diff --git a/mes.c b/mes.c
index fc8c3282..62a89f0c 100644
--- a/mes.c
+++ b/mes.c
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ evcon_ (scm *c, scm *a)
   display (car (c));
   puts ("");
 #endif
+  if (c == &scm_nil) return &scm_unspecified;
   if (eval (caar (c), a) != &scm_f) {
 #if DEBUG
     //if (fn != &scm_display && fn != &scm_call)
@@ -1152,6 +1153,10 @@ define_macro (scm *x, scm *a)
   display (aa);
   puts ("");
 #endif
+  if (atom_p (cadr (x)) != &scm_f)
+    return cons (&scm_macro,
+                 cons (cons (cadr (x), eval (caddr (x), a)),
+                       cdr (assq (&scm_macro, a))));
   return cons (&scm_macro,
                cons (define_lambda (x),
                      cdr (assq (&scm_macro, a))));
diff --git a/mes.mes b/mes.mes
index c6adec07..8c0d118a 100644
--- a/mes.mes
+++ b/mes.mes
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 (define (evcon c a)
   ;;(debug "evcon c=~a a=~a\n" c a)
   (cond
+   ((null? c) *unspecified*)
    ;; single-statement cond
    ;; ((eval (caar c) a) (eval (cadar c) a))
    ((eval (caar c) a)