diff --git a/module/language/c99/compiler.mes b/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
index 90d24f27..a544757e 100644
--- a/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
+++ b/module/language/c99/compiler.mes
@@ -942,6 +942,12 @@
                 (info (clone info #:globals globals)))
            (append-text info (list (i386:label->accu `(#:string ,string))))))
 
+        ((p-expr (string . ,strings))
+         (let* ((string (apply string-append strings))
+                (globals ((globals:add-string globals) string))
+                (info (clone info #:globals globals)))
+           (append-text info (list (i386:label->accu `(#:string ,string))))))
+
         ((p-expr (fixed ,value))
          (let ((value (cstring->number value)))
            (append-text info (wrap-as (i386:value->accu value)))))
@@ -954,9 +960,6 @@
          (let ((char (char->integer (car (string->list char)))))
            (append-text info (wrap-as (i386:value->accu char)))))
 
-        ((p-expr (string . ,strings))
-         (append-text info (list (i386:label->accu `(#:string ,(apply string-append strings))))))
-
         (,char (guard (char? char)) (append-text info (wrap-as (i386:value->accu char))))
 
         ((p-expr (ident ,name))
diff --git a/module/mes/M1.mes b/module/mes/M1.mes
index 3280cd58..2713df2d 100644
--- a/module/mes/M1.mes
+++ b/module/mes/M1.mes
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
       (let ((index (list-index (lambda (s) (equal? s o)) strings)))
         (if index
             (string-append "_string_" file-name "_" (number->string index))
-            "")))
+            (error "no such string:" o))))
     (define (text->M1 o)
       (cond
        ((char? o) (text->M1 (char->integer o)))
diff --git a/scaffold/tests/t.c b/scaffold/tests/t.c
index a92504c0..9dad4c89 100644
--- a/scaffold/tests/t.c
+++ b/scaffold/tests/t.c
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ main (int argc, char* argv[])
       if (lst[i+1] != i)
         return 30 + i;
     }
+  puts ("foo"
+        "bar");
 
   return 0;
 }