diff --git a/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim b/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
index 952c502..778c9a8 100644
--- a/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
+++ b/src/preserves/preserves_schema_nim.nim
@@ -20,10 +20,7 @@ import ../preserves, ./schema
 type
   Attribute = enum
     embedded
-      ## type contains an embedded value and
-      ## must take an parameter
-    recursive
-      ## type is recursive and therefore must be a ref
+      ## type contains an embedded value
   Attributes = set[Attribute]
   TypeSpec = object
     node: PNode
@@ -119,12 +116,15 @@ proc ident(`ref`: Ref): PNode =
     dotExtend(result, `ref`.name.string.capitalizeAscii)
 
 proc deref(loc: Location; r: Ref): (Location, Definition) =
-  result[0] = loc
-  if r.module == @[]:
-    result[1] = loc.bundle.modules[loc.schemaPath].field0.definitions[r.name]
-  else:
-    result[0].schemaPath = r.module
-    result[1] = loc.bundle.modules[r.module].field0.definitions[r.name]
+  try:
+    result[0] = loc
+    if r.module == @[]:
+      result[1] = loc.bundle.modules[loc.schemaPath].field0.definitions[r.name]
+    else:
+      result[0].schemaPath = r.module
+      result[1] = loc.bundle.modules[r.module].field0.definitions[r.name]
+  except KeyError:
+    raise newException(KeyError, "reference not found in bundle: " & $r)
 
 proc hasEmbeddedType(scm: Schema): bool =
   case scm.field0.embeddedType.orKind
@@ -152,8 +152,7 @@ proc attrs(loc: Location; sp: SimplePattern; seen: RefSet): Attributes =
   of SimplepatternKind.dictof:
     attrs(loc, sp.dictof.key, seen) + attrs(loc, sp.dictof.value, seen)
   of SimplepatternKind.Ref:
-    if sp.ref in seen: {recursive}
-    elif sp.ref.isAtomic: {}
+    if (sp.ref in seen) or sp.ref.isAtomic: {}
     else:
       var
         (loc, def) = deref(loc, sp.ref)
@@ -211,8 +210,85 @@ proc attrs(loc: Location; p: Definition|DefinitionOr|DefinitionAnd|Pattern|Compo
 proc isEmbedded(loc: Location; p: Definition|DefinitionOr|DefinitionAnd|Pattern|CompoundPattern|SimplePattern): bool =
   embedded in attrs(loc, p)
 
-proc isRecursive(loc: Location; p: Definition|DefinitionOr|DefinitionAnd|Pattern|CompoundPattern): bool =
-  recursive in attrs(loc, p)
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; pat: Pattern; seen: RefSet): bool {.gcsafe.}
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; def: Definition; seen: RefSet): bool {.gcsafe.}
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; n: NamedAlternative|NamedPattern; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  isRecursive(loc, name, n.pattern, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; sp: SimplePattern; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  case sp.orKind
+  of SimplepatternKind.embedded:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, sp.embedded.interface, seen)
+  of SimplepatternKind.Ref:
+    if sp.ref.name.string == name: true
+    elif sp.ref in seen: false
+    else:
+      var
+        (loc, def) = deref(loc, sp.ref)
+        seen = seen
+      incl(seen, sp.ref)
+      isRecursive(loc, name, def, seen)
+  else:
+    false
+    # seqof, setof, and dictof are not processed
+    # because they imply pointer indirection
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; np: NamedSimplePattern; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  case np.orKind
+  of NamedSimplePatternKind.named:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, np.named.pattern, seen)
+  of NamedSimplePatternKind.anonymous:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, np.anonymous, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; cp: CompoundPattern; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  case cp.orKind
+  of CompoundPatternKind.rec:
+    result =
+      isRecursive(loc, name, cp.rec.label.pattern, seen) or
+      isRecursive(loc, name, cp.rec.fields.pattern, seen)
+  of CompoundPatternKind.tuple:
+    for np in cp.tuple.patterns:
+      if result: return
+      result = isRecursive(loc, name, np.pattern, seen)
+  of CompoundPatternKind.tupleprefix:
+    result = isRecursive(loc, name, cp.tupleprefix.variable, seen)
+    for p in cp.tupleprefix.fixed:
+      if result: return
+      result = isRecursive(loc, name, p, seen)
+  of CompoundPatternKind.dict:
+    for nsp in cp.dict.entries.values:
+      if result: return
+      result = isRecursive(loc, name, nsp, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; pat: Pattern; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  case pat.orKind
+  of PatternKind.SimplePattern:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, pat.simplePattern, seen)
+  of PatternKind.CompoundPattern:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, pat.compoundPattern, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; def: DefinitionOr|DefinitionAnd; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  result =
+      isRecursive(loc, name, def.field0.pattern0, seen) or
+      isRecursive(loc, name, def.field0.pattern1, seen)
+  for p in def.field0.patternN:
+    if result: return
+    result = isRecursive(loc, name, p, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; def: Definition; seen: RefSet): bool =
+  case def.orKind
+  of DefinitionKind.or:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, def.or, seen)
+  of DefinitionKind.and:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, def.and, seen)
+  of DefinitionKind.Pattern:
+    isRecursive(loc, name, def.pattern, seen)
+
+proc isRecursive(loc: Location; name: string; def: Definition): bool =
+  var seen: RefSet
+  isRecursive(loc, name, def, seen)
 
 proc isLiteral(loc: Location; def: Definition): bool {.gcsafe.}
 proc isLiteral(loc: Location; pat: Pattern): bool {.gcsafe.}
@@ -466,7 +542,6 @@ proc typeDef(loc: Location; name: string; pat: Pattern; ty: PNode): PNode =
   case pat.orKind
   of PatternKind.CompoundPattern:
     let pragma = newNode(nkPragma)
-    if isRecursive(loc, pat): pragma.add(ident"acyclic")
     case pat.compoundPattern.orKind
     of CompoundPatternKind.rec:
       if isLiteral(loc, pat.compoundPattern.rec.label):
@@ -491,8 +566,12 @@ proc typeDef(loc: Location; name: string; pat: Pattern; ty: PNode): PNode =
 proc typeDef(loc: Location; name: string; def: Definition; ty: PNode): PNode =
   case def.orKind
   of DefinitionKind.or:
+    var ty = ty
     let pragma = newNode(nkPragma)
-    if isRecursive(loc, def): pragma.add(ident"acyclic")
+    if isRecursive(loc, name, def):
+      doAssert ty.kind == nkObjectTy
+      pragma.add(ident"acyclic")
+      ty = nkRefTy.newTree(ty)
     pragma.add(ident"preservesOr")
     if isSymbolEnum(loc, def):
       pragma.add ident"pure"
@@ -656,8 +735,6 @@ proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; name: string; cp: CompoundPa
   of CompoundPatternKind.`dict`:
     result.node = nkObjectTy.newTree(newEmpty(), newEmpty(),
       newNode(nkRecList).addFields(loc, known, name, cp.dict.entries))
-  if result.node.kind == nkObjectTy and isRecursive(loc, cp):
-    result.node = nkRefTy.newTree(result.node)
 
 proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; name: string; pat: Pattern): TypeSpec =
   case pat.orKind
@@ -727,9 +804,6 @@ proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; name: string; orDef: Definit
       newEmpty(),
       newEmpty(),
       nkRecList.newTree(recCase))
-    # result.attrs = attrs(loc, orDef)
-    if result.node.kind == nkObjectTy and (recursive in attrs(loc, orDef)):
-      result.node = nkRefTy.newTree(result.node)
 
 proc nimTypeOf(loc: Location; known: var TypeTable; name: string; def: DefinitionAnd): TypeSpec =
   if isDictionary(loc, def):
@@ -953,7 +1027,6 @@ when isMainModule:
   for inputPath in inputs:
     var bundle: Bundle
     if dirExists inputPath:
-      new bundle
       for filePath in walkDirRec(inputPath, relative = true):
         var (dirPath, fileName, fileExt) = splitFile(filePath)
         if fileExt == ".prs":
@@ -974,10 +1047,9 @@ when isMainModule:
           if fromPreserves(schema, pr):
             bundle.modules[@[Symbol fileName]] = schema
       else:
-        new bundle
         var scm = parsePreservesSchema(readFile(inputPath), dirPath)
         bundle.modules[@[Symbol fileName]] = scm
-    if bundle.isNil or bundle.modules.len == 0:
+    if bundle.modules.len == 0:
       quit "Failed to recognize " & inputPath
     else:
       writeModules(bundle)
diff --git a/src/preserves/preserves_schemac.nim b/src/preserves/preserves_schemac.nim
index 18960aa..a26bdc4 100644
--- a/src/preserves/preserves_schemac.nim
+++ b/src/preserves/preserves_schemac.nim
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: ☭ Emery Hemingway
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
 
-import std/[hashes, options, os, parseopt, streams, strutils, tables]
+import std/[hashes, os, parseopt, streams, strutils, tables]
 
 import ../preserves, ./schema, ./schemaparse
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ when isMainModule:
     write(outStream, schema.toPreserves)
 
   else:
-    let bundle = Bundle()
+    var bundle: Bundle
     if not dirExists inputPath:
       quit "not a directory of schemas: " & inputPath
     else:
diff --git a/src/preserves/schema.nim b/src/preserves/schema.nim
index 11adf49..14227d5 100644
--- a/src/preserves/schema.nim
+++ b/src/preserves/schema.nim
@@ -8,23 +8,23 @@ type
     `name`*: Symbol
 
   ModulePath* = seq[Symbol]
-  Bundle* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "bundle".} = ref object
+  Bundle* {.preservesRecord: "bundle".} = object
     `modules`*: Modules
 
   CompoundPatternKind* {.pure.} = enum
     `rec`, `tuple`, `tuplePrefix`, `dict`
-  CompoundPatternRec* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "rec".} = ref object
+  CompoundPatternRec* {.preservesRecord: "rec".} = object
     `label`*: NamedPattern
     `fields`*: NamedPattern
 
-  CompoundPatternTuple* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "tuple".} = ref object
+  CompoundPatternTuple* {.preservesRecord: "tuple".} = object
     `patterns`*: seq[NamedPattern]
 
-  CompoundPatternTuplePrefix* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "tuplePrefix".} = ref object
+  CompoundPatternTuplePrefix* {.preservesRecord: "tuplePrefix".} = object
     `fixed`*: seq[NamedPattern]
     `variable`*: NamedSimplePattern
 
-  CompoundPatternDict* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "dict".} = ref object
+  CompoundPatternDict* {.preservesRecord: "dict".} = object
     `entries`*: DictionaryEntries
 
   `CompoundPattern`* {.acyclic, preservesOr.} = ref object
@@ -75,19 +75,19 @@ type
   SimplePatternAtom* {.preservesRecord: "atom".} = object
     `atomKind`*: AtomKind
 
-  SimplePatternEmbedded* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "embedded".} = ref object
+  SimplePatternEmbedded* {.preservesRecord: "embedded".} = object
     `interface`*: SimplePattern
 
   SimplePatternLit* {.preservesRecord: "lit".} = object
     `value`*: Value
 
-  SimplePatternSeqof* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "seqof".} = ref object
+  SimplePatternSeqof* {.preservesRecord: "seqof".} = object
     `pattern`*: SimplePattern
 
-  SimplePatternSetof* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "setof".} = ref object
+  SimplePatternSetof* {.preservesRecord: "setof".} = object
     `pattern`*: SimplePattern
 
-  SimplePatternDictof* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "dictof".} = ref object
+  SimplePatternDictof* {.preservesRecord: "dictof".} = object
     `key`*: SimplePattern
     `value`*: SimplePattern
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ type
   
   NamedSimplePatternKind* {.pure.} = enum
     `named`, `anonymous`
-  `NamedSimplePattern`* {.acyclic, preservesOr.} = ref object
+  `NamedSimplePattern`* {.preservesOr.} = object
     case orKind*: NamedSimplePatternKind
     of NamedSimplePatternKind.`named`:
         `named`*: Binding
@@ -131,23 +131,23 @@ type
   
   DefinitionKind* {.pure.} = enum
     `or`, `and`, `Pattern`
-  DefinitionOrField0* {.acyclic, preservesTuple.} = ref object
+  DefinitionOrField0* {.preservesTuple.} = object
     `pattern0`*: NamedAlternative
     `pattern1`*: NamedAlternative
     `patternN`* {.preservesTupleTail.}: seq[NamedAlternative]
 
-  DefinitionOr* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "or".} = ref object
+  DefinitionOr* {.preservesRecord: "or".} = object
     `field0`*: DefinitionOrField0
 
-  DefinitionAndField0* {.acyclic, preservesTuple.} = ref object
+  DefinitionAndField0* {.preservesTuple.} = object
     `pattern0`*: NamedPattern
     `pattern1`*: NamedPattern
     `patternN`* {.preservesTupleTail.}: seq[NamedPattern]
 
-  DefinitionAnd* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "and".} = ref object
+  DefinitionAnd* {.preservesRecord: "and".} = object
     `field0`*: DefinitionAndField0
 
-  `Definition`* {.acyclic, preservesOr.} = ref object
+  `Definition`* {.preservesOr.} = object
     case orKind*: DefinitionKind
     of DefinitionKind.`or`:
         `or`*: DefinitionOr
@@ -159,16 +159,16 @@ type
         `pattern`*: Pattern
 
   
-  NamedAlternative* {.acyclic, preservesTuple.} = ref object
+  NamedAlternative* {.preservesTuple.} = object
     `variantLabel`*: string
     `pattern`*: Pattern
 
-  SchemaField0* {.acyclic, preservesDictionary.} = ref object
+  SchemaField0* {.preservesDictionary.} = object
     `definitions`*: Definitions
     `embeddedType`*: EmbeddedTypeName
     `version`* {.preservesLiteral: "1".}: tuple[]
 
-  Schema* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "schema".} = ref object
+  Schema* {.preservesRecord: "schema".} = object
     `field0`*: SchemaField0
 
   PatternKind* {.pure.} = enum
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ type
         `compoundpattern`*: CompoundPattern
 
   
-  Binding* {.acyclic, preservesRecord: "named".} = ref object
+  Binding* {.preservesRecord: "named".} = object
     `name`*: Symbol
     `pattern`*: SimplePattern