diff --git a/command.cpp b/command.cpp
index 1796abc..5773257 100644
--- a/command.cpp
+++ b/command.cpp
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ int and_command::execute(Environment &e, const fdmask &fds, bool throwup) {
 	int rv = 0;
 	for (auto &c : children) {
 		if (!c) continue;
-		c->execute(e, fds, false);
+		rv = c->execute(e, fds, false);
 		if (rv != 0) return rv;
 	}
 
@@ -208,9 +208,8 @@ int vector_command::execute(Environment &e, const fdmask &fds, bool throwup) {
 
 	int rv = 0;
 	for (auto &c : children) {
-
+		if (!c) continue;
 		rv = c->execute(e, fds);
-		if (e.exit()) break;
 	}
 	return e.status(rv);
 }
diff --git a/phase2-parser.lemon b/phase2-parser.lemon
index 85d65dc..1dc1eba 100644
--- a/phase2-parser.lemon
+++ b/phase2-parser.lemon
@@ -26,79 +26,43 @@ std::unique_ptr<phase2_parser> phase2_parser::make() {
 %default_type {command_ptr}
 
 %type start {void}
-%type opt_command_list {void}
 %type command_list {void}
-%type opt_command_sep {void}
 
 /* these are put into a queue for immmediate execution */
 
 
+start ::= command_list.
 
-start ::= opt_command_list.
-opt_command_list ::= .
-opt_command_list ::= command_list.
 
-command_list ::= command_list opt_command(C) sep . {
+command_list ::= .
+command_list ::= command_list sep .
+command_list ::= command_list command(C) sep . {
 	if (C) command_queue.emplace_back(std::move(C));
 }
 
-command_list ::= opt_command(C) sep. {
-	if (C) command_queue.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-}
 
-/*
-command_list ::= opt_command_sep.
-command_list ::= command_list opt_command_sep.
-
-
-opt_command_sep ::= opt_command(C) sep. {
-	if (C) command_queue.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-}
-*/
 
 /*
  compound_list is identical to command_list, but it is not executed immediately.
  */
 
-%type opt_compound_list { command_ptr_vector }
 %type compound_list { command_ptr_vector }
 
-//%type opt_paren_list { command_ptr_vector }
-//%type paren_list { command_ptr_vector }
 
+compound_list ::= .
+compound_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L) sep. {
+	RV = std::move(L);
+}
 
-opt_compound_list ::= .
-opt_compound_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L). { RV = std::move(L); }
-
-compound_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L) opt_command(C) sep . {
+compound_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L) command(C) sep . {
 	RV = std::move(L);
 	if (C) RV.emplace_back(std::move(C));
 }
 
-compound_list(RV) ::= opt_command(C) sep. {
-	if (C) RV.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-}
-
-/*
-opt_paren_list ::= . 
-opt_paren_list(RV) ::= paren_list(L). { RV = std::move(L); }
-
-paren_list(RV) ::= opt_command(C). {
-	if (C) RV.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-}
-
-paren_list(RV) ::= paren_list(L) sep opt_command(C). {
-	RV = std::move(L);
-	if (C) RV.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-}
-*/
 
 sep ::= SEMI.
 sep ::= NL.
 
-%type opt_command { command_ptr }
-opt_command(RV) ::= command(C). { RV = std::move(C); }
-opt_command ::= .
 
 %type command { command_ptr }
 
@@ -137,35 +101,29 @@ term(RV) ::= ERROR(C). {
 }
 */
 
-/* opt_compound_list requires a sep after every item -- not ok for paren command! */
-/*
-paren_command(RV) ::= LPAREN(T) opt_paren_list(L) RPAREN(E). {
-	RV = std::make_unique<begin_command>(@T, std::move(L), std::move(T), std::move(E));
-}
-*/
 
 /* compound list ends with a separator.  paren command does not need the final separator */
-paren_command(RV) ::= LPAREN(T) opt_command(C) RPAREN(E). {
-	command_ptr_vector L;
-	if (C) L.emplace_back(std::move(C));
-	RV = std::make_unique<begin_command>(@T, std::move(L), std::move(T), std::move(E));
+%type paren_list { command_ptr_vector }
+
+paren_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L) . {
+	RV = std::move(L);
 }
 
-paren_command(RV) ::= LPAREN(T) compound_list(L) RPAREN(E). {
-	RV = std::make_unique<begin_command>(@T, std::move(L), std::move(T), std::move(E));
+paren_list(RV) ::= compound_list(L) command(C) . {
+	RV = std::move(L);
+	RV.emplace_back(std::move(C));
 }
 
-paren_command(RV) ::= LPAREN(T) compound_list(L) command(C) RPAREN(E). {
-	if (C) L.emplace_back(std::move(C));
+paren_command(RV) ::= LPAREN(T) paren_list(L) RPAREN(E). {
 	RV = std::make_unique<begin_command>(@T, std::move(L), std::move(T), std::move(E));
 }
 
 
-begin_command(RV) ::= BEGIN(T) sep opt_compound_list(L) END(E). {
+begin_command(RV) ::= BEGIN(T) sep compound_list(L) END(E). {
 	RV = std::make_unique<begin_command>(@T, std::move(L), std::move(T), std::move(E));
 }
 
-if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep opt_compound_list(L) END(E). {
+if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep compound_list(L) END(E). {
 
 	if_command::clause_vector_type v;
 	v.emplace_back(std::make_unique<if_else_clause>(IF, std::move(L), std::move(I)));
@@ -177,7 +135,7 @@ if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep opt_compound_list(L) END(E). {
 
 }
 
-if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep opt_compound_list(L) else_command(EC) END(E). {
+if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep compound_list(L) else_command(EC) END(E). {
 
 	if_command::clause_vector_type v;
 	v.emplace_back(std::make_unique<if_else_clause>(IF, std::move(L), std::move(I)));
@@ -190,29 +148,16 @@ if_command(RV) ::= IF(I) sep opt_compound_list(L) else_command(EC) END(E). {
 %token_class else ELSE_IF ELSE.
 
 %type else_command { if_command::clause_vector_type }
-else_command(RV) ::= else(E) sep opt_compound_list(L). {
+else_command(RV) ::= else(E) sep compound_list(L). {
 	RV.emplace_back(std::make_unique<if_else_clause>(@E, std::move(L), std::move(E)));
 }
-/*
-else_command(RV) ::= ELSE_IF(E) sep opt_compound_list(L). {
-	RV.emplace_back(std::make_unique<if_else_clause>(@E, std::move(L), std::move(E)));
-}
-*/
 
-else_command(RV) ::= else_command(EC) else(E) sep opt_compound_list(L). {
+
+else_command(RV) ::= else_command(EC) else(E) sep compound_list(L). {
 	RV = std::move(EC);
 	RV.emplace_back(std::make_unique<if_else_clause>(@E, std::move(L), std::move(E)));
 }
 
-/*
-else_command(RV) ::= else_command(EC) ELSE_IF(E) sep opt_compound_list(L). {
-	RV = std::move(EC);
-	RV.emplace_back(std::make_unique<else_command>(std::move(E), std::move(L)));
-}
-*/
 
 opt_nl ::= .
-opt_nl ::= nl.
-nl ::= NL.
-nl ::= nl NL.
-
+opt_nl ::= opt_nl NL .