diff --git a/mes.c b/mes.c
index 9af325f6..b4f03b45 100644
--- a/mes.c
+++ b/mes.c
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ scm *caar (scm *x) {return car (car (x));}
 scm *cadr (scm *x) {return car (cdr (x));}
 scm *cdar (scm *x) {return cdr (car (x));}
 scm *cddr (scm *x) {return cdr (cdr (x));}
+scm *caaar (scm *x) {return car (car (car (x)));}
 scm *caadr (scm *x) {return car (car (cdr (x)));}
 scm *caddr (scm *x) {return car (cdr (cdr (x)));}
 scm *cdadr (scm *x) {return cdr (car (cdr (x)));}
@@ -334,7 +335,11 @@ apply_env (scm *fn, scm *x, scm *a)
   return apply_env (efn, x, a);
 }
 
-scm *make_symbol (char const *s);
+scm *
+apply (scm *f, scm *x)
+{
+  return apply_env (f, x, &scm_nil);
+}
 
 scm *
 eval (scm *e, scm *a)
@@ -349,8 +354,8 @@ eval (scm *e, scm *a)
     scm *y = assq (e, a);
     if (y == &scm_f) {
       //return e;
-      fprintf (stderr, "eval: no such symbol: %s\n", e->name);
-      assert (!"unknown symbol");
+      fprintf (stderr, "eval: unbound variable: %s\n", e->name);
+      assert (!"unbound variable");
     }
     return cdr (y);
   }
diff --git a/scm.mes b/scm.mes
index bca97918..c6b7dda9 100755
--- a/scm.mes
+++ b/scm.mes
@@ -109,9 +109,6 @@
                     (if (= 0 n) '()
                         (cons fill (loop (- n 1))))))))
 
-(define (apply f args)
-  (eval (cons f args) (current-module)))
-
 (define-macro (defined? x)
   `(assq ,x (cddr (current-module))))
 
@@ -121,6 +118,8 @@
         ((and (pair? p) (eq? (car p) '*closure*)))
         (#t #f)))
 
+(define integer? number?)
+
 (define (assq-set! alist key val)
   (let ((entry (assq key alist)))
     (cond (entry (set-cdr! entry val)
diff --git a/test.mes b/test.mes
index 6c24dd61..98a82c99 100644
--- a/test.mes
+++ b/test.mes
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@
 (let () (define *top-let-a* '*top-let-a*) #f)
 (pass-if "top let " (seq? (and (defined? '*top-let-a*) *top-let-a*) #f))
 
+(pass-if "apply identity" (seq? (apply identity '(0)) 0))
+(pass-if "apply identity 2" (sequal? (apply identity '((0 1))) '(0 1)))
+(pass-if "apply append" (sequal? (apply append '((1 2) (3 4))) '(1 2 3 4)))
+
 (newline)
 (display "passed: ") (display (car (result))) (newline)
 (display "failed: ") (display (cadr (result))) (newline)