diff --git a/cs_val.cc b/cs_val.cc
index 98b6c09d..b03389a2 100644
--- a/cs_val.cc
+++ b/cs_val.cc
@@ -4,13 +4,19 @@
 
 namespace cscript {
 
+template<typename T, typename U>
+inline T &csv_get(U &stor) {
+    /* ugly, but internal and unlikely to cause bugs */
+    return const_cast<T &>(reinterpret_cast<T const &>(stor));
+}
+
 void CsValue::cleanup() {
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::string:
-            delete[] p_s;
+            delete[] csv_get<char *>(p_stor);
             break;
         case CsValueType::code: {
-            ostd::Uint32 *bcode = reinterpret_cast<ostd::Uint32 *>(p_code);
+            ostd::Uint32 *bcode = csv_get<ostd::Uint32 *>(p_stor);
             if (bcode[-1] == CODE_START) {
                 delete[] bcode;
             }
@@ -27,12 +33,12 @@ CsValueType CsValue::get_type() const {
 
 void CsValue::set_int(CsInt val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::integer;
-    p_i = val;
+    csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor) = val;
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_float(CsFloat val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::number;
-    p_f = val;
+    csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor) = val;
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_str(CsString val) {
@@ -50,35 +56,35 @@ void CsValue::set_str(CsString val) {
 
 void CsValue::set_null() {
     p_type = CsValueType::null;
-    p_code = nullptr;
+    csv_get<CsBytecode *>(p_stor) = nullptr;
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_code(CsBytecode *val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::code;
-    p_code = val;
+    csv_get<CsBytecode *>(p_stor) = val;
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_cstr(ostd::ConstCharRange val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::cstring;
     p_len = val.size();
-    p_cstr = val.data();
+    csv_get<char const *>(p_stor) = val.data();
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_mstr(ostd::CharRange val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::string;
     p_len = val.size();
-    p_s = val.data();
+    csv_get<char *>(p_stor) = val.data();
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_ident(CsIdent *val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::ident;
-    p_id = val;
+    csv_get<CsIdent *>(p_stor) = val;
 }
 
 void CsValue::set_macro(ostd::ConstCharRange val) {
     p_type = CsValueType::macro;
     p_len = val.size();
-    p_cstr = val.data();
+    csv_get<char const *>(p_stor) = val.data();
 }
 
 void CsValue::set(CsValue &tv) {
@@ -99,15 +105,17 @@ CsFloat CsValue::force_float() {
     CsFloat rf = 0.0f;
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            rf = p_i;
+            rf = csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor);
             break;
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            rf = cs_parse_float(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            rf = cs_parse_float(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
             break;
         case CsValueType::number:
-            return p_f;
+            return csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor);
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -120,15 +128,17 @@ CsInt CsValue::force_int() {
     CsInt ri = 0;
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::number:
-            ri = p_f;
+            ri = csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor);
             break;
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            ri = cs_parse_int(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            ri = cs_parse_int(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
             break;
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            return p_i;
+            return csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor);
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -141,35 +151,37 @@ ostd::ConstCharRange CsValue::force_str() {
     CsString rs;
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::number:
-            rs = ostd::move(floatstr(p_f));
+            rs = ostd::move(floatstr(csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor)));
             break;
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            rs = ostd::move(intstr(p_i));
+            rs = ostd::move(intstr(csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor)));
             break;
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            rs = ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len);
+            rs = ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len);
             break;
         case CsValueType::string:
-            return ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len);
+            return ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len);
         default:
             break;
     }
     cleanup();
     set_str(ostd::move(rs));
-    return ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len);
+    return ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len);
 }
 
 CsInt CsValue::get_int() const {
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::number:
-            return CsInt(p_f);
+            return CsInt(csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor));
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            return p_i;
+            return csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor);
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            return cs_parse_int(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            return cs_parse_int(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -179,13 +191,15 @@ CsInt CsValue::get_int() const {
 CsFloat CsValue::get_float() const {
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::number:
-            return p_f;
+            return csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor);
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            return CsFloat(p_i);
+            return CsFloat(csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor));
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            return cs_parse_float(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            return cs_parse_float(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -196,14 +210,14 @@ CsBytecode *CsValue::get_code() const {
     if (get_type() != CsValueType::code) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    return p_code;
+    return csv_get<CsBytecode *>(p_stor);
 }
 
 CsIdent *CsValue::get_ident() const {
     if (get_type() != CsValueType::ident) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    return p_id;
+    return csv_get<CsIdent *>(p_stor);
 }
 
 CsString CsValue::get_str() const {
@@ -211,11 +225,11 @@ CsString CsValue::get_str() const {
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            return ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len);
+            return ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len);
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            return intstr(p_i);
+            return intstr(csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor));
         case CsValueType::number:
-            return floatstr(p_f);
+            return floatstr(csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor));
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -227,7 +241,7 @@ ostd::ConstCharRange CsValue::get_strr() const {
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            return ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len);
+            return ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len);
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -239,13 +253,15 @@ void CsValue::get_val(CsValue &r) const {
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            r.set_str(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            r.set_str(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
             break;
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            r.set_int(p_i);
+            r.set_int(csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor));
             break;
         case CsValueType::number:
-            r.set_float(p_f);
+            r.set_float(csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor));
             break;
         default:
             r.set_null();
@@ -266,7 +282,7 @@ bool CsValue::code_is_empty() const {
     if (get_type() != CsValueType::code) {
         return true;
     }
-    return cscript::cs_code_is_empty(p_code);
+    return cscript::cs_code_is_empty(csv_get<CsBytecode *>(p_stor));
 }
 
 static inline bool cs_get_bool(ostd::ConstCharRange s) {
@@ -289,16 +305,42 @@ static inline bool cs_get_bool(ostd::ConstCharRange s) {
 bool CsValue::get_bool() const {
     switch (get_type()) {
         case CsValueType::number:
-            return p_f != 0;
+            return csv_get<CsFloat>(p_stor) != 0;
         case CsValueType::integer:
-            return p_i != 0;
+            return csv_get<CsInt>(p_stor) != 0;
         case CsValueType::string:
         case CsValueType::macro:
         case CsValueType::cstring:
-            return cs_get_bool(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
+            return cs_get_bool(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
         default:
             return false;
     }
 }
 
+void CsValue::copy_arg(CsValue &r) const {
+    r.cleanup();
+    switch (get_type()) {
+        case CsValueType::integer:
+        case CsValueType::number:
+        case CsValueType::ident:
+            r = *this;
+            break;
+        case CsValueType::string:
+        case CsValueType::cstring:
+        case CsValueType::macro:
+            r.set_str(
+                ostd::ConstCharRange(csv_get<char const *>(p_stor), p_len)
+            );
+            break;
+        case CsValueType::code:
+            r.set_code(cs_copy_code(get_code()));
+            break;
+        default:
+            r.set_null();
+            break;
+    }
+}
+
 } /* namespace cscript */
diff --git a/cs_vm.cc b/cs_vm.cc
index 283052a5..0e70dc90 100644
--- a/cs_vm.cc
+++ b/cs_vm.cc
@@ -260,32 +260,13 @@ static ostd::Uint32 *skipcode(
     }
 }
 
-void CsValue::copy_arg(CsValue &r) const {
-    r.cleanup();
-    switch (get_type()) {
-        case CsValueType::integer:
-        case CsValueType::number:
-        case CsValueType::ident:
-            r = *this;
-            break;
-        case CsValueType::string:
-        case CsValueType::cstring:
-        case CsValueType::macro:
-            r.set_str(ostd::ConstCharRange(p_s, p_len));
-            break;
-        case CsValueType::code: {
-            ostd::Uint32 *bcode = reinterpret_cast<ostd::Uint32 *>(r.get_code());
-            ostd::Uint32 *end = skipcode(bcode);
-            ostd::Uint32 *dst = new ostd::Uint32[end - bcode + 1];
-            *dst++ = CODE_START;
-            memcpy(dst, bcode, (end - bcode) * sizeof(ostd::Uint32));
-            r.set_code(reinterpret_cast<CsBytecode *>(dst));
-            break;
-        }
-        default:
-            r.set_null();
-            break;
-    }
+CsBytecode *cs_copy_code(CsBytecode *c) {
+    ostd::Uint32 *bcode = reinterpret_cast<ostd::Uint32 *>(c);
+    ostd::Uint32 *end = skipcode(bcode);
+    ostd::Uint32 *dst = new ostd::Uint32[end - bcode + 1];
+    *dst++ = CODE_START;
+    memcpy(dst, bcode, (end - bcode) * sizeof(ostd::Uint32));
+    return reinterpret_cast<CsBytecode *>(dst);
 }
 
 static inline void callcommand(
diff --git a/cs_vm.hh b/cs_vm.hh
index 84d71b22..67267378 100644
--- a/cs_vm.hh
+++ b/cs_vm.hh
@@ -348,6 +348,8 @@ static void cs_do_args(CsState &cs, F body) {
     }
 }
 
+CsBytecode *cs_copy_code(CsBytecode *c);
+
 } /* namespace cscript */
 
 #endif /* LIBCUBESCRIPT_CS_VM_HH */
diff --git a/cubescript.hh b/cubescript.hh
index e9099d18..c658f386 100644
--- a/cubescript.hh
+++ b/cubescript.hh
@@ -100,14 +100,7 @@ struct OSTD_EXPORT CsValue {
     void copy_arg(CsValue &r) const;
 
 private:
-    union {
-        CsInt p_i;
-        CsFloat p_f;
-        CsBytecode *p_code;
-        CsIdent *p_id;
-        char *p_s;
-        char const *p_cstr;
-    };
+    ostd::AlignedUnion<1, CsInt, CsFloat, void *> p_stor;
     ostd::Size p_len;
     CsValueType p_type;
 };
@@ -139,6 +132,9 @@ struct OSTD_EXPORT CsIdent {
     CsIdent(CsIdent const &) = delete;
     CsIdent(CsIdent &&) = delete;
 
+    /* trigger destructors for all inherited members properly */
+    virtual ~CsIdent() {};
+
     CsIdent &operator=(CsIdent const &) = delete;
     CsIdent &operator=(CsIdent &&) = delete;
 
diff --git a/tools/repl.cc b/tools/repl.cc
index 41db9016..08148555 100644
--- a/tools/repl.cc
+++ b/tools/repl.cc
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ static void do_call(CsState &cs, ostd::ConstCharRange line) {
     if (ret.get_type() != CsValueType::null) {
         ostd::writeln(ret.get_str());
     }
+    ret.cleanup();
 }
 
 static void do_tty(CsState &cs) {