diff --git a/preserves.nimble b/preserves.nimble
index 0f5f150..941d976 100644
--- a/preserves.nimble
+++ b/preserves.nimble
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Package
 
-version = "20230516"
+version = "20230517"
 author        = "Emery Hemingway"
 description   = "data model and serialization format"
 license       = "Unlicense"
diff --git a/src/preserves/Tupfile b/src/preserves/Tupfile
index ba0890c..84f7fb2 100644
--- a/src/preserves/Tupfile
+++ b/src/preserves/Tupfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 include_rules
-: foreach preserves_schema_nim.nim schemac.nim |> !nim |> $(BIN_DIR)/%B | $(BIN_DIR)/<%B>
 NIM_FLAGS += --path:$(TUP_CWD)/..
+: foreach preserves_schema_nim.nim schemac.nim schemaparse.nim |> !nim_bin |> $(BIN_DIR)/%B | $(BIN_DIR)/<%B>
 : foreach *hooks.nim |> !nim_check |>
diff --git a/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim b/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
index f4fa01f..6b83dae 100644
--- a/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
+++ b/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ proc isRecursive(loc: Location; p: Definition|DefinitionOr|Pattern|CompoundPatte
   recursive in attrs(loc, p)
 
 proc isLiteral(loc: Location; def: Definition): bool {.gcsafe.}
+proc isLiteral(loc: Location; pat: Pattern): bool {.gcsafe.}
 
 proc isLiteral(loc: Location; sp: SimplePattern): bool =
   case sp.orKind
@@ -253,6 +254,13 @@ proc isLiteral(loc: Location; sp: SimplePattern): bool =
     result = isLiteral(loc, sp.embedded.interface)
   else: discard
 
+proc isLiteral(loc: Location; np: NamedPattern): bool =
+  case np.orKind
+  of NamedPatternKind.named:
+    isLiteral(loc, np.named.pattern)
+  of NamedPatternKind.anonymous:
+    isLiteral(loc, np.anonymous)
+
 proc isLiteral(loc: Location; pat: Pattern): bool =
   case pat.orKind
   of PatternKind.SimplePattern:
@@ -303,7 +311,8 @@ proc isSymbolEnum(loc: Location; sp: SimplePattern): bool =
 proc isAny(loc: Location; def: Definition): bool =
   case def.orKind
   of DefinitionKind.Pattern:
-    if def.pattern.orKind == PatternKind.SimplePattern:
+    case def.pattern.orKind
+    of PatternKind.SimplePattern:
       case def.pattern.simplePattern.orKind
       of SimplePatternKind.Ref:
         var (loc, def) = deref(loc, def.pattern.simplePattern.ref)
@@ -311,6 +320,11 @@ proc isAny(loc: Location; def: Definition): bool =
       of SimplePatternKind.any:
         result = true
       else: discard
+    of PatternKind.CompoundPattern:
+      case def.pattern.compoundpattern.orKind
+      of CompoundPatternKind.rec:
+        result = not isLiteral(loc, def.pattern.compoundpattern.rec.label)
+      else: discard
   of DefinitionKind.and:
     # not actually "any" but it will be a Preserve[E] type
     result = true
@@ -458,15 +472,18 @@ proc typeDef(loc: Location; name: string; pat: Pattern; ty: PNode): PNode =
   of PatternKind.CompoundPattern:
     case pat.compoundPattern.orKind
     of CompoundPatternKind.rec:
-      nn(nkTypeDef,
-        nn(nkPragmaExpr,
-          id,
-          nn(nkPragma,
-            nn(nkExprColonExpr,
-              ident"preservesRecord",
-              PNode(kind: nkStrLit, strVal: pat.compoundPattern.rec.label.idStr)))),
-        embedParams,
-        ty)
+      if isLiteral(loc, pat.compoundPattern.rec.label):
+        nn(nkTypeDef,
+          nn(nkPragmaExpr,
+            id,
+            nn(nkPragma,
+              nn(nkExprColonExpr,
+                ident"preservesRecord",
+                PNode(kind: nkStrLit, strVal: pat.compoundPattern.rec.label.idStr)))),
+          embedParams,
+          ty)
+      else:
+        nn(nkTypeDef, name.ident.toExport, embedParams, ty)
     of CompoundPatternKind.tuple, CompoundPatternKind.tuplePrefix:
       nn(nkTypeDef,
         nn(nkPragmaExpr, id, nn(nkPragma, ident"preservesTuple")),
@@ -584,12 +601,18 @@ proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; nsp: NamedSimplePattern; nam
   of NamedsimplepatternKind.anonymous:
     nimTypeOf(loc, known, nsp.anonymous, name)
 
+proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; rec: CompoundPatternRec; name: string): TypeSpec =
+  if isLiteral(loc, rec.label):
+    result.node = nn(nkObjectTy,
+      newEmpty(), newEmpty(),
+      nn(nkRecList).addFields(loc, known, rec.fields.pattern, name))
+  else:
+    result.node = preserveIdent(loc.schema)
+
 proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; cp: CompoundPattern; name: string): TypeSpec =
   case cp.orKind
   of CompoundPatternKind.`rec`:
-    result.node = nn(nkObjectTy,
-      newEmpty(), newEmpty(),
-      nn(nkRecList).addFields(loc, known, cp.rec.fields.pattern, name))
+    result = nimTypeOf(loc, known, cp.rec, name)
   of CompoundPatternKind.`tuple`, CompoundPatternKind.`tupleprefix`:
     result.node = nn(nkObjectTy,
       newEmpty(), newEmpty(),