diff --git a/nomsu.lua b/nomsu.lua
index 496cd28..11dd792 100644
--- a/nomsu.lua
+++ b/nomsu.lua
@@ -332,7 +332,10 @@ do
       end
       return tree
     end,
-    run = function(self, src, filename, max_operations)
+    run = function(self, src, filename, vars, max_operations)
+      if vars == nil then
+        vars = { }
+      end
       if max_operations == nil then
         max_operations = nil
       end
@@ -348,7 +351,6 @@ do
       assert(tree, "Tree failed to compile: " .. tostring(src))
       assert(tree.type == "File", "Attempt to run non-file: " .. tostring(tree.type))
       local buffer = { }
-      local vars = { }
       local return_value = nil
       local _list_0 = tree.value
       for _index_0 = 1, #_list_0 do
@@ -394,15 +396,15 @@ do
         end
         insert(buffer, tostring(statements or '') .. "\n" .. tostring(expr and "ret = " .. tostring(expr) or ''))
       end
+      if max_operations then
+        debug.sethook()
+      end
       local lua_code = ([[            return (function(nomsu, vars)
                 local ret;
                 %s
                 return ret;
             end);]]):format(concat(buffer, "\n"))
-      if max_operations then
-        debug.sethook()
-      end
-      return return_value, lua_code
+      return return_value, lua_code, vars
     end,
     tree_to_value = function(self, tree, vars)
       local code = "return (function(nomsu, vars)\nreturn " .. tostring(self:tree_to_lua(tree)) .. ";\nend);"
diff --git a/nomsu.moon b/nomsu.moon
index bf5c979..1695906 100755
--- a/nomsu.moon
+++ b/nomsu.moon
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ class NomsuCompiler
             @print_tree tree, "    "
         return tree
 
-    run: (src, filename, max_operations=nil)=>
+    run: (src, filename, vars={}, max_operations=nil)=>
         if max_operations
             timeout = ->
                 debug.sethook!
@@ -285,7 +285,6 @@ class NomsuCompiler
         assert tree.type == "File", "Attempt to run non-file: #{tree.type}"
 
         buffer = {}
-        vars = {}
         return_value = nil
         for statement in *tree.value
             if @debug
@@ -320,15 +319,15 @@ class NomsuCompiler
                 @error(ret)
             insert buffer, "#{statements or ''}\n#{expr and "ret = #{expr}" or ''}"
         
+        if max_operations
+            debug.sethook!
         lua_code = ([[
             return (function(nomsu, vars)
                 local ret;
                 %s
                 return ret;
             end);]])\format(concat(buffer, "\n"))
-        if max_operations
-            debug.sethook!
-        return return_value, lua_code
+        return return_value, lua_code, vars
     
     tree_to_value: (tree, vars)=>
         code = "return (function(nomsu, vars)\nreturn #{@tree_to_lua(tree)};\nend);"