;
 
 // new-style macro! tt code:
 //
 //    SyntaxExpanderTT, SyntaxExpanderTTItem, MacResult,
-//    NormalTT, ItemTT
+//    NormalTT, IdentTT
 //
 // also note that ast::mac used to have a bunch of extraneous cases and
 // is now probably a redundant AST node, can be merged with
@@ -71,25 +71,55 @@ pub enum SyntaxExtension {
     // Token-tree expanders
     NormalTT(SyntaxExpanderTT),
 
+    // An IdentTT is a macro that has an
+    // identifier in between the name of the
+    // macro and the argument. Currently,
+    // the only examples of this are
+    // macro_rules! and proto!
+
     // perhaps macro_rules! will lose its odd special identifier argument,
     // and this can go away also
-    ItemTT(SyntaxExpanderTTItem),
+    IdentTT(SyntaxExpanderTTItem),
 }
 
-type SyntaxExtensions = HashMap<@~str, SyntaxExtension>;
+type SyntaxEnv = @mut MapChain<Name, Transformer>;
+
+// Name : the domain of SyntaxEnvs
+// want to change these to uints....
+// note that we use certain strings that are not legal as identifiers
+// to indicate, for instance, how blocks are supposed to behave.
+type Name = @~str;
+
+// Transformer : the codomain of SyntaxEnvs
+
+// NB: it may seem crazy to lump both of these into one environment;
+// what would it mean to bind "foo" to BlockLimit(true)? The idea
+// is that this follows the lead of MTWT, and accommodates growth
+// toward a more uniform syntax syntax (sorry) where blocks are just
+// another kind of transformer.
+
+enum Transformer {
+    // this identifier maps to a syntax extension or macro
+    SE(SyntaxExtension),
+    // should blocks occurring here limit macro scopes?
+    ScopeMacros(bool)
+}
 
-// A temporary hard-coded map of methods for expanding syntax extension
+// The base map of methods for expanding syntax extension
 // AST nodes into full ASTs
-pub fn syntax_expander_table() -> SyntaxExtensions {
+pub fn syntax_expander_table() -> SyntaxEnv {
     // utility function to simplify creating NormalTT syntax extensions
-    fn builtin_normal_tt(f: SyntaxExpanderTTFun) -> SyntaxExtension {
-        NormalTT(SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: f, span: None})
+    fn builtin_normal_tt(f: SyntaxExpanderTTFun) -> @Transformer {
+        @SE(NormalTT(SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: f, span: None}))
     }
-    // utility function to simplify creating ItemTT syntax extensions
-    fn builtin_item_tt(f: SyntaxExpanderTTItemFun) -> SyntaxExtension {
-        ItemTT(SyntaxExpanderTTItem{expander: f, span: None})
+    // utility function to simplify creating IdentTT syntax extensions
+    fn builtin_item_tt(f: SyntaxExpanderTTItemFun) -> @Transformer {
+        @SE(IdentTT(SyntaxExpanderTTItem{expander: f, span: None}))
     }
-    let syntax_expanders = HashMap();
+    let mut syntax_expanders = LinearMap::new();
+    // NB identifier starts with space, and can't conflict with legal idents
+    syntax_expanders.insert(@~" block",
+                            @ScopeMacros(true));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"macro_rules",
                             builtin_item_tt(
                                 ext::tt::macro_rules::add_new_extension));
@@ -97,10 +127,10 @@ pub fn syntax_expander_table() -> SyntaxExtensions {
                             builtin_normal_tt(ext::fmt::expand_syntax_ext));
     syntax_expanders.insert(
         @~"auto_encode",
-        ItemDecorator(ext::auto_encode::expand_auto_encode));
+        @SE(ItemDecorator(ext::auto_encode::expand_auto_encode)));
     syntax_expanders.insert(
         @~"auto_decode",
-        ItemDecorator(ext::auto_encode::expand_auto_decode));
+        @SE(ItemDecorator(ext::auto_encode::expand_auto_decode)));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"env",
                             builtin_normal_tt(ext::env::expand_syntax_ext));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"concat_idents",
@@ -110,25 +140,25 @@ pub fn syntax_expander_table() -> SyntaxExtensions {
                             builtin_normal_tt(
                                 ext::log_syntax::expand_syntax_ext));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"deriving_eq",
-                            ItemDecorator(
-                                ext::deriving::expand_deriving_eq));
+                            @SE(ItemDecorator(
+                                ext::deriving::expand_deriving_eq)));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"deriving_iter_bytes",
-                            ItemDecorator(
-                                ext::deriving::expand_deriving_iter_bytes));
+                            @SE(ItemDecorator(
+                                ext::deriving::expand_deriving_iter_bytes)));
 
     // Quasi-quoting expanders
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_tokens",
                        builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_tokens));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_expr",
-                            builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_expr));
+                       builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_expr));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_ty",
-                            builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_ty));
+                       builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_ty));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_item",
-                            builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_item));
+                       builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_item));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_pat",
-                            builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_pat));
+                       builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_pat));
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"quote_stmt",
-                            builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_stmt));
+                       builtin_normal_tt(ext::quote::expand_quote_stmt));
 
     syntax_expanders.insert(@~"line",
                             builtin_normal_tt(
@@ -159,7 +189,7 @@ pub fn syntax_expander_table() -> SyntaxExtensions {
     syntax_expanders.insert(
         @~"trace_macros",
         builtin_normal_tt(ext::trace_macros::expand_trace_macros));
-    return syntax_expanders;
+    MapChain::new(~syntax_expanders)
 }
 
 // One of these is made during expansion and incrementally updated as we go;
@@ -348,6 +378,149 @@ pub fn get_exprs_from_tts(cx: ext_ctxt, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
     es
 }
 
+// in order to have some notion of scoping for macros,
+// we want to implement the notion of a transformation
+// environment.
+
+// This environment maps Names to Transformers.
+// Initially, this includes macro definitions and
+// block directives.
+
+
+
+// Actually, the following implementation is parameterized
+// by both key and value types.
+
+//impl question: how to implement it? Initially, the
+// env will contain only macros, so it might be painful
+// to add an empty frame for every context. Let's just
+// get it working, first....
+
+// NB! the mutability of the underlying maps means that
+// if expansion is out-of-order, a deeper scope may be
+// able to refer to a macro that was added to an enclosing
+// scope lexically later than the deeper scope.
+
+// Note on choice of representation: I've been pushed to
+// use a top-level managed pointer by some difficulties
+// with pushing and popping functionally, and the ownership
+// issues.  As a result, the values returned by the table
+// also need to be managed; the &self/... type that Maps
+// return won't work for things that need to get outside
+// of that managed pointer.  The easiest way to do this
+// is just to insist that the values in the tables are
+// managed to begin with.
+
+// a transformer env is either a base map or a map on top
+// of another chain.
+pub enum MapChain<K,V> {
+    BaseMapChain(~LinearMap<K,@V>),
+    ConsMapChain(~LinearMap<K,@V>,@mut MapChain<K,V>)
+}
+
+
+// get the map from an env frame
+impl <K: Eq + Hash + IterBytes ,V: Copy> MapChain<K,V>{
+
+    // Constructor. I don't think we need a zero-arg one.
+    static fn new(+init: ~LinearMap<K,@V>) -> @mut MapChain<K,V> {
+        @mut BaseMapChain(init)
+    }
+
+    // add a new frame to the environment (functionally)
+    fn push_frame (@mut self) -> @mut MapChain<K,V> {
+        @mut ConsMapChain(~LinearMap::new() ,self)
+    }
+
+// no need for pop, it'll just be functional.
+
+    // utility fn...
+
+    // ugh: can't get this to compile with mut because of the
+    // lack of flow sensitivity.
+    fn get_map(&self) -> &self/LinearMap<K,@V> {
+        match *self {
+            BaseMapChain (~ref map) => map,
+            ConsMapChain (~ref map,_) => map
+        }
+    }
+
+// traits just don't work anywhere...?
+//pub impl Map<Name,SyntaxExtension> for MapChain {
+
+    pure fn contains_key (&self, key: &K) -> bool {
+        match *self {
+            BaseMapChain (ref map) => map.contains_key(key),
+            ConsMapChain (ref map,ref rest) =>
+            (map.contains_key(key)
+             || rest.contains_key(key))
+        }
+    }
+    // should each_key and each_value operate on shadowed
+    // names? I think not.
+    // delaying implementing this....
+    pure fn each_key (&self, _f: &fn (&K)->bool) {
+        fail!(~"unimplemented 2013-02-15T10:01");
+    }
+
+    pure fn each_value (&self, _f: &fn (&V) -> bool) {
+        fail!(~"unimplemented 2013-02-15T10:02");
+    }
+
+    // Returns a copy of the value that the name maps to.
+    // Goes down the chain 'til it finds one (or bottom out).
+    fn find (&self, key: &K) -> Option<@V> {
+        match self.get_map().find (key) {
+            Some(ref v) => Some(**v),
+            None => match *self {
+                BaseMapChain (_) => None,
+                ConsMapChain (_,ref rest) => rest.find(key)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // insert the binding into the top-level map
+    fn insert (&mut self, +key: K, +ext: @V) -> bool {
+        // can't abstract over get_map because of flow sensitivity...
+        match *self {
+            BaseMapChain (~ref mut map) => map.insert(key, ext),
+            ConsMapChain (~ref mut map,_) => map.insert(key,ext)
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+    use super::MapChain;
+    use util::testing::check_equal;
+
+    #[test] fn testenv () {
+        let mut a = LinearMap::new();
+        a.insert (@~"abc",@15);
+        let m = MapChain::new(~a);
+        m.insert (@~"def",@16);
+        // FIXME: #4492 (ICE)  check_equal(m.find(&@~"abc"),Some(@15));
+        //  ....               check_equal(m.find(&@~"def"),Some(@16));
+        check_equal(*(m.find(&@~"abc").get()),15);
+        check_equal(*(m.find(&@~"def").get()),16);
+        let n = m.push_frame();
+        // old bindings are still present:
+        check_equal(*(n.find(&@~"abc").get()),15);
+        check_equal(*(n.find(&@~"def").get()),16);
+        n.insert (@~"def",@17);
+        // n shows the new binding
+        check_equal(*(n.find(&@~"abc").get()),15);
+        check_equal(*(n.find(&@~"def").get()),17);
+        // ... but m still has the old ones
+        // FIXME: #4492: check_equal(m.find(&@~"abc"),Some(@15));
+        // FIXME: #4492: check_equal(m.find(&@~"def"),Some(@16));
+        check_equal(*(m.find(&@~"abc").get()),15);
+        check_equal(*(m.find(&@~"def").get()),16);
+    }
+}
+
 //
 // Local Variables:
 // mode: rust
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
index 0b2aaa89d9b3a..9a3e8da2b8145 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ use attr;
 use codemap::{span, CallInfo, ExpandedFrom, NameAndSpan};
 use ext::base::*;
 use fold::*;
-use parse::{parser, parse_expr_from_source_str, new_parser_from_tts};
+use parse::{parser, parse_item_from_source_str, new_parser_from_tts};
 
 use core::option;
 use core::vec;
-use std::oldmap::HashMap;
+use core::hashmap::LinearMap;
 
-pub fn expand_expr(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
+pub fn expand_expr(extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv, cx: ext_ctxt,
                    e: expr_, s: span, fld: ast_fold,
                    orig: fn@(expr_, span, ast_fold) -> (expr_, span))
                 -> (expr_, span) {
@@ -41,13 +41,14 @@ pub fn expand_expr(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
                 /* using idents and token::special_idents would make the
                 the macro names be hygienic */
                 let extname = cx.parse_sess().interner.get(pth.idents[0]);
-                match exts.find(&extname) {
+                // leaving explicit deref here to highlight unbox op:
+                match (*extsbox).find(&extname) {
                   None => {
                     cx.span_fatal(pth.span,
                                   fmt!("macro undefined: '%s'", *extname))
                   }
-                  Some(NormalTT(SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: exp,
-                                                 span: exp_sp})) => {
+                  Some(@SE(NormalTT(SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: exp,
+                                                 span: exp_sp}))) => {
                     cx.bt_push(ExpandedFrom(CallInfo{
                         call_site: s,
                         callee: NameAndSpan {
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ pub fn expand_expr(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
 //
 // NB: there is some redundancy between this and expand_item, below, and
 // they might benefit from some amount of semantic and language-UI merger.
-pub fn expand_mod_items(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
+pub fn expand_mod_items(extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv, cx: ext_ctxt,
                         module_: ast::_mod, fld: ast_fold,
                         orig: fn@(ast::_mod, ast_fold) -> ast::_mod)
                      -> ast::_mod {
@@ -106,9 +107,8 @@ pub fn expand_mod_items(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
         do vec::foldr(item.attrs, ~[*item]) |attr, items| {
             let mname = attr::get_attr_name(attr);
 
-            match exts.find(&mname) {
-              None | Some(NormalTT(_)) | Some(ItemTT(*)) => items,
-              Some(ItemDecorator(dec_fn)) => {
+            match (*extsbox).find(&mname) {
+              Some(@SE(ItemDecorator(dec_fn))) => {
                   cx.bt_push(ExpandedFrom(CallInfo {
                       call_site: attr.span,
                       callee: NameAndSpan {
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ pub fn expand_mod_items(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
                   let r = dec_fn(cx, attr.span, attr.node.value, items);
                   cx.bt_pop();
                   r
-              }
+              },
+              _ => items,
             }
         }
     };
@@ -128,34 +129,94 @@ pub fn expand_mod_items(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
 }
 
 
+// eval $e with a new exts frame:
+macro_rules! with_exts_frame (
+    ($extsboxexpr:expr,$e:expr) =>
+    ({let extsbox = $extsboxexpr;
+      let oldexts = *extsbox;
+      *extsbox = oldexts.push_frame();
+      let result = $e;
+      *extsbox = oldexts;
+      result
+     })
+)
+
 // When we enter a module, record it, for the sake of `module!`
-pub fn expand_item(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
+pub fn expand_item(extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv,
                    cx: ext_ctxt, &&it: @ast::item, fld: ast_fold,
                    orig: fn@(&&v: @ast::item, ast_fold) -> Option<@ast::item>)
                 -> Option<@ast::item> {
-    let is_mod = match it.node {
-      ast::item_mod(_) | ast::item_foreign_mod(_) => true,
-      _ => false
-    };
+    // need to do expansion first... it might turn out to be a module.
     let maybe_it = match it.node {
-      ast::item_mac(*) => expand_item_mac(exts, cx, it, fld),
+      ast::item_mac(*) => expand_item_mac(extsbox, cx, it, fld),
       _ => Some(it)
     };
-
     match maybe_it {
       Some(it) => {
-        if is_mod { cx.mod_push(it.ident); }
-        let ret_val = orig(it, fld);
-        if is_mod { cx.mod_pop(); }
-        return ret_val;
+          match it.node {
+              ast::item_mod(_) | ast::item_foreign_mod(_) => {
+                  cx.mod_push(it.ident);
+                  let result =
+                      // don't push a macro scope for macro_escape:
+                      if contains_macro_escape(it.attrs) {
+                      orig(it,fld)
+                  } else {
+                      // otherwise, push a scope:
+                      with_exts_frame!(extsbox,orig(it,fld))
+                  };
+                  cx.mod_pop();
+                  result
+              }
+              _ => orig(it,fld)
+          }
       }
-      None => return None
+      None => None
     }
 }
 
+// does this attribute list contain "macro_escape" ?
+fn contains_macro_escape (attrs: &[ast::attribute]) -> bool{
+    let mut accum = false;
+    do attrs.each |attr| {
+        let mname = attr::get_attr_name(attr);
+        if (mname == @~"macro_escape") {
+            accum = true;
+            false
+        } else {
+            true
+        }
+    }
+    accum
+}
+
+// this macro disables (one layer of) macro
+// scoping, to allow a block to add macro bindings
+// to its parent env
+macro_rules! without_macro_scoping(
+    ($extsexpr:expr,$exp:expr) =>
+    ({
+        // only evaluate this once:
+        let exts = $extsexpr;
+        // capture the existing binding:
+        let existingBlockBinding =
+            match exts.find(&@~" block"){
+                Some(binding) => binding,
+                None => cx.bug("expected to find \" block\" binding")
+            };
+        // this prevents the block from limiting the macros' scope:
+        exts.insert(@~" block",@ScopeMacros(false));
+        let result = $exp;
+        // reset the block binding. Note that since the original
+        // one may have been inherited, this procedure may wind
+        // up introducing a block binding where one didn't exist
+        // before.
+        exts.insert(@~" block",existingBlockBinding);
+        result
+    }))
+
 // Support for item-position macro invocations, exactly the same
 // logic as for expression-position macro invocations.
-pub fn expand_item_mac(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
+pub fn expand_item_mac(+extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv,
                        cx: ext_ctxt, &&it: @ast::item,
                        fld: ast_fold) -> Option<@ast::item> {
 
@@ -167,11 +228,11 @@ pub fn expand_item_mac(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
     };
 
     let extname = cx.parse_sess().interner.get(pth.idents[0]);
-    let expanded = match exts.find(&extname) {
+    let expanded = match (*extsbox).find(&extname) {
         None => cx.span_fatal(pth.span,
                               fmt!("macro undefined: '%s!'", *extname)),
 
-        Some(NormalTT(ref expand)) => {
+        Some(@SE(NormalTT(ref expand))) => {
             if it.ident != parse::token::special_idents::invalid {
                 cx.span_fatal(pth.span,
                               fmt!("macro %s! expects no ident argument, \
@@ -187,7 +248,7 @@ pub fn expand_item_mac(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
             }));
             ((*expand).expander)(cx, it.span, tts)
         }
-        Some(ItemTT(ref expand)) => {
+        Some(@SE(IdentTT(ref expand))) => {
             if it.ident == parse::token::special_idents::invalid {
                 cx.span_fatal(pth.span,
                               fmt!("macro %s! expects an ident argument",
@@ -214,7 +275,7 @@ pub fn expand_item_mac(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
         MRAny(_, item_maker, _) =>
             option::chain(item_maker(), |i| {fld.fold_item(i)}),
         MRDef(ref mdef) => {
-            exts.insert(@/*bad*/ copy mdef.name, (*mdef).ext);
+            extsbox.insert(@/*bad*/ copy mdef.name, @SE((*mdef).ext));
             None
         }
     };
@@ -222,7 +283,8 @@ pub fn expand_item_mac(exts: SyntaxExtensions,
     return maybe_it;
 }
 
-pub fn expand_stmt(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
+// expand a stmt
+pub fn expand_stmt(extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv, cx: ext_ctxt,
                    && s: stmt_, sp: span, fld: ast_fold,
                    orig: fn@(&&s: stmt_, span, ast_fold) -> (stmt_, span))
                 -> (stmt_, span) {
@@ -238,12 +300,12 @@ pub fn expand_stmt(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
 
     assert(vec::len(pth.idents) == 1u);
     let extname = cx.parse_sess().interner.get(pth.idents[0]);
-    let (fully_expanded, sp) = match exts.find(&extname) {
+    let (fully_expanded, sp) = match (*extsbox).find(&extname) {
         None =>
             cx.span_fatal(pth.span, fmt!("macro undefined: '%s'", *extname)),
 
-        Some(NormalTT(
-            SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: exp, span: exp_sp})) => {
+        Some(@SE(NormalTT(
+            SyntaxExpanderTT{expander: exp, span: exp_sp}))) => {
             cx.bt_push(ExpandedFrom(CallInfo {
                 call_site: sp,
                 callee: NameAndSpan { name: *extname, span: exp_sp }
@@ -271,7 +333,7 @@ pub fn expand_stmt(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
         }
     };
 
-    return (match fully_expanded {
+    (match fully_expanded {
         stmt_expr(e, stmt_id) if semi => stmt_semi(e, stmt_id),
         _ => { fully_expanded } /* might already have a semi */
     }, sp)
@@ -279,19 +341,39 @@ pub fn expand_stmt(exts: SyntaxExtensions, cx: ext_ctxt,
 }
 
 
+
+pub fn expand_block(extsbox: @mut SyntaxEnv, cx: ext_ctxt,
+                    && blk: blk_, sp: span, fld: ast_fold,
+                    orig: fn@(&&s: blk_, span, ast_fold) -> (blk_, span))
+    -> (blk_, span) {
+    match (*extsbox).find(&@~" block") {
+        // no scope limit on macros in this block, no need
+        // to push an exts frame:
+        Some(@ScopeMacros(false)) => {
+            orig (blk,sp,fld)
+        },
+        // this block should limit the scope of its macros:
+        Some(@ScopeMacros(true)) => {
+            // see note below about treatment of exts table
+            with_exts_frame!(extsbox,orig(blk,sp,fld))
+        },
+        _ => cx.span_bug(sp,
+                         ~"expected ScopeMacros binding for \" block\"")
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn new_span(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span) -> span {
     /* this discards information in the case of macro-defining macros */
     return span {lo: sp.lo, hi: sp.hi, expn_info: cx.backtrace()};
 }
 
-// FIXME (#2247): this is a terrible kludge to inject some macros into
-// the default compilation environment. When the macro-definition system
-// is substantially more mature, these should move from here, into a
-// compiled part of libcore at very least.
+// FIXME (#2247): this is a moderately bad kludge to inject some macros into
+// the default compilation environment. It would be much nicer to use
+// a mechanism like syntax_quote to ensure hygiene.
 
 pub fn core_macros() -> ~str {
     return
-~"{
+~"pub mod macros {
     macro_rules! ignore (($($x:tt)*) => (()))
 
     macro_rules! error ( ($( $arg:expr ),+) => (
@@ -341,29 +423,160 @@ pub fn core_macros() -> ~str {
 
 pub fn expand_crate(parse_sess: @mut parse::ParseSess,
                     cfg: ast::crate_cfg, c: @crate) -> @crate {
-    let exts = syntax_expander_table();
+    // adding *another* layer of indirection here so that the block
+    // visitor can swap out one exts table for another for the duration
+    // of the block.  The cleaner alternative would be to thread the
+    // exts table through the fold, but that would require updating
+    // every method/element of AstFoldFns in fold.rs.
+    let extsbox = @mut syntax_expander_table();
     let afp = default_ast_fold();
     let cx: ext_ctxt = mk_ctxt(parse_sess, cfg);
     let f_pre = @AstFoldFns {
-        fold_expr: |a,b,c| expand_expr(exts, cx, a, b, c, afp.fold_expr),
-        fold_mod: |a,b| expand_mod_items(exts, cx, a, b, afp.fold_mod),
-        fold_item: |a,b| expand_item(exts, cx, a, b, afp.fold_item),
-        fold_stmt: |a,b,c| expand_stmt(exts, cx, a, b, c, afp.fold_stmt),
+        fold_expr: |expr,span,recur|
+            expand_expr(extsbox, cx, expr, span, recur, afp.fold_expr),
+        fold_mod: |modd,recur|
+            expand_mod_items(extsbox, cx, modd, recur, afp.fold_mod),
+        fold_item: |item,recur|
+            expand_item(extsbox, cx, item, recur, afp.fold_item),
+        fold_stmt: |stmt,span,recur|
+            expand_stmt(extsbox, cx, stmt, span, recur, afp.fold_stmt),
+        fold_block: |blk,span,recur|
+            expand_block (extsbox, cx, blk, span, recur, afp.fold_block),
         new_span: |a| new_span(cx, a),
         .. *afp};
     let f = make_fold(f_pre);
-    let cm = parse_expr_from_source_str(~"<core-macros>",
-                                        @core_macros(),
-                                        cfg,
-                                        parse_sess);
-
+    // add a bunch of macros as though they were placed at the
+    // head of the program (ick).
+    let attrs = ~[spanned {span:codemap::dummy_sp(),
+                           node: attribute_
+                               {style:attr_outer,
+                                value:spanned
+                                    {node:meta_word(@~"macro_escape"),
+                                     span:codemap::dummy_sp()},
+                                is_sugared_doc:false}}];
+
+    let cm = match parse_item_from_source_str(~"<core-macros>",
+                                              @core_macros(),
+                                              cfg,attrs,
+                                              parse_sess) {
+        Some(item) => item,
+        None => cx.bug(~"expected core macros to parse correctly")
+    };
     // This is run for its side-effects on the expander env,
     // as it registers all the core macros as expanders.
-    f.fold_expr(cm);
+    f.fold_item(cm);
 
     let res = @f.fold_crate(*c);
     return res;
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+    use util::testing::check_equal;
+
+    // make sure that fail! is present
+    #[test] fn fail_exists_test () {
+        let src = ~"fn main() { fail!(~\"something appropriately gloomy\");}";
+        let sess = parse::new_parse_sess(None);
+        let cfg = ~[];
+        let crate_ast = parse::parse_crate_from_source_str(
+            ~"<test>",
+            @src,
+            cfg,sess);
+        expand_crate(sess,cfg,crate_ast);
+    }
+
+    // these following tests are quite fragile, in that they don't test what
+    // *kind* of failure occurs.
+
+    // make sure that macros can leave scope
+    #[should_fail]
+    #[test] fn macros_cant_escape_fns_test () {
+        let src = ~"fn bogus() {macro_rules! z (() => (3+4))}\
+                    fn inty() -> int { z!() }";
+        let sess = parse::new_parse_sess(None);
+        let cfg = ~[];
+        let crate_ast = parse::parse_crate_from_source_str(
+            ~"<test>",
+            @src,
+            cfg,sess);
+        // should fail:
+        expand_crate(sess,cfg,crate_ast);
+    }
+
+    // make sure that macros can leave scope for modules
+    #[should_fail]
+    #[test] fn macros_cant_escape_mods_test () {
+        let src = ~"mod foo {macro_rules! z (() => (3+4))}\
+                    fn inty() -> int { z!() }";
+        let sess = parse::new_parse_sess(None);
+        let cfg = ~[];
+        let crate_ast = parse::parse_crate_from_source_str(
+            ~"<test>",
+            @src,
+            cfg,sess);
+        // should fail:
+        expand_crate(sess,cfg,crate_ast);
+    }
+
+    // macro_escape modules shouldn't cause macros to leave scope
+    #[test] fn macros_can_escape_flattened_mods_test () {
+        let src = ~"#[macro_escape] mod foo {macro_rules! z (() => (3+4))}\
+                    fn inty() -> int { z!() }";
+        let sess = parse::new_parse_sess(None);
+        let cfg = ~[];
+        let crate_ast = parse::parse_crate_from_source_str(
+            ~"<test>",
+            @src,
+            cfg,sess);
+        // should fail:
+        expand_crate(sess,cfg,crate_ast);
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn core_macros_must_parse () {
+        let src = ~"
+  pub mod macros {
+    macro_rules! ignore (($($x:tt)*) => (()))
+
+    macro_rules! error ( ($( $arg:expr ),+) => (
+        log(::core::error, fmt!( $($arg),+ )) ))
+}";
+        let sess = parse::new_parse_sess(None);
+        let cfg = ~[];
+        let item_ast = parse::parse_item_from_source_str(
+            ~"<test>",
+            @src,
+            cfg,~[make_dummy_attr (@~"macro_escape")],sess);
+        match item_ast {
+            Some(_) => (), // success
+            None => fail!(~"expected this to parse")
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn test_contains_flatten (){
+        let attr1 = make_dummy_attr (@~"foo");
+        let attr2 = make_dummy_attr (@~"bar");
+        let escape_attr = make_dummy_attr (@~"macro_escape");
+        let attrs1 = ~[attr1, escape_attr, attr2];
+        check_equal (contains_macro_escape (attrs1),true);
+        let attrs2 = ~[attr1,attr2];
+        check_equal (contains_macro_escape (attrs2),false);
+    }
+
+    // make a "meta_word" outer attribute with the given name
+    fn make_dummy_attr(s: @~str) -> ast::attribute {
+        spanned {span:codemap::dummy_sp(),
+                 node: attribute_
+                     {style:attr_outer,
+                      value:spanned
+                          {node:meta_word(s),
+                           span:codemap::dummy_sp()},
+                      is_sugared_doc:false}}
+    }
+
+}
+
 // Local Variables:
 // mode: rust
 // fill-column: 78;
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
index 26c38c945c7f1..808a80e6ad049 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
@@ -22,22 +22,9 @@ use core::result;
 use core::str;
 use core::vec;
 
-fn topmost_expn_info(expn_info: @codemap::ExpnInfo) -> @codemap::ExpnInfo {
-    let ExpandedFrom(CallInfo { call_site, _ }) = *expn_info;
-    match call_site.expn_info {
-        Some(next_expn_info) => {
-            let ExpandedFrom(CallInfo {
-                callee: NameAndSpan {name, _},
-                _
-            }) = *next_expn_info;
-            // Don't recurse into file using "include!"
-            if name == ~"include" { return expn_info; }
-
-            topmost_expn_info(next_expn_info)
-        },
-        None => expn_info
-    }
-}
+// These macros all relate to the file system; they either return
+// the column/row/filename of the expression, or they include
+// a given file into the current one.
 
 /* line!(): expands to the current line number */
 pub fn expand_line(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
@@ -87,6 +74,9 @@ pub fn expand_mod(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
                                   |x| cx.str_of(*x)), ~"::")))
 }
 
+// include! : parse the given file as an expr
+// This is generally a bad idea because it's going to behave
+// unhygienically.
 pub fn expand_include(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
     -> base::MacResult {
     let file = get_single_str_from_tts(cx, sp, tts, "include!");
@@ -96,6 +86,7 @@ pub fn expand_include(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
     base::MRExpr(p.parse_expr())
 }
 
+// include_str! : read the given file, insert it as a literal string expr
 pub fn expand_include_str(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
     -> base::MacResult {
     let file = get_single_str_from_tts(cx, sp, tts, "include_str!");
@@ -126,6 +117,26 @@ pub fn expand_include_bin(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: span, tts: ~[ast::token_tree])
     }
 }
 
+// recur along an ExpnInfo chain to find the original expression
+fn topmost_expn_info(expn_info: @codemap::ExpnInfo) -> @codemap::ExpnInfo {
+    let ExpandedFrom(CallInfo { call_site, _ }) = *expn_info;
+    match call_site.expn_info {
+        Some(next_expn_info) => {
+            let ExpandedFrom(CallInfo {
+                callee: NameAndSpan {name, _},
+                _
+            }) = *next_expn_info;
+            // Don't recurse into file using "include!"
+            if name == ~"include" { return expn_info; }
+
+            topmost_expn_info(next_expn_info)
+        },
+        None => expn_info
+    }
+}
+
+// resolve a file-system path to an absolute file-system path (if it
+// isn't already)
 fn res_rel_file(cx: ext_ctxt, sp: codemap::span, arg: &Path) -> Path {
     // NB: relative paths are resolved relative to the compilation unit
     if !arg.is_absolute {
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/lexer.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/lexer.rs
index 92c4f1e828f62..51cc25e84a33c 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/lexer.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/lexer.rs
@@ -770,11 +770,13 @@ pub mod test {
     use diagnostic;
     use util::testing::{check_equal, check_equal_ptr};
 
+    // represents a testing reader (incl. both reader and interner)
     struct Env {
         interner: @token::ident_interner,
         string_reader: @mut StringReader
     }
 
+    // open a string reader for the given string
     fn setup(teststr: ~str) -> Env {
         let cm = CodeMap::new();
         let fm = cm.new_filemap(~"zebra.rs", @teststr);
@@ -809,6 +811,52 @@ pub mod test {
         check_equal (string_reader.last_pos,BytePos(29))
     }
 
+    // check that the given reader produces the desired stream
+    // of tokens (stop checking after exhausting the expected vec)
+    fn check_tokenization (env: Env, expected: ~[token::Token]) {
+        for expected.each |expected_tok| {
+            let TokenAndSpan {tok:actual_tok, sp: _} =
+                env.string_reader.next_token();
+            check_equal(&actual_tok,expected_tok);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // make the identifier by looking up the string in the interner
+    fn mk_ident (env: Env, id: ~str, is_mod_name: bool) -> token::Token {
+        token::IDENT (env.interner.intern(@id),is_mod_name)
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn doublecolonparsing () {
+        let env = setup (~"a b");
+        check_tokenization (env,
+                           ~[mk_ident (env,~"a",false),
+                             mk_ident (env,~"b",false)]);
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn dcparsing_2 () {
+        let env = setup (~"a::b");
+        check_tokenization (env,
+                           ~[mk_ident (env,~"a",true),
+                             token::MOD_SEP,
+                             mk_ident (env,~"b",false)]);
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn dcparsing_3 () {
+        let env = setup (~"a ::b");
+        check_tokenization (env,
+                           ~[mk_ident (env,~"a",false),
+                             token::MOD_SEP,
+                             mk_ident (env,~"b",false)]);
+    }
+
+    #[test] fn dcparsing_4 () {
+        let env = setup (~"a:: b");
+        check_tokenization (env,
+                           ~[mk_ident (env,~"a",true),
+                             token::MOD_SEP,
+                             mk_ident (env,~"b",false)]);
+    }
+
     #[test] fn character_a() {
         let env = setup(~"'a'");
         let TokenAndSpan {tok, sp: _} =
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
index 5fa6115938506..a31a73f594ad2 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ pub fn parse_crate_from_source_str(name: ~str,
                                    sess: @mut ParseSess) -> @ast::crate {
     let p = new_parser_from_source_str(sess, cfg, name,
                                        codemap::FssNone, source);
-    let r = p.parse_crate_mod(cfg);
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    return r;
+    maybe_aborted(p.parse_crate_mod(cfg),p)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_expr_from_source_str(name: ~str,
@@ -105,9 +103,7 @@ pub fn parse_expr_from_source_str(name: ~str,
                                   sess: @mut ParseSess) -> @ast::expr {
     let p = new_parser_from_source_str(sess, cfg, name,
                                        codemap::FssNone, source);
-    let r = p.parse_expr();
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    return r;
+    maybe_aborted(p.parse_expr(), p)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_item_from_source_str(name: ~str,
@@ -118,9 +114,7 @@ pub fn parse_item_from_source_str(name: ~str,
                                -> Option<@ast::item> {
     let p = new_parser_from_source_str(sess, cfg, name,
                                        codemap::FssNone, source);
-    let r = p.parse_item(attrs);
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    return r;
+    maybe_aborted(p.parse_item(attrs),p)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_stmt_from_source_str(name: ~str,
@@ -130,9 +124,7 @@ pub fn parse_stmt_from_source_str(name: ~str,
                                   sess: @mut ParseSess) -> @ast::stmt {
     let p = new_parser_from_source_str(sess, cfg, name,
                                        codemap::FssNone, source);
-    let r = p.parse_stmt(attrs);
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    return r;
+    maybe_aborted(p.parse_stmt(attrs),p)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_tts_from_source_str(name: ~str,
@@ -142,9 +134,7 @@ pub fn parse_tts_from_source_str(name: ~str,
     let p = new_parser_from_source_str(sess, cfg, name,
                                        codemap::FssNone, source);
     *p.quote_depth += 1u;
-    let r = p.parse_all_token_trees();
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    return r;
+    maybe_aborted(p.parse_all_token_trees(),p)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_from_source_str<T>(f: fn (p: Parser) -> T,
@@ -159,8 +149,7 @@ pub fn parse_from_source_str<T>(f: fn (p: Parser) -> T,
     if !p.reader.is_eof() {
         p.reader.fatal(~"expected end-of-string");
     }
-    p.abort_if_errors();
-    r
+    maybe_aborted(r,p)
 }
 
 pub fn next_node_id(sess: @mut ParseSess) -> node_id {
@@ -181,8 +170,8 @@ pub fn new_parser_from_source_str(sess: @mut ParseSess, cfg: ast::crate_cfg,
     return Parser(sess, cfg, srdr as reader);
 }
 
-// Read the entire source file, return a parser
-// that draws from that string
+/// Read the entire source file, return a parser
+/// that draws from that string
 pub fn new_parser_result_from_file(sess: @mut ParseSess,
                             cfg: ast::crate_cfg,
                             path: &Path)
@@ -201,7 +190,7 @@ pub fn new_parser_result_from_file(sess: @mut ParseSess,
     }
 }
 
-/// Create a new parser for an entire crate, handling errors as appropriate
+/// Create a new parser, handling errors as appropriate
 /// if the file doesn't exist
 pub fn new_parser_from_file(sess: @mut ParseSess, cfg: ast::crate_cfg,
                               path: &Path) -> Parser {
@@ -232,6 +221,13 @@ pub fn new_parser_from_tts(sess: @mut ParseSess, cfg: ast::crate_cfg,
     return Parser(sess, cfg, trdr as reader)
 }
 
+// abort if necessary
+pub fn maybe_aborted<T>(+result : T, p: Parser) -> T {
+    p.abort_if_errors();
+    result
+}
+
+
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/token.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/token.rs
index f145e433fa7c1..207f6d499159f 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/token.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/token.rs
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ pub enum Token {
     LIT_STR(ast::ident),
 
     /* Name components */
-    // an identifier contains an "is_mod_name" boolean.
+    // an identifier contains an "is_mod_name" boolean,
+    // indicating whether :: follows this token with no
+    // whitespace in between.
     IDENT(ast::ident, bool),
     UNDERSCORE,
     LIFETIME(ast::ident),