diff --git a/module/language/c99/compiler.mes b/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
index 3cb94c6e..91d60269 100644
--- a/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
+++ b/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
@@ -2315,9 +2315,14 @@
       (format (current-error-port) "    :~a\n" name)
       (let loop ((statements (.statements o))
                  (info (clone info #:locals locals #:function (.name o) #:text text)))
-        (if (null? statements) (clone info
-                                      #:function #f
-                                      #:functions (append (.functions info) (list (cons name (assert-return (.text info))))))
+        (if (null? statements) (let* ((locals (.locals info))
+                                      (local (and (pair? locals) (car locals)))
+                                      (count (and=> local (compose local:id cdr)))
+                                      (stack (and count (* count 4))))
+                                 (if (and stack (getenv "MESC_DEBUG")) (stderr "        stack: ~a\n" stack))
+                                 (clone info
+                                       #:function #f
+                                       #:functions (append (.functions info) (list (cons name (assert-return (.text info)))))))
             (let* ((statement (car statements)))
               (loop (cdr statements)
                     ((ast->info info) (car statements)))))))))
diff --git a/module/mes/as-i386.mes b/module/mes/as-i386.mes
index d5059c43..4ffb7923 100644
--- a/module/mes/as-i386.mes
+++ b/module/mes/as-i386.mes
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     ("mov____%esp,%ebp")))
 
 (define (i386:function-locals)
-  '(("sub____%esp,$i8" (#:immediate1 #x40)))) ; sub %esp,$0x40  # 16 local vars
+  `(("sub____%esp,$i32" (#:immediate ,(+ (* 4 1025) (* 20 4)))))) ; sub %esp,xxx 4*1024 buf, 20 local vars
 
 (define (i386:push-label label)
   `(("push___$i32" (#:address ,label)))) ; push  $0x<label>
diff --git a/stage0/x86.M1 b/stage0/x86.M1
index f37f3747..fc3fd41b 100644
--- a/stage0/x86.M1
+++ b/stage0/x86.M1
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ DEFINE sub____%dl,%al 28c2
 DEFINE sub____%eax,%edx 29c2
 DEFINE sub____%edx,%eax 29d0
 DEFINE sub____%edx,%eax 29d0
+DEFINE sub____%esp,$i32 81ec
 DEFINE sub____%esp,$i8 83ec
 DEFINE test___%al,%al 84c0
 DEFINE test___%eax,%eax 85c0