diff --git a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Compiler.java b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Compiler.java
index 7c62687d7..d6d19730a 100644
--- a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Compiler.java
+++ b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Compiler.java
@@ -217,9 +217,7 @@ private static Context compileEnvSymbol(Symbol sym, Context context) {
 		Address address=context.getAddress();
 		
 		// Check if the symbol references an existing declaration
-		context=context.lookupDefiningAddress(address, sym);
-		if (context.isExceptional()) return context; // could be juice error?
-		Address a=context.getResult();
+		Address a=context.lookupDefiningAddress(address, sym);
 		if (a!=null) return context.withResult(Juice.COMPILE_LOOKUP,Lookup.create(Constant.of(a),sym));
 		
 		// Finally revert to a lookup in the current address / environment
diff --git a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Context.java b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Context.java
index 2cccba4d3..586e2d61b 100644
--- a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Context.java
+++ b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Context.java
@@ -575,16 +575,19 @@ public AHashMap<ACell,ACell> lookupMeta(Symbol sym) {
 	 * @return Metadata for given symbol (may be empty) or null if undeclared
 	 */
 	public AHashMap<ACell,ACell> lookupMeta(Address address,Symbol sym) {
-		AccountStatus as=(address==null)?getAccountStatus():getAccountStatus(address);
+		if (address==null) address=getAddress();
 		for (int i=0; i<Constants.LOOKUP_DEPTH; i++) {
+			AccountStatus as=getAccountStatus(address);
 			if (as==null) return null;
 			AHashMap<Symbol, ACell> env=as.getEnvironment();
 			if (env.containsKey(sym)) {
 				return as.getMetadata().get(sym,Maps.empty());
 			}
+			
+			// go to parent
+			if (Core.CORE_ADDRESS.equals(address)) break;
 			address=getParentAddress(as);
 			if (address==null) return null;
-			as=getAccountStatus(address);
 		}
 		return null;
 	}
@@ -593,31 +596,26 @@ public AHashMap<ACell,ACell> lookupMeta(Address address,Symbol sym) {
 	 * Looks up the address of the account that defines a given Symbol
 	 * @param sym Symbol to look up
 	 * @param address Address to look up in first instance (null for current address).
-	 * @return Context with result as the address defining the given symbol (or null if undeclared)
+	 * @return Address defining the given symbol (or null if undeclared)
 	 */
-	public Context lookupDefiningAddress(Address address,Symbol sym) {
-		Context ctx=this;
+	public Address lookupDefiningAddress(Address address,Symbol sym) {
 		Address addr=(address==null)?getAddress():address;
-
 		for (int i=0; i<Constants.LOOKUP_DEPTH; i++) {
 			if (addr==null) break;
 			AccountStatus as=getAccountStatus(addr);
-			if (as==null) return ctx.withResult(Juice.LOOKUP, null);
+			if (as==null) return null;
 			
 			AHashMap<Symbol, ACell> env=as.getEnvironment();
 			MapEntry<Symbol, ACell> entry = env.getEntry(sym);
 			if (entry!=null) {
-				return ctx.withResult(Juice.LOOKUP, addr);
+				return addr;
 			}
 			
-			ctx=ctx.consumeJuice(Juice.LOOKUP);
-			if (ctx.isExceptional()) return ctx;
-			
+			// go to parent
 			if (addr.equals(Core.CORE_ADDRESS)) break;
 			addr=getParentAddress(as);
 		}
-		
-		return ctx.withResult(Juice.LOOKUP, null);
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	private Address getParentAddress(AccountStatus as) {
diff --git a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Juice.java b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Juice.java
index f4da011b8..a9211f0e0 100644
--- a/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Juice.java
+++ b/convex-core/src/main/java/convex/core/lang/Juice.java
@@ -258,17 +258,16 @@ public class Juice {
 	/**
 	 * Juice cost to compile a lookup which is defined in account
 	 */
-	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_DEFINED = COMPILE_LOOKUP+LOOKUP;
+	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_DEFINED = COMPILE_LOOKUP+LOOKUP; // ??
 
 	/**
 	 * Juice cost to compile a lookup which is defined in core
 	 */
-	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_CORE = COMPILE_LOOKUP+LOOKUP*2;
-	
+	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_CORE = COMPILE_LOOKUP; //+LOOKUP*2?	
 	/**
 	 * Juice cost to compile a lookup which is undefined in account and core
 	 */
-	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_UNDEFINED = COMPILE_LOOKUP+LOOKUP*3;
+	public static final long COMPILE_LOOKUP_UNDEFINED = COMPILE_LOOKUP; //+LOOKUP*3?	
 
 	/**
 	 * Juice cost to compile a general AST node
diff --git a/convex-core/src/test/java/convex/core/lang/JuiceTest.java b/convex-core/src/test/java/convex/core/lang/JuiceTest.java
index 783f0f5bf..8454c36e3 100644
--- a/convex-core/src/test/java/convex/core/lang/JuiceTest.java
+++ b/convex-core/src/test/java/convex/core/lang/JuiceTest.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
+import convex.core.Constants;
 import convex.core.data.Address;
 
 import static convex.test.Assertions.*;
@@ -129,6 +130,17 @@ public void testBalanceAway() {
 	public void testDef() {
 		assertEquals(Juice.DEF + Juice.CONSTANT, juice("(def a 1)"));
 	}
+	
+	@Test public void testLookup() {
+		if (Constants.OPT_STATIC) {
+			assertEquals(Juice.CONSTANT,juice("count"));
+		} else {
+			assertEquals(Juice.LOOKUP*3,juice("count"));
+		}
+		
+		assertEquals(Juice.LOOKUP*3,juice("missing"));
+		assertEquals(Juice.LOOKUP*3,juice("if"));
+	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testReturn() {