diff --git a/collects/honu/core/main.rkt b/collects/honu/core/main.rkt
index cc004a47e2..a51cfb6ae4 100644
--- a/collects/honu/core/main.rkt
+++ b/collects/honu/core/main.rkt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
          (rename-out [#%dynamic-honu-module-begin #%module-begin]
                      [honu-function function]
                      [honu-var var]
+                     [honu-val val]
                      [honu-+ +]
                      [honu-- -]
                      [honu-* *]
diff --git a/collects/honu/core/private/honu-typed-scheme.rkt b/collects/honu/core/private/honu-typed-scheme.rkt
index 2bef134970..5ac7605041 100644
--- a/collects/honu/core/private/honu-typed-scheme.rkt
+++ b/collects/honu/core/private/honu-typed-scheme.rkt
@@ -448,19 +448,6 @@ Then, in the pattern above for 'if', 'then' would be bound to the following synt
 (define-for-syntax (honu-compile forms)
   #'(void))
 
-(provide honu-var)
-(honu:define-honu-syntax honu-var
-  (lambda (code context)
-    (syntax-parse code #:literal-sets (cruft)
-      [(_ name:id honu-= . rest)
-       (define-values (parsed unparsed)
-                      (parse #'rest))
-       (values
-         (with-syntax ([parsed parsed])
-           #'(define name parsed))
-         (with-syntax ([unparsed unparsed])
-         #'unparsed)
-         #t)])))
 
 (define-syntax (honu-unparsed-begin stx)
   (emit-remark "Honu unparsed begin!" stx)
diff --git a/collects/honu/core/private/honu2.rkt b/collects/honu/core/private/honu2.rkt
index ce2ffc600d..20f7016edf 100644
--- a/collects/honu/core/private/honu2.rkt
+++ b/collects/honu/core/private/honu2.rkt
@@ -25,6 +25,30 @@
          #'rest
          #f)])))
 
+(provide honu-var)
+(define-honu-syntax honu-var
+  (lambda (code context)
+    (syntax-parse code #:literal-sets (cruft)
+      [(_ name:id honu-= . rest)
+       ;; parse one expression
+       (define-values (parsed unparsed)
+                      (parse #'rest))
+       (values
+         (with-syntax ([parsed parsed])
+           #'(define name parsed))
+         (with-syntax ([unparsed unparsed])
+         #'unparsed)
+         #t)])))
+
+(provide honu-val)
+(define-honu-syntax honu-val
+  (lambda (code context)
+    (syntax-parse code
+      [(_ rest ...)
+       (define-values (parsed unparsed)
+                      (parse #'(rest ...)))
+       (values parsed unparsed #t)])))
+
 (define-syntax-rule (define-binary-operator name precedence operator)
                     (begin
                       (provide name)
diff --git a/collects/honu/core/private/parse2.rkt b/collects/honu/core/private/parse2.rkt
index 9ff0bcd0a3..3feca0d076 100644
--- a/collects/honu/core/private/parse2.rkt
+++ b/collects/honu/core/private/parse2.rkt
@@ -70,6 +70,24 @@
   (debug "Semicolon? ~a ~a\n" what is)
   is)
 
+(define-literal-set argument-stuff [honu-comma])
+
+(define (parse-arguments arguments)
+  (define-syntax-class val
+    [pattern x:identifier #:when (equal? 'val (syntax-e #'x))])
+  (let loop ([out '()]
+             [arguments arguments])
+    (syntax-parse arguments #:literal-sets (argument-stuff)
+      [(x:val name:identifier honu-comma more ...)
+       (loop (cons #'name out) #'(more ...))]
+      [(name:identifier honu-comma more ...)
+       (loop (cons #'name out) #'(more ...))]
+      [(x:val name:identifier)
+       (loop (cons #'name out) #'())]
+      [(name:identifier)
+       (loop (cons #'name out) #'())]
+      [() (reverse out)])))
+
 ;; 1 + 1
 ;; ^
 ;;  left: identity
@@ -162,10 +180,12 @@
          [else
            (syntax-parse #'(head rest ...)
              [(function:identifier (#%parens args ...) (#%braces code ...) . rest)
-              (values #'(define (function args ...)
+              (values (with-syntax ([(parsed-arguments ...)
+                                     (parse-arguments #'(args ...))])
+                        #'(define (function parsed-arguments ...)
                           (let-syntax ([parse-more (lambda (stx)
                                                      (parse-all #'(code ...)))])
-                            (parse-more)))
+                            (parse-more))))
                       #'rest)]
              [else (syntax-parse #'head
                      #:literal-sets (cruft)
diff --git a/collects/tests/honu/test.honu b/collects/tests/honu/test.honu
index b4eda8b7bc..3c9c5c306f 100644
--- a/collects/tests/honu/test.honu
+++ b/collects/tests/honu/test.honu
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ test1(){
   print(x ^ 2)
 }
 
-test2(x){
+val test2(val x){
   print(x)
 }
 
 // test1();
-// test2(5);
+test2(5);
 
 function(z){ print(z) }(12)