diff --git a/link.cpp b/link.cpp
index 209fb64..3a99c1e 100644
--- a/link.cpp
+++ b/link.cpp
@@ -713,10 +713,11 @@ void evaluate(label_t label, opcode_t opcode, operand_t operand) {
 			char *cp = fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), stdin);
 
 			if (!cp) return;
-			uint32_t value = 0;
-			// evaluate string.  expressions and labels are allowed.... 
 
-			define(label, value, LBL_KBD);
+			operand_t number_operand(const char *YYCURSOR, bool required);
+			operand_t op = number_operand(cp, true);
+
+			define(label, eval(op), LBL_KBD);
 			break;
 		}
 
diff --git a/script.re2c b/script.re2c
index dee9fa6..fe6cb61 100644
--- a/script.re2c
+++ b/script.re2c
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ exit:
 
 
 
-
-static operand_t number_operand(const char *YYCURSOR, bool required = true) {
+/* not static - called from link.cpp */
+operand_t number_operand(const char *YYCURSOR, bool required = true) {
 
 	const char *iter = YYCURSOR;
 	// const char *YYMARKER = nullptr;