diff --git a/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_apply.ml b/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_apply.ml
index 8ec7e3355..7c6ead539 100644
--- a/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_apply.ml
+++ b/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_apply.ml
@@ -30,43 +30,9 @@ let generic_function_dispatcher bsym_table counter sr f a =
   (* ---------------------------------------------------------- *)
   | "lrbrack" -> Some (Flx_bind_lrbrack.try_bind_lrbrack bsym_table counter a)
 
-  | "_deref" ->
-    (* FIXME: Move this codeto a separate file *)
-    begin
-      let t = snd a in
-      print_endline ("System function _deref");
-      match t with
-      (* FIXME: more work needed here
-         This code only handles pointers to pointers, but has to apply
-         to tuples, arrays, records, abstract typesm, variants and everything!
-         to do this we have to rebuild every term, replacing R and RW pointers
-         universally with V pointers. This requires recursive remapping from
-         the bottom up and reconstructing the types of aggregate terms because
-         Felix attaches the type type every expression and subexpression.
-      *)
-      | BTYP_ptr (mode,base,_) ->
-        begin match base with
-        | BTYP_ptr (mode2, base2, kk) ->
-          let mode2 = 
-            match mode2 with 
-            | `N -> `N
-            | `R -> `V
-            | `RW -> `V
-            | `W -> `N
-            | `V -> `V
-          in
-          let base = Flx_btype.btyp_ptr mode2 base2 kk in 
-          let a = match a with (x,t) -> x,base in (* should check the type of a is correct ... *)
-          Some (bexpr_deref base a)
-        | _ ->
-          Some (bexpr_deref base a)
-        end
-      | _ -> Flx_exceptions.clierr sr ("Dereferemce value of non pointer type " ^ Flx_btype.st t)
-    end 
 
   | _ -> None
 
-
 (* Note: the exception chaining machinery below is a superior HACK
 
   WHat happens is that it just tries each case in turn until
diff --git a/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_expression.ml b/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_expression.ml
index b4cbb5d16..646035603 100644
--- a/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_expression.ml
+++ b/src/compiler/flx_bind/flx_bind_expression.ml
@@ -1192,8 +1192,6 @@ print_endline ("LOOKUP 9A: varname " ^ si i);
     let x = Flx_strr.apl2 sr "lnot" [e]  in
     be x
 
-  | `EXPR_ref (_,(`EXPR_deref (_,e))) -> be e
-
   | `EXPR_ref (srr,e) ->
       (* Helper function to look up a property in a symbol. *)
       let has_property bid property =
@@ -1219,7 +1217,6 @@ print_endline ("LOOKUP 9A: varname " ^ si i);
       let e = be e in
       begin match e with
       | _,t when Flx_btype.istriv t -> bexpr_address e
-      | BEXPR_deref e,_ -> e
 
       | BEXPR_varname (index,ts),_ ->
           (* Look up the type of the name, and make sure it's addressable. *)
@@ -1340,15 +1337,6 @@ print_endline ("LOOKUP 9A: varname " ^ si i);
     | _ -> clierr sr ("Write pointer reference requires argument be variable")
     end
 
-  | `EXPR_deref (_,(`EXPR_ref (sr,e) as x)) ->
-    begin 
-      try ignore (be x) 
-      with err -> 
-      print_endline ("WARNING: binding address of expression " ^ string_of_expr x ^ 
-      " gave error: \n" ^ Printexc.to_string err  ^ "\n" ^ Flx_srcref.long_string_of_src sr )
-    end;
-    be e
-
   | `EXPR_deref (sr,e') ->
 (*
 print_endline ("Binding _deref .. " ^ string_of_expr e);
diff --git a/src/compiler/flx_core/flx_unify.ml b/src/compiler/flx_core/flx_unify.ml
index db61753f0..00c584fc5 100644
--- a/src/compiler/flx_core/flx_unify.ml
+++ b/src/compiler/flx_core/flx_unify.ml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ open Flx_btype_subst
 open Flx_bid
 
 let mode_supertype m1 m2 = match m1,m2 with
+  | `V, `R
   | `R, `RW
   | `W, `RW
   | `N, _ -> ()
diff --git a/src/packages/buildtools.fdoc b/src/packages/buildtools.fdoc
index a62d9c8ed..6470c1289 100644
--- a/src/packages/buildtools.fdoc
+++ b/src/packages/buildtools.fdoc
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ println$ "-" * 20;
                "-w", "@8", /* bug out partial matches */
                "-w", "@11", /* bug out unused cases */
                "-w", "-21", /* shut up about non-returning statments like assert false */
+               "-I", "+unix",
+               "-I", "+str",
                "-I",tmpdir, 
                "-I",tmpdir/dir, 
                "-I", entmp (Filename::dirname file)) +
@@ -269,6 +271,7 @@ println$ "-" * 20;
           println$ "Linking library " + tmpdir/lib + ".cmxa";
           sorted_libs = sorted_libs + (tmpdir/lib+ ".cmxa");
           var result = Shell::system$ "ocamlopt.opt" + list(
+            "-I","+unix","-I","+str",
             "-a", 
             '-o',tmpdir/lib + ".cmxa") +
             unbox (map 
diff --git a/src/packages/pointers.fdoc b/src/packages/pointers.fdoc
index 249b8b0a6..2fb1071e4 100644
--- a/src/packages/pointers.fdoc
+++ b/src/packages/pointers.fdoc
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ open class MachinePointers
   proc storeat[T:LINEAR] ( p: &>T, v: T) = { _storeat (p,v); }
 
   //$ Dereference a Felx pointer.
-  //fun _deref[T:LINEAR]: &<T -> T = "*$t";
+  fun _deref[T:LINEAR]: &<T -> T = "*$t";
+  fun _deref[T:LINEAR]: &<<T -> T = "*$t";
   fun deref[T:LINEAR] (p:&<T) => _deref p;
   fun deref[T:LINEAR] (p:&<<T) => _deref p;
 }