diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 7835ce0..a780ece 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -161,15 +161,16 @@ pub fn run(src: &'static str) {
 
     match result {
         Ok(result) => println!("{}", result),
-        Err(LErr { msg, .. }) => println!("Errors!\n{}", msg),
+        Err(LErr { msg, .. }) => println!("Ludus panicked!\n{}", msg),
     }
 }
 
 pub fn main() {
     let src = "
-let bar = :foo
-fn foo (foo, bar, ...) -> bar
-foo (42)
+fn foo () -> {
+    foo
+}
+foo () () () ()
     ";
     run(src);
     // struct_scalpel::print_dissection_info::<value::Value>()
diff --git a/src/validator.rs b/src/validator.rs
index bf3e6d8..538e3ff 100644
--- a/src/validator.rs
+++ b/src/validator.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ impl<'a> Validator<'a> {
     }
 
     fn define_fn(&mut self, name: String, info: FnInfo) {
-        self.locals.push((name, self.span, info));
+        let i = self.locals.iter().position(|(n, ..)| *n == name).unwrap();
+        let new_binding = (name, self.locals[i].1, info);
+        self.locals[i] = new_binding;
     }
 
     fn resolved(&self, name: &str) -> bool {
@@ -415,8 +417,9 @@ impl<'a> Validator<'a> {
                 self.status.tail_position = tailpos;
             }
             Fn(name, clauses, ..) => {
+                let mut is_declared = false;
                 match self.bound(name) {
-                    Some((_, _, FnInfo::Declared)) => (),
+                    Some((_, _, FnInfo::Declared)) => is_declared = true,
                     None => (),
                     _ => {
                         self.err(format!("name `{name}` is already bound"));
@@ -424,6 +427,9 @@ impl<'a> Validator<'a> {
                 }
 
                 // TODO: devise a placeholder binding for recursive functions
+                if !is_declared {
+                    self.declare_fn(name.to_string());
+                }
 
                 let from = self.status.used_bindings.len();
                 let mut arities = HashSet::new();