diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/def.h b/tools/qfcc/include/def.h
index 0d482b963..acd5f1998 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/def.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/def.h
@@ -70,9 +70,16 @@ typedef enum storage_class_e {
 } storage_class_t;
 
 def_t *new_def (const char *name, struct type_s *type,
-				struct defspace_s *scope, storage_class_t storage);
+				struct defspace_s *space, storage_class_t storage);
 void free_def (def_t *def);
 
 void def_to_ddef (def_t *def, ddef_t *ddef, int aux);
 
+struct symbol_s;
+struct expr_s;
+
+void initialize_def (struct symbol_s *sym, struct type_s *type,
+					 struct expr_s *init, struct defspace_s *space,
+					 storage_class_t storage);
+
 #endif//__def_h
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
index ab37b8e98..6cee6e7a1 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ static __attribute__ ((used)) const char rcsid[] =
 #include "reloc.h"
 #include "strpool.h"
 #include "struct.h"
+#include "symtab.h"
 #include "type.h"
 
 static def_t *free_defs;
@@ -149,3 +150,69 @@ def_to_ddef (def_t *def, ddef_t *ddef, int aux)
 	ddef->ofs = def->offset;
 	ddef->s_name = ReuseString (def->name);
 }
+
+void
+initialize_def (symbol_t *sym, type_t *type, expr_t *init, defspace_t *space,
+				storage_class_t storage)
+{
+	if (sym->table == current_symtab) {
+		if (sym->sy_type != sy_var || sym->type != type) {
+			error (0, "%s redefined", sym->name);
+			sym = new_symbol (sym->name);
+		} else {
+			// is var and same type
+			if (!sym->s.def)
+				internal_error (0, "half defined var");
+			if (storage == st_extern) {
+				if (init)
+					warning (0, "initializing external variable");
+				return;
+			}
+			if (init && sym->s.def->initialized) {
+				error (0, "%s redefined", sym->name);
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	} else if (sym->table) {
+		sym = new_symbol (sym->name);
+	}
+	sym->type = type;
+	symtab_addsymbol (current_symtab, sym);
+	if (storage == st_global && init) {
+		sym->sy_type = sy_const;
+		memset (&sym->s.value, 0, sizeof (&sym->s.value));
+		if (init->type != ex_value) {	//FIXME arrays/structs
+			error (0, "non-constant initializier");
+		} else {
+			sym->s.value = init->e.value;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+	if (sym->s.def && sym->s.def->external) {
+		free_def (sym->s.def);
+		sym->s.def = 0;
+	}
+	if (!sym->s.def)
+		sym->s.def = new_def (sym->name, type, space, storage);
+	if (storage == st_extern) {
+		if (init)
+			warning (0, "initializing external variable");
+		return;
+	}
+	if (!init)
+		return;
+	if (!type_assignable (type, get_type (init))) {
+		error (init, "type mismatch in initializer");
+		return;
+	}
+	if (local_expr) {
+		append_expr (local_expr, assign_expr (new_symbol_expr (sym), init));
+	} else {
+		if (init->type != ex_value) {	//FIXME arrays/structs
+			error (0, "non-constant initializier");
+			return;
+		}
+		memcpy (D_POINTER (void, sym->s.def), &init->e.value,
+				type_size (type) * sizeof (pr_type_t));
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
index 286b5d1c1..da3bbb701 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
@@ -163,8 +163,9 @@ int yylex (void);
 %type	<symbol>	fdef_name cfunction_def func_def
 %type	<param>		function_decl
 %type	<param>		param param_list
-%type	<symbol>	opt_initializer methoddef var_initializer
-%type	<expr>		opt_expr fexpr expr element_list element_list1 element
+%type	<symbol>	methoddef
+%type	<expr>		opt_initializer var_initializer
+%type	<expr>		opt_expr fexpr expr element_list element
 %type	<expr>		opt_state_expr think opt_step array_decl texpr
 %type	<expr>		statement statements statement_block
 %type	<expr>		label break_label continue_label
@@ -192,7 +193,6 @@ int yylex (void);
 
 function_t *current_func;
 param_t    *current_params;
-expr_t     *current_init;
 class_type_t *current_class;
 expr_t     *local_expr;
 vis_e       current_visibility;
@@ -508,10 +508,8 @@ def_list
 def_item
 	: def_name opt_initializer
 		{
-			$1 = check_redefined ($1);
-			$1->type = $<type>0;
-			$1->visibility = current_visibility;
-			symtab_addsymbol (current_symtab, $1);
+			initialize_def ($1, $<type>0, $2, pr.near_data, //FIXME right space
+							current_storage);
 		}
 	;
 
@@ -583,35 +581,24 @@ def_name
 	;
 
 opt_initializer
-	: /*empty*/
-		{
-		}
+	: /*empty*/					{ $$ = 0; }
 	| var_initializer			{ $$ = $1; }
 	;
 
 var_initializer
-	: '=' expr	// don't bother folding twice
-		{
-		}
-	| '=' '{' { } element_list '}'
-		{
-		}
+	: '=' fexpr								{ $$ = $2; }
+	| '=' '{' element_list opt_comma '}'	{ $$ = $3; }
 	;
 
 opt_state_expr
-	: /* emtpy */
-		{
-			$$ = 0;
-		}
-	| '[' fexpr ',' think opt_step ']'
-		{
-			$$ = build_state_expr ($2, $4, $5);
-		}
+	: /* emtpy */						{ $$ = 0; }
+	| '[' fexpr ',' think opt_step ']'	{ $$ = build_state_expr ($2, $4, $5); }
 	;
 
 think
 	: def_name
 		{
+			internal_error (0, "FIXME");
 		}
 	| '(' fexpr ')'
 		{
@@ -625,45 +612,20 @@ opt_step
 	;
 
 element_list
-	: /* empty */
-		{
-			$$ = new_block_expr ();
-		}
-	| element_list1 opt_comma
-		{
-			$$ = current_init;
-		}
-	;
-
-element_list1
 	: element
 		{
-			append_expr (current_init, $1);
+			$$ = new_block_expr ();
+			append_expr ($$, $1);
 		}
-	| element_list1 ',' element
+	| element_list ',' element
 		{
-			append_expr (current_init, $3);
+			append_expr ($$, $3);
 		}
 	;
 
 element
-	: '{'
-		{
-			$<expr>$ = current_init;
-			current_init = new_block_expr ();
-		}
-	  element_list
-		{
-			current_init = $<expr>2;
-		}
-	  '}'
-		{
-			$$ = $3;
-		}
-	| fexpr
-		{
-			$$ = $1;
-		}
+	: '{' element_list opt_comma '}'		{ $$ = $2; }
+	| fexpr									{ $$ = $1; }
 	;
 
 opt_comma