diff --git a/bind.c b/bind.c
index 9733fff..10422e9 100644
--- a/bind.c
+++ b/bind.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static unsigned int getckey( int mflag) {
     if( clexec) {
 	    char tok[ NSTRING] ;  /* command incoming */
 
-		if( TRUE != macarg( tok, sizeof tok))	/* get the next token */
+		if( TRUE != gettokval( tok, sizeof tok))	/* get the next token */
 			c = 0 ;	/* return dummy key on failure */
 		else
 			c = stock( tok) ;
diff --git a/eval.c b/eval.c
index 0a99600..671c7aa 100644
--- a/eval.c
+++ b/eval.c
@@ -344,16 +344,17 @@ static char *gtfun( char *fname) {
 
 	arg1 = arg2 = NULL ;
 
+	assert( clexec == TRUE) ; /* means macarg can be replaced by gettokval */
 	/* if needed, retrieve the first argument */
 	if (funcs[fnum].f_type >= MONAMIC) {
-		if( macarg( argx, sizeof argx) != TRUE)
+		if( TRUE != gettokval( argx, sizeof argx))
 			return errorm;
 
 		/* if needed, retrieve the second argument */
 		if (funcs[fnum].f_type >= DYNAMIC) {
 			arg1 = malloc( strlen( argx) + 1) ;
 			strcpy( arg1, argx) ;
-			if( macarg( argx, sizeof argx) != TRUE) {
+			if( TRUE != gettokval( argx, sizeof argx)) {
 				free( arg1) ;
 				return errorm;
 			}
@@ -362,7 +363,7 @@ static char *gtfun( char *fname) {
 			if (funcs[fnum].f_type >= TRINAMIC) {
 				arg2 = malloc( strlen( argx) + 1) ;
 				strcpy( arg2, argx) ;
-				if( macarg( argx, sizeof argx) != TRUE) {
+				if( TRUE != gettokval( argx, sizeof argx)) {
 					free( arg1) ;
 					free( arg2) ;
 					return errorm;
diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index 601baac..afb3933 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ static int mstore = FALSE ;         /* storing text to macro flag   */
 
 static int dobuf( struct buffer *bp) ;
 static void freewhile( struct while_block *wp) ;
+static int macarg( char *tok, int toksz) ;
 
 void ue_system( const char *cmd) {
     int ret ;
@@ -179,8 +180,10 @@ static int docmd( char *cline) {
     /* process leadin argument */
     if( !is_it_cmd( tkn)) {
         f = TRUE;
-        strncpy( tkn, getval( tkn), sizeof tkn - 1) ;
-        tkn[ sizeof tkn - 1] = '\0' ;
+/* macarg already includes a getval, skip for now
+		strncpy( tkn, getval( tkn), sizeof tkn - 1) ;
+       	tkn[ sizeof tkn - 1] = '\0' ;
+*/
         n = atoi(tkn);
 
         /* and now get the command to execute */
@@ -308,16 +311,15 @@ boolean gettokval( char *tok, int size) {
  *
  * char *tok;       buffer to place argument
  */
-int macarg( char *tok, int toksz)
-{
-    boolean savcle ;    /* buffer to store original clexec */
-    int status;
+static int macarg( char *tok, int toksz) {
+	int status ;
+	boolean savcle ;	/* buffer to store original clexec */
 
-    savcle = clexec;    /* save execution mode */
-    clexec = TRUE;      /* get the argument */
-    status = mlreply( "", tok, toksz) ;
-    clexec = savcle;    /* restore execution mode */
-    return status;
+	savcle = clexec ;	/* save execution mode */
+	clexec = TRUE ;		/* get the argument */
+	status = gettokval( tok, toksz) ;
+	clexec = savcle ;	/* restore execution mode */
+	return status ;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/exec.h b/exec.h
index 8a16448..8250982 100644
--- a/exec.h
+++ b/exec.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ int namedcmd( int f, int n) ;
 int execcmd( int f, int n) ;
 void gettoken( char *tok, int maxtoksize) ;
 boolean gettokval( char *tok, int maxtoksize) ;
-int macarg( char *tok, int toksz) ;
 int storemac( int f, int n) ;
 int execbuf( int f, int n) ;
 int execfile( int f, int n) ;
diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 6d67643..d86397b 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ fn_t getname(void)
 
     /* if we are executing a command line get the next arg and match it */
     if (clexec) {
-        if( macarg( buf, sizeof buf) != TRUE)
+		if( TRUE != gettokval( buf, sizeof buf))
             return NULL;
         return fncmatch(&buf[0]);
     }