diff --git a/py/compile.c b/py/compile.c
index b839ac551c..2d2f800d42 100644
--- a/py/compile.c
+++ b/py/compile.c
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ typedef enum {
 } pn_kind_t;
 
 #define EMIT(fun, arg...) (comp->emit_method_table->fun(comp->emit, ##arg))
-#define EMIT_COMMON(fun, arg...) (emit_common_##fun(comp->pass, comp->scope_cur, comp->emit, comp->emit_method_table, ##arg))
 
 typedef struct _compiler_t {
     qstr qstr___class__;
@@ -504,10 +503,10 @@ void c_assign(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn, assign_kind_t assign_kind) {
             switch (assign_kind) {
                 case ASSIGN_STORE:
                 case ASSIGN_AUG_STORE:
-                    EMIT_COMMON(store_id, arg);
+                    EMIT(store_id, arg);
                     break;
                 case ASSIGN_AUG_LOAD:
-                    EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, arg);
+                    EMIT(load_id, arg);
                     break;
             }
         } else {
@@ -779,18 +778,18 @@ void compile_decorated(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
     }
 
     // store func/class object into name
-    EMIT_COMMON(store_id, body_name);
+    EMIT(store_id, body_name);
 }
 
 void compile_funcdef(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
     qstr fname = compile_funcdef_helper(comp, pns);
     // store function object into function name
-    EMIT_COMMON(store_id, fname);
+    EMIT(store_id, fname);
 }
 
 void c_del_stmt(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn) {
     if (PY_PARSE_NODE_IS_ID(pn)) {
-        EMIT_COMMON(delete_id, PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pn));
+        EMIT(delete_id, PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pn));
     } else if (PY_PARSE_NODE_IS_STRUCT_KIND(pn, PN_power)) {
         py_parse_node_struct_t *pns = (py_parse_node_struct_t*)pn;
 
@@ -995,7 +994,7 @@ void compile_dotted_as_name(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn) {
     EMIT(load_const_tok, PY_TOKEN_KW_NONE);
     qstr q1, q2;
     do_import_name(comp, pn, &q1, &q2);
-    EMIT_COMMON(store_id, q1);
+    EMIT(store_id, q1);
 }
 
 void compile_import_name(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
@@ -1042,9 +1041,9 @@ void compile_import_from(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
             qstr id2 = PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pns3->nodes[0]); // should be id
             EMIT(import_from, id2);
             if (PY_PARSE_NODE_IS_NULL(pns3->nodes[1])) {
-                EMIT_COMMON(store_id, id2);
+                EMIT(store_id, id2);
             } else {
-                EMIT_COMMON(store_id, PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pns3->nodes[1]));
+                EMIT(store_id, PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pns3->nodes[1]));
             }
         }
         EMIT(pop_top);
@@ -1082,7 +1081,7 @@ void compile_nonlocal_stmt(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
 void compile_assert_stmt(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
     int l_end = comp_next_label(comp);
     c_if_cond(comp, pns->nodes[0], true, l_end);
-    EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, comp->qstr_assertion_error);
+    EMIT(load_id, comp->qstr_assertion_error);
     if (!PY_PARSE_NODE_IS_NULL(pns->nodes[1])) {
         // assertion message
         compile_node(comp, pns->nodes[1]);
@@ -1276,7 +1275,7 @@ void compile_try_except(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn_body, int n_except,
         if (qstr_exception_local == 0) {
             EMIT(pop_top);
         } else {
-            EMIT_COMMON(store_id, qstr_exception_local);
+            EMIT(store_id, qstr_exception_local);
         }
 
         EMIT(pop_top);
@@ -1295,8 +1294,8 @@ void compile_try_except(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn_body, int n_except,
             EMIT(load_const_tok, PY_TOKEN_KW_NONE);
             EMIT(label_assign, l3);
             EMIT(load_const_tok, PY_TOKEN_KW_NONE);
-            EMIT_COMMON(store_id, qstr_exception_local);
-            EMIT_COMMON(delete_id, qstr_exception_local);
+            EMIT(store_id, qstr_exception_local);
+            EMIT(delete_id, qstr_exception_local);
             EMIT(end_finally);
         }
         EMIT(jump, l2);
@@ -2051,7 +2050,7 @@ void compile_dictorsetmaker_item(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns)
 void compile_classdef(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
     qstr cname = compile_classdef_helper(comp, pns);
     // store class object into class name
-    EMIT_COMMON(store_id, cname);
+    EMIT(store_id, cname);
 }
 
 void compile_arglist_star(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
@@ -2129,7 +2128,7 @@ void compile_node(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn) {
     } else if (PY_PARSE_NODE_IS_LEAF(pn)) {
         int arg = PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pn);
         switch (PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_KIND(pn)) {
-            case PY_PARSE_NODE_ID: EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, arg); break;
+            case PY_PARSE_NODE_ID: EMIT(load_id, arg); break;
             case PY_PARSE_NODE_SMALL_INT: EMIT(load_const_small_int, arg); break;
             case PY_PARSE_NODE_INTEGER: EMIT(load_const_int, arg); break;
             case PY_PARSE_NODE_DECIMAL: EMIT(load_const_dec, arg); break;
@@ -2300,7 +2299,7 @@ void check_for_doc_string(compiler_t *comp, py_parse_node_t pn) {
             if (kind == PY_PARSE_NODE_STRING) {
                 compile_node(comp, pns->nodes[0]); // a doc string
                 // store doc string
-                EMIT_COMMON(store_id, comp->qstr___doc__);
+                EMIT(store_id, comp->qstr___doc__);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2387,7 +2386,7 @@ void compile_scope(compiler_t *comp, scope_t *scope, pass_kind_t pass) {
 
         int l_end = comp_next_label(comp);
         int l_top = comp_next_label(comp);
-        EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, qstr_arg);
+        EMIT(load_id, qstr_arg);
         EMIT(label_assign, l_top);
         EMIT(for_iter, l_end);
         c_assign(comp, pns_comp_for->nodes[0], ASSIGN_STORE);
@@ -2418,12 +2417,12 @@ void compile_scope(compiler_t *comp, scope_t *scope, pass_kind_t pass) {
             scope->num_params = 1; // __locals__ is the parameter
         }
 
-        EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, comp->qstr___locals__);
+        EMIT(load_id, comp->qstr___locals__);
         EMIT(store_locals);
-        EMIT_COMMON(load_id, comp->qstr___class__, comp->qstr___name__);
-        EMIT_COMMON(store_id, comp->qstr___module__);
+        EMIT(load_id, comp->qstr___name__);
+        EMIT(store_id, comp->qstr___module__);
         EMIT(load_const_id, PY_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_ARG(pns->nodes[0])); // 0 is class name
-        EMIT_COMMON(store_id, comp->qstr___qualname__);
+        EMIT(store_id, comp->qstr___qualname__);
 
         check_for_doc_string(comp, pns->nodes[2]);
         compile_node(comp, pns->nodes[2]); // 2 is class body
@@ -2509,7 +2508,7 @@ void py_compile(py_parse_node_t pn) {
     comp->scope_head = NULL;
     comp->scope_cur = NULL;
 
-    emit_pass1_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table);
+    emit_pass1_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->qstr___class__);
 
     pn = fold_constants(pn);
     scope_new_and_link(comp, SCOPE_MODULE, pn);
@@ -2522,9 +2521,9 @@ void py_compile(py_parse_node_t pn) {
         compile_scope_compute_things(comp, s);
     }
 
-    //emit_cpython_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->max_num_labels);
+    emit_cpython_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->max_num_labels);
     //emit_bc_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->max_num_labels);
-    emit_x64_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->max_num_labels);
+    //emit_x64_new(&comp->emit, &comp->emit_method_table, comp->max_num_labels);
 
     for (scope_t *s = comp->scope_head; s != NULL; s = s->next) {
         compile_scope(comp, s, PASS_2);
diff --git a/py/emit.h b/py/emit.h
index e995597afd..c27b231db5 100644
--- a/py/emit.h
+++ b/py/emit.h
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ typedef struct _emit_method_table_t {
     int (*get_stack_size)(emit_t *emit);
     void (*set_stack_size)(emit_t *emit, int size);
 
+    void (*load_id)(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr);
+    void (*store_id)(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr);
+    void (*delete_id)(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr);
+
     void (*label_assign)(emit_t *emit, int l);
     void (*import_name)(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr);
     void (*import_from)(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr);
@@ -108,107 +112,12 @@ typedef struct _emit_method_table_t {
     void (*yield_from)(emit_t *emit);
 } emit_method_table_t;
 
-void emit_common_load_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr___class__, qstr qstr);
-void emit_common_store_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr);
-void emit_common_delete_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr);
-
-void emit_pass1_new(emit_t **emit, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table);
-uint emit_pass1_get_max_num_labels(emit_t *emit);
+void emit_common_load_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr);
+void emit_common_store_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr);
+void emit_common_delete_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr);
 
+void emit_pass1_new(emit_t **emit, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table, qstr qstr___class__);
 void emit_cpython_new(emit_t **emit_out, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table_out, uint max_num_labels);
 void emit_bc_new(emit_t **emit, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table, uint max_num_labels);
 void emit_x64_new(emit_t **emit, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table, uint max_num_labels);
 void emit_thumb_new(emit_t **emit, const emit_method_table_t **emit_method_table, uint max_num_labels);
-
-/*
-void emit_set_native_types(emitter_t *emit, bool do_native_types);
-void emit_start_pass(emitter_t *emit, pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope);
-void emit_end_pass(emitter_t *emit);
-bool emit_last_emit_was_return_value(emitter_t *emit);
-int emit_get_stack_size(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_set_stack_size(emitter_t *emit, int size);
-
-int emit_label_new(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_label_assign(emitter_t *emit, int l);
-void emit_import_name(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_import_from(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_import_star(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_load_const_tok(emitter_t *emit, py_token_kind_t tok);
-void emit_load_const_small_int(emitter_t *emit, int arg);
-void emit_load_const_int(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_const_dec(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_const_id(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_const_str(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr, bool bytes);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_start(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_int(emitter_t *emit, int val);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_str(emitter_t *emit, const char *str);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_strn(emitter_t *emit, const char *str, int len);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_quoted_str(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr, bool bytes);
-void emit_load_const_verbatim_end(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_load_fast(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr, int local_num);
-void emit_load_name(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_global(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_deref(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_closure(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_attr(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_method(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_load_build_class(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_store_fast(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr, int local_num);
-void emit_store_name(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_store_global(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_store_deref(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_store_attr(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_store_locals(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_store_subscr(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_delete_fast(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr, int local_num);
-void emit_delete_name(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_delete_global(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_delete_deref(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_delete_attr(emitter_t *emit, qstr qstr);
-void emit_delete_subscr(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_dup_top(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_dup_top_two(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_pop_top(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_rot_two(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_rot_three(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_jump(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_pop_jump_if_true(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_pop_jump_if_false(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_jump_if_true_or_pop(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_jump_if_false_or_pop(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_setup_loop(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_break_loop(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_continue_loop(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_setup_with(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_with_cleanup(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_setup_except(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_setup_finally(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_end_finally(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_get_iter(emitter_t *emit); // tos = getiter(tos)
-void emit_for_iter(emitter_t *emit, int label);
-void emit_for_iter_end(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_pop_block(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_pop_except(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_unary_op(emitter_t *emit, rt_unary_op_t op);
-void emit_binary_op(emitter_t *emit, rt_binary_op_t op);
-void emit_compare_op(emitter_t *emit, rt_compare_op_t op);
-void emit_build_tuple(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_build_list(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_list_append(emitter_t *emit, int list_stack_index);
-void emit_build_map(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_store_map(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_map_add(emitter_t *emit, int map_stack_index);
-void emit_build_set(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_set_add(emitter_t *emit, int set_stack_index);
-void emit_build_slice(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_unpack_sequence(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_unpack_ex(emitter_t *emit, int n_left, int n_right);
-void emit_make_function(emitter_t *emit, scope_t *scope, int n_dict_params, int n_default_params);
-void emit_make_closure(emitter_t *emit, scope_t *scope, int n_dict_params, int n_default_params);
-void emit_call_function(emitter_t *emit, int n_positional, int n_keyword, bool have_star_arg, bool have_dbl_star_arg);
-void emit_call_method(emitter_t *emit, int n_positional, int n_keyword, bool have_star_arg, bool have_dbl_star_arg);
-void emit_return_value(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_raise_varargs(emitter_t *emit, int n_args);
-void emit_yield_value(emitter_t *emit);
-void emit_yield_from(emitter_t *emit);
-*/
diff --git a/py/emitbc.c b/py/emitbc.c
index eeeb2b749d..4cfd88ed4f 100644
--- a/py/emitbc.c
+++ b/py/emitbc.c
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ struct _emit_t {
     byte dummy_data[8];
 };
 
+// forward declaration
+static const emit_method_table_t emit_bc_method_table;
+
 uint emit_bc_get_code_size(emit_t* emit) {
     return emit->code_size;
 }
@@ -150,6 +153,18 @@ static void emit_bc_set_stack_size(emit_t *emit, int size) {
     emit->stack_size = size;
 }
 
+static void emit_bc_load_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_load_id(emit, &emit_bc_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_bc_store_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_store_id(emit, &emit_bc_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_bc_delete_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_delete_id(emit, &emit_bc_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
 static void emit_pre(emit_t *emit, int stack_size_delta) {
     emit->stack_size += stack_size_delta;
     if (emit->stack_size > emit->scope->stack_size) {
@@ -665,6 +680,10 @@ static const emit_method_table_t emit_bc_method_table = {
     emit_bc_get_stack_size,
     emit_bc_set_stack_size,
 
+    emit_bc_load_id,
+    emit_bc_store_id,
+    emit_bc_delete_id,
+
     emit_bc_label_assign,
     emit_bc_import_name,
     emit_bc_import_from,
diff --git a/py/emitcommon.c b/py/emitcommon.c
index 95a00543ad..6d4c071419 100644
--- a/py/emitcommon.c
+++ b/py/emitcommon.c
@@ -14,85 +14,31 @@
 
 #define EMIT(fun, arg...) (emit_method_table->fun(emit, ##arg))
 
-void emit_common_load_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr___class__, qstr qstr) {
-    id_info_t *id_info = NULL;
-    if (pass == PASS_1) {
-        // name adding/lookup
-        bool added;
-        id_info = scope_find_or_add_id(scope, qstr, &added);
-        if (added) {
-            if (strcmp(qstr_str(qstr), "AssertionError") == 0) {
-                id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_EXPLICIT;
-                // TODO how much of a hack is this?
-            } else if (strcmp(qstr_str(qstr), "super") == 0 && scope->kind == SCOPE_FUNCTION) {
-                // special case, super is a global, and also counts as use of __class__
-                id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_EXPLICIT;
-                id_info_t *id_info2 = scope_find_local_in_parent(scope, qstr___class__);
-                if (id_info2 != NULL) {
-                    id_info2 = scope_find_or_add_id(scope, qstr___class__, &added);
-                    if (added) {
-                        id_info2->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_FREE;
-                        scope_close_over_in_parents(scope, qstr___class__);
-                    }
-                }
-            } else {
-                id_info_t *id_info2 = scope_find_local_in_parent(scope, qstr);
-                if (id_info2 != NULL && (id_info2->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_LOCAL || id_info2->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_CELL || id_info2->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_FREE)) {
-                    id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_FREE;
-                    scope_close_over_in_parents(scope, qstr);
-                } else {
-                    id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    } else {
-        id_info = scope_find(scope, qstr);
-    }
+void emit_common_load_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr) {
+    // assumes pass is greater than 1, ie that all identifiers are defined in the scope
 
-    assert(id_info != NULL); // TODO can this ever fail?
+    id_info_t *id = scope_find(scope, qstr);
+    assert(id != NULL); // TODO can this ever fail?
 
     // call the emit backend with the correct code
-    if (id_info == NULL || id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT) {
+    if (id == NULL || id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT) {
         EMIT(load_name, qstr);
-    } else if (id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_EXPLICIT) {
+    } else if (id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_EXPLICIT) {
         EMIT(load_global, qstr);
-    } else if (id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_LOCAL) {
-        EMIT(load_fast, qstr, id_info->local_num);
-    } else if (id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_CELL || id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_FREE) {
+    } else if (id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_LOCAL) {
+        EMIT(load_fast, qstr, id->local_num);
+    } else if (id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_CELL || id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_FREE) {
         EMIT(load_deref, qstr);
     } else {
         assert(0);
     }
 }
 
-static id_info_t *get_id_for_modification(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr) {
-    id_info_t *id_info = NULL;
-    if (pass == PASS_1) {
-        // name adding/lookup
-        bool added;
-        id_info = scope_find_or_add_id(scope, qstr, &added);
-        if (added) {
-            if (scope->kind == SCOPE_MODULE || scope->kind == SCOPE_CLASS) {
-                id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT;
-            } else {
-                id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_LOCAL;
-            }
-        } else if (scope->kind >= SCOPE_FUNCTION && scope->kind <= SCOPE_GEN_EXPR && id_info->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT) {
-            // rebind as a local variable
-            id_info->kind = ID_INFO_KIND_LOCAL;
-        }
-    } else {
-        id_info = scope_find(scope, qstr);
-    }
+void emit_common_store_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr) {
+    // assumes pass is greater than 1, ie that all identifiers are defined in the scope
 
-    assert(id_info != NULL); // TODO can this ever fail?
-
-    return id_info;
-}
-
-void emit_common_store_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr) {
-    // create/get the id info
-    id_info_t *id = get_id_for_modification(pass, scope, qstr);
+    id_info_t *id = scope_find(scope, qstr);
+    assert(id != NULL); // TODO can this ever fail?
 
     // call the emit backend with the correct code
     if (id == NULL || id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT) {
@@ -108,9 +54,11 @@ void emit_common_store_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const
     }
 }
 
-void emit_common_delete_id(pass_kind_t pass, scope_t *scope, emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, qstr qstr) {
-    // create/get the id info
-    id_info_t *id = get_id_for_modification(pass, scope, qstr);
+void emit_common_delete_id(emit_t *emit, const emit_method_table_t *emit_method_table, scope_t *scope, qstr qstr) {
+    // assumes pass is greater than 1, ie that all identifiers are defined in the scope
+
+    id_info_t *id = scope_find(scope, qstr);
+    assert(id != NULL); // TODO can this ever fail?
 
     // call the emit backend with the correct code
     if (id == NULL || id->kind == ID_INFO_KIND_GLOBAL_IMPLICIT) {
diff --git a/py/emitcpy.c b/py/emitcpy.c
index c3dc204969..0a3149fcd5 100644
--- a/py/emitcpy.c
+++ b/py/emitcpy.c
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ struct _emit_t {
     int *label_offsets;
 };
 
+// forward declarations
+static const emit_method_table_t emit_cpy_method_table;
+static void emit_cpy_load_const_verbatim_quoted_str(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr, bool bytes);
+
 static void emit_cpy_set_native_types(emit_t *emit, bool do_native_types) {
 }
 
@@ -63,6 +67,18 @@ static void emit_cpy_set_stack_size(emit_t *emit, int size) {
     emit->stack_size = size;
 }
 
+static void emit_cpy_load_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_load_id(emit, &emit_cpy_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_cpy_store_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_store_id(emit, &emit_cpy_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_cpy_delete_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_delete_id(emit, &emit_cpy_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
 static void emit_pre(emit_t *emit, int stack_size_delta, int byte_code_size) {
     emit->stack_size += stack_size_delta;
     if (emit->stack_size > emit->scope->stack_size) {
@@ -156,7 +172,6 @@ static void emit_cpy_load_const_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
     }
 }
 
-static void emit_cpy_load_const_verbatim_quoted_str(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr, bool bytes);
 static void emit_cpy_load_const_str(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr, bool bytes) {
     emit_pre(emit, 1, 3);
     if (emit->pass == PASS_3) {
@@ -818,6 +833,10 @@ static const emit_method_table_t emit_cpy_method_table = {
     emit_cpy_get_stack_size,
     emit_cpy_set_stack_size,
 
+    emit_cpy_load_id,
+    emit_cpy_store_id,
+    emit_cpy_delete_id,
+
     emit_cpy_label_assign,
     emit_cpy_import_name,
     emit_cpy_import_from,
diff --git a/py/emitx64.c b/py/emitx64.c
index 72a0852938..cde98fe457 100644
--- a/py/emitx64.c
+++ b/py/emitx64.c
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ struct _emit_t {
     bool do_native_types;
 };
 
+// forward declaration
+static const emit_method_table_t emit_x64_method_table;
+
 static void emit_x64_set_native_types(emit_t *emit, bool do_native_types) {
     emit->do_native_types = do_native_types;
 }
@@ -123,6 +126,18 @@ static void emit_x64_set_stack_size(emit_t *emit, int size) {
     emit->stack_size = size;
 }
 
+static void emit_x64_load_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_load_id(emit, &emit_x64_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_x64_store_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_store_id(emit, &emit_x64_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
+static void emit_x64_delete_id(emit_t *emit, qstr qstr) {
+    emit_common_delete_id(emit, &emit_x64_method_table, emit->scope, qstr);
+}
+
 static void adjust_stack(emit_t *emit, int stack_size_delta) {
     emit->stack_size += stack_size_delta;
     assert(emit->stack_size >= 0);
@@ -671,6 +686,10 @@ static const emit_method_table_t emit_x64_method_table = {
     emit_x64_get_stack_size,
     emit_x64_set_stack_size,
 
+    emit_x64_load_id,
+    emit_x64_store_id,
+    emit_x64_delete_id,
+
     emit_x64_label_assign,
     emit_x64_import_name,
     emit_x64_import_from,
diff --git a/py/main.c b/py/main.c
index 7b17c38a85..d765bc24f1 100644
--- a/py/main.c
+++ b/py/main.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     py_lexer_free(lex);
 
-    if (1) {
+    if (0) {
         // execute it
         py_obj_t module_fun = rt_make_function_from_id(1);
         if (module_fun != py_const_none) {