diff --git a/_selfhost/src/cli.bux b/_selfhost/src/cli.bux
index 283364f..15e77c8 100644
--- a/_selfhost/src/cli.bux
+++ b/_selfhost/src/cli.bux
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ extern func bux_path_join(a: String, b: String) -> String;
 extern func bux_mkdir_if_needed(path: String) -> int;
 extern func bux_run_nim(nim_file: String, out_bin: String) -> int;
 extern func bux_list_dir(dir: String, ext: String, out_count: *int) -> *String;
+extern func bux_system(cmd: String) -> int;
 
 func ReadFile(path: String) -> String {
     return bux_read_file(path);
@@ -61,9 +62,14 @@ func Cli_Compile(source: String, sourceName: String) -> String {
     }
     PrintLine("  Parse done");
 
-    // Flatten module wrappers: if the only item is a module decl, hoist its children
-    if mod.firstItem != null as *Decl && mod.firstItem.kind == dkModule && mod.firstItem.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
-        mod.firstItem = mod.firstItem.childDecl1;
+    // Flatten module wrappers: find module decl and hoist its children
+    var decl: *Decl = mod.firstItem;
+    while decl != null as *Decl {
+        if decl.kind == dkModule && decl.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
+            mod.firstItem = decl.childDecl1;
+            break;
+        }
+        decl = decl.childDecl2;
     }
 
     // Phase 3: Semantic analysis
@@ -167,8 +173,13 @@ func Cli_Check(srcPath: String) -> int {
     }
 
     // Flatten module wrappers
-    if mod.firstItem != null as *Decl && mod.firstItem.kind == dkModule && mod.firstItem.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
-        mod.firstItem = mod.firstItem.childDecl1;
+    var decl2: *Decl = mod.firstItem;
+    while decl2 != null as *Decl {
+        if decl2.kind == dkModule && decl2.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
+            mod.firstItem = decl2.childDecl1;
+            break;
+        }
+        decl2 = decl2.childDecl2;
     }
 
     // Phase 3: Sema
@@ -348,6 +359,26 @@ func Cli_BuildProject(projectDir: String) -> int {
     return 0;
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Run command — build project and execute
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func Cli_RunProject(projectDir: String) -> int {
+    let rc: int = Cli_BuildProject(projectDir);
+    if rc != 0 {
+        return rc;
+    }
+    let man: Manifest = Manifest_Load(bux_path_join(projectDir, "bux.toml"));
+    var outName: String = man.name;
+    if String_Eq(outName, "") {
+        outName = "bux_out";
+    }
+    let outBin: String = bux_path_join(bux_path_join(projectDir, "build"), outName);
+    Print("Running: ");
+    PrintLine(outBin);
+    return bux_system(outBin);
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Main entry — dispatch based on args
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -401,6 +432,12 @@ func Cli_Run(args: *String, argCount: int) -> int {
         return Cli_BuildProject(dir);
     }
 
+    if String_Eq(cmd, "run") {
+        let dir: String = ".";
+        if argCount >= 3 { dir = args[2]; }
+        return Cli_RunProject(dir);
+    }
+
     Print("Unknown command: ");
     PrintLine(cmd);
     return 1;
diff --git a/src/lexer.nim b/src/lexer.nim
index 1c81619..17bf6cd 100644
--- a/src/lexer.nim
+++ b/src/lexer.nim
@@ -553,6 +553,8 @@ proc nextToken(lex: var Lexer): Token =
       # Simple heuristic: if peek(2) is ', it's a char literal; else lifetime
       if lex.peek(2) == '\'':
         return lex.scanChar(startLoc, 0)
+      elif lex.peek(2) == '\0':
+        return lex.scanChar(startLoc, 0)
       else:
         # Lifetime: consume ' and then identifier chars
         discard lex.advance()  # '
diff --git a/src_bux/cli.bux b/src_bux/cli.bux
index 283364f..15e77c8 100644
--- a/src_bux/cli.bux
+++ b/src_bux/cli.bux
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ extern func bux_path_join(a: String, b: String) -> String;
 extern func bux_mkdir_if_needed(path: String) -> int;
 extern func bux_run_nim(nim_file: String, out_bin: String) -> int;
 extern func bux_list_dir(dir: String, ext: String, out_count: *int) -> *String;
+extern func bux_system(cmd: String) -> int;
 
 func ReadFile(path: String) -> String {
     return bux_read_file(path);
@@ -61,9 +62,14 @@ func Cli_Compile(source: String, sourceName: String) -> String {
     }
     PrintLine("  Parse done");
 
-    // Flatten module wrappers: if the only item is a module decl, hoist its children
-    if mod.firstItem != null as *Decl && mod.firstItem.kind == dkModule && mod.firstItem.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
-        mod.firstItem = mod.firstItem.childDecl1;
+    // Flatten module wrappers: find module decl and hoist its children
+    var decl: *Decl = mod.firstItem;
+    while decl != null as *Decl {
+        if decl.kind == dkModule && decl.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
+            mod.firstItem = decl.childDecl1;
+            break;
+        }
+        decl = decl.childDecl2;
     }
 
     // Phase 3: Semantic analysis
@@ -167,8 +173,13 @@ func Cli_Check(srcPath: String) -> int {
     }
 
     // Flatten module wrappers
-    if mod.firstItem != null as *Decl && mod.firstItem.kind == dkModule && mod.firstItem.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
-        mod.firstItem = mod.firstItem.childDecl1;
+    var decl2: *Decl = mod.firstItem;
+    while decl2 != null as *Decl {
+        if decl2.kind == dkModule && decl2.childDecl1 != null as *Decl {
+            mod.firstItem = decl2.childDecl1;
+            break;
+        }
+        decl2 = decl2.childDecl2;
     }
 
     // Phase 3: Sema
@@ -348,6 +359,26 @@ func Cli_BuildProject(projectDir: String) -> int {
     return 0;
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Run command — build project and execute
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func Cli_RunProject(projectDir: String) -> int {
+    let rc: int = Cli_BuildProject(projectDir);
+    if rc != 0 {
+        return rc;
+    }
+    let man: Manifest = Manifest_Load(bux_path_join(projectDir, "bux.toml"));
+    var outName: String = man.name;
+    if String_Eq(outName, "") {
+        outName = "bux_out";
+    }
+    let outBin: String = bux_path_join(bux_path_join(projectDir, "build"), outName);
+    Print("Running: ");
+    PrintLine(outBin);
+    return bux_system(outBin);
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Main entry — dispatch based on args
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -401,6 +432,12 @@ func Cli_Run(args: *String, argCount: int) -> int {
         return Cli_BuildProject(dir);
     }
 
+    if String_Eq(cmd, "run") {
+        let dir: String = ".";
+        if argCount >= 3 { dir = args[2]; }
+        return Cli_RunProject(dir);
+    }
+
     Print("Unknown command: ");
     PrintLine(cmd);
     return 1;
diff --git a/stdlib/runtime.c b/stdlib/runtime.c
index 258d743..d61fff8 100644
--- a/stdlib/runtime.c
+++ b/stdlib/runtime.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ char* bux_argv(int index) {
 
 /* Memory allocation */
 void* bux_alloc(size_t size) {
-    void* ptr = malloc(size);
+    void* ptr = calloc(1, size);
     if (ptr == NULL) {
         fprintf(stderr, "bux runtime: out of memory (alloc %zu bytes)\n", size);
         abort();
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ int bux_run_nim(const char* nim_file, const char* out_bin) {
     return system(cmd);
 }
 
+int bux_system(const char* cmd) {
+    if (cmd == NULL) return -1;
+    return system(cmd);
+}
+
 int bux_strlen_c(const char* s) {
     if (s == NULL) return 0;
     const char* p = s;
diff --git a/tests/parser_test.nim b/tests/parser_test.nim
index bd7e632..a2f5cea 100644
--- a/tests/parser_test.nim
+++ b/tests/parser_test.nim
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ suite "Parser":
     check ret.stmtReturnValue.exprCallCallee.kind == ekIdent
 
   test "full sample file":
-    let source = readFile("tests/testdata/sample.bux")
+    let source = readFile(currentSourcePath.parentDir / "testdata" / "sample.bux")
     let lexRes = tokenize(source, "sample.bux")
     check not lexRes.hasErrors
     let parseRes = parse(lexRes.tokens, "sample.bux")
diff --git a/tests/test_ast_fields b/tests/test_ast_fields
index 18cdeb4..76fbe63 100755
Binary files a/tests/test_ast_fields and b/tests/test_ast_fields differ
diff --git a/tests/test_parse_ast b/tests/test_parse_ast
index b23f7a5..850868c 100755
Binary files a/tests/test_parse_ast and b/tests/test_parse_ast differ