diff --git a/k.krak b/k.krak
index 9a7a375..bceefc1 100644
--- a/k.krak
+++ b/k.krak
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ fun main(argc: int, argv: **char): int {
 
     var multiple_binding_options = map<*tree<ast>, vec<*tree<ast>>>()
     var primitive_ops.construct(): map<str, vec<*tree<ast>>>
+
     var number_tower = vec(binding_p(type::_char()),
                            binding_p(type::_uchar()),
                            binding_p(type::_short()),
@@ -150,6 +151,21 @@ fun main(argc: int, argv: **char): int {
     }
     math.remove(math.size-1)
 
+    // address of
+    var template_type = binding_p(type::_template_placeholder())
+    primitive_ops[str("op&")].add(_template(str("&"), map(str("T"), template_type), vec(_compiler_intrinsic(str("&"), binding_p(type::_fun(make_triple(make_pair(vec(
+                                    template_type
+                                ),
+                            binding_p(type::_ptr(template_type))
+                        ), false, false))), vec<*binding<type>>()))))
+    // dereference
+    var template_type = binding_p(type::_template_placeholder())
+    primitive_ops[str("op*")].add(_template(str("*"), map(str("T"), template_type), vec(_compiler_intrinsic(str("*"), binding_p(type::_fun(make_triple(make_pair(vec(
+                                    binding_p(type::_ptr(template_type))
+                                ),
+                            template_type
+                        ), false, false))), vec<*binding<type>>()))))
+
     // resolves all binding possibilities for one top level item
     passes[str("name_possibility_resolve")] = fun(item: *tree<ast>) {
         println("Running name possibility resolver?")
@@ -707,7 +723,7 @@ fun main(argc: int, argv: **char): int {
                         C_str += ")"
                     }
                 }
-                ast::_compiler_intrinsic(b) { error("compiler_intrinsic gen unimplemented"); }
+                ast::_compiler_intrinsic(b) { /* this can happen cuz of templated primitive ops and is_top_level_item includes parentless stuff...*/ }
                 ast::_cast(b)               {
                     C_str += idt + "((" + to_c_type(b) + ")"
                     emit_C(t->children[0], 0)
@@ -974,10 +990,10 @@ fun syntax_to_ast(file_name: str, syntax: *tree<symbol>, import_paths: ref vec<s
                         return parse_type(s, declared_template_types);
                     }))
                 } else if (syntax->children[0]->data.terminal) {
-                    return _call(vec(make_ast_binding(concat(syntax->children[0])),
+                    return _call(vec(make_ast_binding("op" + concat(syntax->children[0])),
                                      syntax_to_ast_helper(syntax->children[1], declared_template_types)))
                 } else {
-                    return _call(vec(make_ast_binding(concat(syntax->children[1])),
+                    return _call(vec(make_ast_binding("op" + concat(syntax->children[1])),
                                      syntax_to_ast_helper(syntax->children[0], declared_template_types)))
                 }
             } else {
diff --git a/stdlib/ast.krak b/stdlib/ast.krak
index 5c010e4..59ad623 100644
--- a/stdlib/ast.krak
+++ b/stdlib/ast.krak
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ fun is_compiler_intrinsic(i: *tree<ast>): bool { match(i->data) { ast::_compiler
 fun is_cast(i: *tree<ast>): bool { match(i->data) { ast::_cast(b) return true; } return false; }
 fun is_value(i: *tree<ast>): bool { match(i->data) { ast::_value(b) return true; } return false; }
 
-fun is_top_level_item(i: *tree<ast>): bool { return i->parent != null<tree<ast>>() && is_translation_unit(i->parent); }
+fun is_top_level_item(i: *tree<ast>): bool { return i->parent == null<tree<ast>>() || is_translation_unit(i->parent); }
 
 fun get_ancestor_satisfying(t: *tree<ast>, p: fun(*tree<ast>): bool): *tree<ast> {
     t = t->parent
diff --git a/stdlib/type2.krak b/stdlib/type2.krak
index cd7f486..2ddb4fc 100644
--- a/stdlib/type2.krak
+++ b/stdlib/type2.krak
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ fun unify(t1: *binding<type>, t2: *binding<type>) {
                 unify(t1->bound_to->_fun.first.second, t2->bound_to->_fun.first.second)
                 for (var i = 0; i < t1->bound_to->_fun.first.first.size; i++;)
                     unify(t1->bound_to->_fun.first.first[i], t2->bound_to->_fun.first.first[i])
+            } else if (is_ptr(t1->bound_to)) {
+                unify(t1->bound_to->_ptr, t2->bound_to->_ptr)
             }
         } else {
             error("Doesn't typecheck! Attempted to unify " + to_string(t1->bound_to) + " and " + to_string(t2->bound_to))
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ fun shallow_equality(a: *type, b: *type):bool {
     if (is_ptr(a) != is_ptr(b))
         return false
     if (is_ptr(a) && is_ptr(b))
-        return shallow_equality(a->_ptr->bound_to, b->_ptr->bound_to)
+        return true
     match(*a) {
         type::_fun(x) {
             return is_fun(b) && a->_fun.third == b->_fun.third