diff --git a/src/syndicate/patterns.nim b/src/syndicate/patterns.nim
index 44387fa..e06e0ec 100644
--- a/src/syndicate/patterns.nim
+++ b/src/syndicate/patterns.nim
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ proc `?`*[T](pr: Preserve[T]): Pattern =
   of pkSymbol: ?pr.symbol
   of pkRecord:
     ?DCompoundRec(
-      label: pr.label,
+      label: cast[Preserve[Ref]](pr.label), # TODO: don't cast like this
       fields: map[Preserve[T], Pattern](pr.fields, `?`))
   of pkSequence:
     ?DCompoundArr(items: map(pr.sequence, `?`))
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ proc `?`*[T](pr: Preserve[T]): Pattern =
     ValueError, "cannot construct a pattern over a set literal")
   of pkDictionary:
     var dict = DCompoundDict()
-    for key, val in pr.pairs: dict.entries[key] = ?val
+    for key, val in pr.pairs: dict.entries[cast[Preserve[Ref]](key)] = ?val
     ?dict
   of pkEmbedded:
     raiseAssert "cannot construct a pattern over a embedded literal"
@@ -467,7 +467,11 @@ func capture*(pat: Pattern; pr: Value): seq[Value] =
     if v.isNone: return @[]
     result.add(get v)
 
+
 when isMainModule:
   let txt = readAll stdin
   if txt != "":
-    stdout.writeLine(? parsePreserves(txt, Ref))
+    let
+      v = parsePreserves(txt)
+      pat = ?v
+    stdout.writeLine(pat)