diff --git a/lib/compiler/emit.ml b/lib/compiler/emit.ml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e417dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/compiler/emit.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+
+type literal = Core_ast.literal
+type expression = Scope_analysis.expression
+module SymbolTable = Scope_analysis.SymbolTable
+
+type instr = Vm.Types.instr
+
+type pre_instr =
+  | Instr of instr
+  | BackPatchMkClosure
+  | BackPatchJumpF
+
+type program = {
+    instrs : pre_instr Dynarray.t;
+    constants : Vm.Types.value Dynarray.t;
+    sym_table : int SymbolTable.t;
+    (* This array holds the lambda bodies that we have to compiler later, and
+       the index we have to patch the address back into.
+     *)
+    backpatch : (int * expression) Queue.t;
+  }
+
+let ( let* ) = Result.bind
+
+let current_index p =
+  Dynarray.length p.instrs
+let set_instr p i ins =
+  Dynarray.set p.instrs i (Instr ins)
+
+let emit_mkclosure p =
+  Ok (Dynarray.add_last p.instrs BackPatchMkClosure)
+let emit_jumpf p =
+  Ok (Dynarray.add_last p.instrs BackPatchJumpF)
+
+let emit_instr p i =
+  Ok (Dynarray.add_last p.instrs (Instr i))
+
+let emit_constant p c =
+  Dynarray.add_last p.constants c;
+  emit_instr p (Constant ((Dynarray.length p.constants) - 1))
+(* evaluating an expression ALWAYS has the effect of pushing exactly
+   one element to the stack. For top-level items, this element is
+   silently popped.
+ *)
+let rec compile_one p = function
+  | Scope_analysis.Literal (Int x) -> emit_constant p (Vm.Types.Int x)
+  | Literal Nil -> emit_constant p (Vm.Types.Nil)
+  | Literal (Double x) -> emit_constant p (Vm.Types.Double x)
+  | Literal (String s) -> emit_constant p (Vm.Types.String s)
+  | Literal (Cons (a, b)) ->
+     let* _ = compile_one p (Literal a) in
+     let* _ = compile_one p (Literal b) in
+     emit_instr p (Vm.Types.MakeCons)
+  | Var (Scope_analysis.Local i) ->
+     emit_instr p (Vm.Types.LoadLocal i)
+  | Var (Global i) ->
+     emit_instr p (Vm.Types.LoadGlobal i)
+  | Set (Local i, expr) ->
+     let* _ = compile_one p expr in
+     emit_instr p (Vm.Types.StoreLocal i)
+  | Set (Global i, expr) ->
+     let* _ = compile_one p expr in
+     emit_instr p (Vm.Types.StoreGlobal i)
+  | Apply (f, arg) ->
+     let* _ = compile_one p f in
+     let* _ = compile_one p arg in
+     emit_instr p Vm.Types.Apply
+  | Lambda body ->
+     let* _ = emit_mkclosure p in
+     Ok (Queue.push ((Dynarray.length p.instrs) - 1, body) p.backpatch)
+  | If (test, t, f) ->
+(* *)
+     let* _ = compile_one p test in (* compile the expression to be tested *)
+     let jumpf_index = current_index p in
+     let* _ = emit_jumpf p in (* jump if false, to the false branch*)
+     let* _ = compile_one p t in (* true branch *)
+     let jump_index = current_index p in
+     let* _ = emit_jumpf p in (* jump unconditionally to the common point*)
+     let false_index = current_index p in
+     let* _ = compile_one p f in (* false branch *)
+     let reunite_index = current_index p in
+     let* _ = emit_instr p NOOP in
+(* Now we can immediately backpatch the dummy instructions we put in place *)
+     set_instr p jumpf_index (JumpF false_index);
+     set_instr p jump_index (Jump reunite_index);
+     Ok ()
+  | Begin [] ->
+     Error "Cannot compile empty begin "
+  | Begin (e1 :: []) ->
+     compile_one p e1
+  | Begin (e1 :: e2 :: rest) ->
+     let* _ = compile_one p e1 in
+     compile_one p (Begin (e2 :: rest))
+
+and compile_all p exprs =
+  Util.traverse (compile_one p) exprs
+
+(* Once we have compiled the top-level expressions, we must now compile
+   all of the lambdas we held off on. Some of these will hold more
+   lambdas - that should be fine, they'll just get added to the end
+   of the backpatch queue. 
+ *)
+let backpatch_one p (i, b) =
+  Dynarray.set p.instrs i (Instr (MakeClosure (current_index p)));
+  let* _ = compile_one p b in
+  emit_instr p End
+let backpatch p =
+  if Queue.is_empty p.backpatch then
+    Ok ()
+  else backpatch_one p (Queue.pop p.backpatch)
+let compile (exprs : expression list) (tbl : int SymbolTable.t) =
+  let program = {
+      instrs=Dynarray.create ();
+      constants=Dynarray.create ();
+      sym_table=tbl;
+      backpatch=Queue.create ();
+    } in
+  let* _ = compile_all program exprs in
+  backpatch program