diff --git a/ruamoko/include/types.h b/ruamoko/include/types.h
index 530bfad1f..a1527d890 100644
--- a/ruamoko/include/types.h
+++ b/ruamoko/include/types.h
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ typedef struct qfot_type_s {
 	};
 } qfot_type_t;
 
+// the minimum size of a type encoding
+#define TYPESIZE 4
+
 typedef struct qfot_type_encodings_s {
 	qfot_type_t *types;
 	int         size;
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/qwaq/Makefile.am
index 99f59b474..ab3b5459b 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/Makefile.am
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ qwaq_app_dat_src= \
 	qwaq-app.r	\
 	debugger/debug.r	\
 	debugger/debugger.r	\
+	debugger/typeencodings.r	\
 	editor/editbuffer.r	\
 	editor/editor.r	\
 	ui/button.r	\
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/curses.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/curses.c
index f4db018a0..3f757b124 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/curses.c
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/curses.c
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ cmd_mvwhline (qwaq_resources_t *res)
 static void
 dump_command (qwaq_resources_t *res, int len)
 {
-	if (1) {
+	if (0) {
 		qwaq_commands cmd = RB_PEEK_DATA (res->command_queue, 0);
 		Sys_Printf ("%s[%d]", qwaq_command_names[cmd], len);
 		for (int i = 2; i < len; i++) {
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/debug.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/debug.c
index c1835f99d..218a953cb 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/debug.c
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/debug.c
@@ -506,7 +506,8 @@ static builtin_t builtins[] = {
 	{"qdb_continue",			qdb_continue,			-1},
 	{"qdb_get_state",			qdb_get_state,			-1},
 	{"qdb_get_data",			qdb_get_data,			-1},
-	{"qdb_get_string",			qdb_get_string,			-1},
+	{"qdb_get_string|{tag qdb_target_s=}i",	qdb_get_string,	-1},
+	{"qdb_get_string|{tag qdb_target_s=}*",	qdb_get_string,	-1},
 	{"qdb_find_global",			qdb_find_global,		-1},
 	{"qdb_find_field",			qdb_find_field,			-1},
 	{"qdb_find_function",		qdb_find_function,		-1},
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.h b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.h
index 74ebf1c39..161014b84 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.h
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.h
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ int qdb_clear_watchpoint (qdb_target_t target);
 int qdb_continue (qdb_target_t target);
 qdb_state_t qdb_get_state (qdb_target_t target);
 int qdb_get_data (qdb_target_t target, unsigned src, unsigned len, void *dst);
-string qdb_get_string (qdb_target_t target, unsigned str);
+@overload string qdb_get_string (qdb_target_t target, unsigned str);
+// note: str is likely not valid in the host progs, it's just a convinience to
+// avoid cast shenanigans when getting type encoding strings
+@overload string qdb_get_string (qdb_target_t target, string str);
 qdb_def_t qdb_find_global (qdb_target_t target, string name);
 qdb_def_t qdb_find_field (qdb_target_t target, string name);
 qdb_function_t *qdb_find_function (qdb_target_t target, string name);
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.r b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.r
index b4175fbbb..7ad286cf7 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.r
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debug.r
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ qdb_state_t qdb_get_state (qdb_target_t target) = #0;
 int qdb_get_data (qdb_target_t target, unsigned src, unsigned len,
 				  void *dst) = #0;
 string qdb_get_string (qdb_target_t target, unsigned str) = #0;
+string qdb_get_string (qdb_target_t target, string str) = #0;
 qdb_def_t qdb_find_global (qdb_target_t target, string name) = #0;
 qdb_def_t qdb_find_field (qdb_target_t target, string name) = #0;
 qdb_function_t *qdb_find_function (qdb_target_t target, string name) = #0;
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.h b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.h
index 2fc402291..04a6a3354 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.h
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __qwaq_debugger_debugger_h
 #define __qwaq_debugger_debugger_h
 
+#include <types.h>
 #include <Object.h>
 
 #include "debugger/debug.h"
@@ -12,7 +13,8 @@
 
 @interface Debugger : Object
 {
-	qdb_target_t debug_target;
+	qdb_target_t target;
+	qfot_type_encodings_t target_encodings;
 
 	Window     *source_window;
 	ProxyView  *file_proxy;
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@
 	qdb_def_t  *local_defs;
 	void       *local_data;
 }
--(qdb_target_t)debug_target;
+-(qdb_target_t)target;
 -initWithTarget:(qdb_target_t) target;
 -handleDebugEvent;
 @end
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.r b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.r
index 3948c0b0e..44075babf 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.r
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/debugger.r
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@
 #include "ui/proxyview.h"
 #include "ui/window.h"
 #include "debugger/debugger.h"
+#include "debugger/typeencodings.h"
 #include "editor/editor.h"
 #include "qwaq-app.h"
 
 @implementation Debugger
--(qdb_target_t)debug_target
+-(qdb_target_t)target
 {
-	return debug_target;
+	return target;
 }
 
 -initWithTarget:(qdb_target_t) target
@@ -22,12 +23,15 @@
 	if (!(self = [super init])) {
 		return nil;
 	}
-	debug_target = target;
+	self.target = target;
 
 	files = [[Array array] retain];
 	source_window = [[Window alloc] initWithRect: {nil, [application size]}];
 	[application addView:source_window];
 
+	qdb_def_t   encodings_def = qdb_find_global (target, ".type_encodings");
+	qdb_get_data (target, encodings_def.offset, sizeof(target_encodings),
+				  &target_encodings);
 	return self;
 }
 
@@ -50,7 +54,7 @@
 
 -(void) setup
 {
-	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (debug_target);
+	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (target);
 
 	current_file = [self find_file: state.file];
 	file_proxy = [[ProxyView alloc] initWithView: current_file];
@@ -75,7 +79,7 @@
 
 -(void) show_line
 {
-	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (debug_target);
+	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (target);
 	Editor     *file = [self find_file: state.file];
 
 	printf ("%s:%d\n", state.file, state.line);
@@ -104,10 +108,10 @@ update_current_func (Debugger *self, unsigned fnum)
 	if (self.local_data) {
 		obj_free (self.local_data);
 	}
-	self.func = qdb_get_function (self.debug_target, fnum);
-	self.aux_func = qdb_get_auxfunction (self.debug_target, fnum);
+	self.func = qdb_get_function (self.target, fnum);
+	self.aux_func = qdb_get_auxfunction (self.target, fnum);
 	if (self.aux_func) {
-		self.local_defs = qdb_get_local_defs (self.debug_target, fnum);
+		self.local_defs = qdb_get_local_defs (self.target, fnum);
 	}
 	if (self.func) {
 		self.local_data = obj_malloc (self.func.local_size);
@@ -116,14 +120,14 @@ update_current_func (Debugger *self, unsigned fnum)
 
 -(void)update_watchvars
 {
-	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (debug_target);
+	qdb_state_t state = qdb_get_state (target);
 	if (state.func != current_fnum) {
 		update_current_func (self, state.func);
 	}
 	if (!local_data) {
 		return;
 	}
-	qdb_get_data (debug_target, func.local_data, func.local_size, local_data);
+	qdb_get_data (target, func.local_data, func.local_size, local_data);
 	[locals_view clear];
 	if (!local_defs) {
 		[locals_view mvprintf:{0,0}, "%d", func.local_size];
@@ -145,23 +149,25 @@ update_current_func (Debugger *self, unsigned fnum)
 				break;
 			}
 			qdb_def_t *def = local_defs + y;
+			unsigned    te = def.type_encoding + (int) target_encodings.types;
+			qfot_type_t *type;
+			type = [TypeEncodings getType:te fromTarget:target];
 			[locals_view mvprintf:{0, y}, "%s",
-								  qdb_get_string (debug_target, def.name)];
+								  qdb_get_string (target, def.name)];
 			@param      value = nil;
 			string      valstr = "--";
 			unsigned    offset = func.local_data + def.offset;
 			printf ("%d %d %s %d\n", def.type_size, offset,
-					qdb_get_string (debug_target, def.name),
+					qdb_get_string (target, def.name),
 					def.type_encoding);
-			qdb_get_data (debug_target, offset, def.type_size >> 16,
-						  &value);
+			qdb_get_data (target, offset, def.type_size >> 16, &value);
 			switch (def.type_size & 0xffff) {
 				case ev_void:
 				case ev_invalid:
 				case ev_type_count:
 					break;
 				case ev_string:
-					valstr = qdb_get_string (debug_target, value.integer_val);
+					valstr = qdb_get_string (target, value.integer_val);
 					break;
 				case ev_float:
 					valstr = sprintf ("%.9g", value.float_val);
@@ -216,8 +222,8 @@ proxy_event (Debugger *self, id proxy, qwaq_event_t *event)
 	} else if (event.what == qe_keydown) {
 		switch (event.key.code) {
 			case QFK_F7:
-				qdb_set_trace (self.debug_target, 1);
-				qdb_continue (self.debug_target);
+				qdb_set_trace (self.target, 1);
+				qdb_continue (self.target);
 				return 1;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.h b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..213dad8a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef __qwaq_debugger_typeencodings_h
+#define __qwaq_debugger_typeencodings_h
+
+#include <types.h>
+#include <Object.h>
+
+#include "debugger/debug.h"
+
+@interface TypeEncodings : Object
++(qfot_type_t *)getType:(unsigned)typeAddr fromTarget:(qdb_target_t)target;
+@end
+
+#endif//__qwaq_debugger_typeencodings_h
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.r b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.r
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30ff48181
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/debugger/typeencodings.r
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+#include <runtime.h>
+#include <hash.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <ui/curses.h>	// printf FIXME
+
+#include "debugger/typeencodings.h"
+
+@implementation TypeEncodings
+
+// these are encodings that we already have so don't need to copy them from
+// the target
+static hashtab_t *static_encodings;
+// these are condings that had to be copied from the target
+static hashtab_t *dynamic_encodings;
+
+static qfot_type_t *
+next_type (qfot_type_t *type)
+{
+    int         size = type.size;
+
+	if (!size) {	// null type
+		size = TYPESIZE;
+	}
+	return (qfot_type_t *) ((int *) type + size);
+}
+
+static string
+type_get_key (void *t, void *unusded)
+{
+	qfot_type_t *type = (qfot_type_t *) t;
+	return type.encoding;
+}
+
+static void type_free (void *t, void *unused)
+{
+	qfot_type_t *type = (qfot_type_t *) t;
+	str_free (type.encoding);
+	switch (type.meta) {
+		case ty_basic:
+		case ty_array:
+			break;
+		case ty_struct:
+		case ty_union:
+		case ty_enum:
+			str_free (type.strct.tag);
+			for (int i = 0; i < type.strct.num_fields; i++) {
+				str_free (type.strct.fields[i].name);
+			}
+			break;
+		case ty_class:
+			str_free (type.class);
+			break;
+		case ty_alias:
+			str_free (type.alias.name);
+			break;
+	}
+	obj_free (t);
+}
+
++initialize
+{
+	qfot_type_encodings_t *encodings;
+	qfot_type_t *type;
+
+	static_encodings = Hash_NewTable (1023, type_get_key, nil, nil);
+	dynamic_encodings = Hash_NewTable (1023, type_get_key, type_free, nil);
+
+	encodings = PR_FindGlobal (".type_encodings");
+	for (type = encodings.types;
+		 ((int *)type - (int *) encodings.types) < encodings.size;
+		 type = next_type (type)) {
+		printf ("%s\n", type.encoding);
+		Hash_Add (static_encodings, type);
+	}
+	return self;
+}
+
++(qfot_type_t *) getType:(unsigned)typeAddr fromTarget:(qdb_target_t)target
+{
+	qfot_type_t  buffer = {};
+	string       encoding;
+	qfot_type_t *type;
+
+	if (!qdb_get_data (target, typeAddr, TYPESIZE, &buffer)) {
+		return nil;
+	}
+	if (!buffer.encoding) {
+		return nil;
+	}
+	encoding = qdb_get_string (target, buffer.encoding);
+	if (!encoding) {
+		return nil;
+	}
+	if ((type = Hash_Find (static_encodings, encoding))) {
+		return type;
+	}
+	if ((type = Hash_Find (dynamic_encodings, encoding))) {
+		return type;
+	}
+	type = obj_calloc (1, buffer.size);
+	if (!qdb_get_data (target, typeAddr, TYPESIZE, &buffer)) {
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (!(type.encoding = qdb_get_string (target, type.encoding))) {
+		goto error;
+	}
+	switch (type.meta) {
+		case ty_basic:
+		case ty_array:
+			goto hash_type;
+		case ty_struct:
+		case ty_union:
+		case ty_enum:
+			if (!(type.strct.tag = qdb_get_string (target, type.strct.tag))) {
+				goto error;
+			}
+			for (int i = 0; i < type.strct.num_fields; i++) {
+				qfot_var_t *var = &type.strct.fields[i];
+				if (!(var.name = qdb_get_string (target, var.name))) {
+					goto error;
+				}
+			}
+			goto hash_type;
+		case ty_class:
+			if (!(type.class = qdb_get_string (target, type.class))) {
+				goto error;
+			}
+			goto hash_type;
+		case ty_alias:
+			if (!(type.alias.name = qdb_get_string (target, type.alias.name))) {
+				goto error;
+			}
+			goto hash_type;
+	}
+	goto error;
+hash_type:
+	printf ("fetched type %s\n", type.encoding);
+	Hash_Add (dynamic_encodings, type);
+	return type;
+	// not a valid type
+error:
+	type_free (type, nil);
+	return nil;
+}
+
+@end
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq-app.r b/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq-app.r
index 19daf643a..a17312ead 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq-app.r
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq-app.r
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ arp_end (void)
 
 	for (int i = [debuggers count]; i-- > 0; ) {
 		debugger = [debuggers objectAtIndex: i];
-		if ([debugger debug_target].handle == target.handle) {
+		if ([debugger target].handle == target.handle) {
 			return debugger;
 		}
 	}