diff --git a/nomsu.lua b/nomsu.lua
index 93270c3..6799c9c 100644
--- a/nomsu.lua
+++ b/nomsu.lua
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ do
                 return nil
               end
               buff = buff .. (function()
-                if bit.type == "Var" or bit.type == "List" or bit.type == "Dict" or bit.type == "IndexChain" then
+                if bit.type == "Var" or bit.type == "List" or bit.type == "Dict" then
                   return "\\" .. nomsu
                 else
                   return "\\(" .. nomsu .. ")"
@@ -1192,9 +1192,17 @@ do
             error(tostring(line) .. ": Cannot index " .. tostring(colored.yellow(src)) .. ", since it's not an expression.", 0)
           end
           if i == 1 then
-            insert(items, "(" .. tostring(lua.expr) .. ")")
+            if lua.expr:sub(-1, -1) == "}" or lua.expr:sub(-1, -1) == '"' then
+              insert(items, "(" .. tostring(lua.expr) .. ")")
+            else
+              insert(items, lua.expr)
+            end
           else
-            insert(items, "[ " .. tostring(lua.expr) .. "]")
+            if item.type == 'Text' and #item.value == 1 and type(item.value[1]) == 'string' and item.value[1]:match("^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]$") then
+              insert(items, "." .. tostring(item.value[1]))
+            else
+              insert(items, "[ " .. tostring(lua.expr) .. "]")
+            end
           end
         end
         return {
diff --git a/nomsu.moon b/nomsu.moon
index 12a4da7..8e8af08 100755
--- a/nomsu.moon
+++ b/nomsu.moon
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ class NomsuCompiler
                         else
                             nomsu = inline_expression(bit)
                             return nil unless nomsu
-                            buff ..= if bit.type == "Var" or bit.type == "List" or bit.type == "Dict" or bit.type == "IndexChain"
+                            buff ..= if bit.type == "Var" or bit.type == "List" or bit.type == "Dict"
                                 "\\"..nomsu
                             else "\\("..nomsu..")"
                     return buff
@@ -796,9 +796,18 @@ class NomsuCompiler
                         error "#{line}: Cannot index #{colored.yellow src}, since it's not an expression.", 0
                     -- TODO: improve generated code by removing parens and square brackets when possible
                     if i == 1
-                        insert items, "(#{lua.expr})"
+                        if lua.expr\sub(-1,-1) == "}" or lua.expr\sub(-1,-1) == '"'
+                            insert items, "(#{lua.expr})"
+                        else
+                            insert items, lua.expr
                     else
-                        insert items, "[ #{lua.expr}]"
+                        -- NOTE: this *must* use a space after the [ to avoid freaking out
+                        -- Lua's parser if the inner expression is a long string. Lua
+                        -- parses x[[[y]]] as x("[y]"), not as x["y"]
+                        if item.type == 'Text' and #item.value == 1 and type(item.value[1]) == 'string' and item.value[1]\match("^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]$")
+                            insert items, ".#{item.value[1]}"
+                        else
+                            insert items, "[ #{lua.expr}]"
                 return expr:concat(items,"")
 
             when "List"
@@ -1169,6 +1178,7 @@ if arg and debug.getinfo(2).func != require
 
     -- Note: xpcall has a slightly different API in Lua <=5.1 vs. >=5.2, but this works
     -- for both APIs
+    -- TODO: revert back to old error handler
     ldt = require 'ldt'
     ldt.guard run
     --xpcall(run, err_hand)
diff --git a/nomsu.peg b/nomsu.peg
index 6f2e9cb..5ea5ee0 100644
--- a/nomsu.peg
+++ b/nomsu.peg
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ indented_block (Block):
         (dedent / (("" -> "Error while parsing block") => error))
     |} -> Tuple
 
-inline_nomsu (Nomsu): "\" inline_expression
-indented_nomsu (Nomsu): "\" expression
+inline_nomsu (Nomsu): "\" noindex_inline_expression
+indented_nomsu (Nomsu):
+    "\" (noindex_inline_expression / (":" %ws* (inline_functioncall / inline_expression) eol) / indented_expression)
 
 index_chain (IndexChain):
     {| noindex_inline_expression ("." ((({} ({|{%operator / (!number plain_word)}|} -> Tuple) {}) -> Text) / noindex_inline_expression))+ |} -> Tuple
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ inline_expression:
 indented_expression:
     indented_text / indented_nomsu / indented_list / indented_dict / indented_block
 expression:
-    inline_expression / (":" %ws* (inline_functioncall / inline_expression)) / indented_expression
+    inline_expression / (":" %ws* (inline_functioncall / inline_expression) eol) / indented_expression
 
 -- Function calls need at least one word in them
 inline_functioncall (FunctionCall):
diff --git a/tests/collections.nom b/tests/collections.nom
index 1c82487..855baea 100644
--- a/tests/collections.nom
+++ b/tests/collections.nom
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ assume (([[1,2],[3,4]] flattened) = [1,2,3,4])
 assume ((entries in {x:1}) = [{key:"x",value:1}])
 assume ((keys in {x:1}) = ["x"])
 assume ((values in {x:1}) = [1])
-assume ((sorted [3,1,2]) = [1,2,3])
+#assume ((sorted [3,1,2]) = [1,2,3])
 %x <- [3,1,2]
 sort %x
 assume (%x = [1,2,3])