diff --git a/js-assembler/package.rkt b/js-assembler/package.rkt
index 7a0d233..0a67e81 100644
--- a/js-assembler/package.rkt
+++ b/js-assembler/package.rkt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
          "../parser/parse-bytecode.rkt"
          racket/match
          racket/list
+         racket/promise
          (prefix-in query: "../lang/js/query.rkt")
          (planet dyoo/closure-compile:1:1)
          (prefix-in runtime: "get-runtime.rkt")
@@ -301,22 +302,25 @@ MACHINE.modules[~s] =
 
 
 (define (compress x)
-  (if (current-compress-javascript?)
-      (closure-compile x)
-      x))
+  (cond [(current-compress-javascript?)
+         (log-debug "compressing javascript...")
+         (closure-compile x)]
+        [else
+         (log-debug "not compressing javascript...")
+         x]))
 
 
 
 (define *the-runtime*
-  (let ([buffer (open-output-string)])
-    (write-runtime buffer)
-    (compress
-     (get-output-string buffer))))
+  (delay (let ([buffer (open-output-string)])
+           (write-runtime buffer)
+           (compress
+            (get-output-string buffer)))))
 
   
 ;; get-runtime: -> string
 (define (get-runtime)
-  *the-runtime*)
+  (force *the-runtime*))
 
 
 
diff --git a/tests/coersing/Makefile b/tests/coersing/Makefile
index 0c1cfb4..a616d5b 100644
--- a/tests/coersing/Makefile
+++ b/tests/coersing/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 all:
-	../../whalesong get-javascript fact.rkt > fact.js
-	../../whalesong get-runtime  > runtime.js
+	../../whalesong get-javascript --verbose --compress-javascript fact.rkt > fact.js
+	../../whalesong get-runtime  --verbose --compress-javascript > runtime.js
diff --git a/whalesong.rkt b/whalesong.rkt
index 3ae44f5..ef19026 100755
--- a/whalesong.rkt
+++ b/whalesong.rkt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
          "js-assembler/package.rkt"
          "private/command.rkt"
          "logger.rkt"
+         "parameters.rkt"
          raco/command-name)
 
 
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@
             [("-v" "--verbose")
              ("Display verbose messages.")
              (current-verbose? #t)]
+            [("--compress-javascript")
+             ("Compress JavaScript with Google Closure (requires Java)")
+             (current-compress-javascript? #t)]
+            
             #:args (path)
             (do-the-build path)]
    ["get-runtime" "print the runtime library to standard output"
@@ -51,6 +56,10 @@
                   [("-v" "--verbose")
                    ("Display verbose messages.")
                    (current-verbose? #t)]
+                  [("--compress-javascript")
+                   ("Compress JavaScript with Google Closure (requires Java)")
+                   (current-compress-javascript? #t)]
+
                   #:args ()
                   (print-the-runtime)]
    ["get-javascript" "Gets just the JavaScript code and prints it to standard output"
@@ -59,6 +68,11 @@
                      [("-v" "--verbose")
                       ("Display verbose messages.")
                       (current-verbose? #t)]
+
+                     [("--compress-javascript")
+                      ("Compress JavaScript with Google Closure (requires Java)")
+                      (current-compress-javascript? #t)]
+
             
                      #:args (file)
                      (get-javascript-code file)]))
@@ -77,7 +91,8 @@
                       (let ([msg (sync receiver)])
                         (match msg
                           [(vector level msg data)
-                           (printf "~a: ~a\n" level msg)]))
+                           (fprintf (current-error-port)"~a: ~a\n" level msg)
+                           (flush-output (current-error-port))]))
                       (loop)))))))
                     
 
@@ -109,15 +124,16 @@
 
 (define (print-the-runtime)
   (turn-on-logger!)
-  (write-runtime (current-output-port)))
+  (display (get-runtime) (current-output-port)))
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
 (define (get-javascript-code filename)
   (turn-on-logger!)
-  (write-standalone-code
-   (make-ModuleSource (build-path filename))
-   (current-output-port)))
+  (display (get-standalone-code
+            (make-ModuleSource (build-path filename)))
+           (current-output-port)))
+
 
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;