diff --git a/moonscript/transform.lua b/moonscript/transform.lua
index edb2bcb..67d0b49 100644
--- a/moonscript/transform.lua
+++ b/moonscript/transform.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ do
   NameProxy, LocalName = _table_0.NameProxy, _table_0.LocalName
 end
 local destructure = require("moonscript.transform.destructure")
+local NOOP = {
+  "noop"
+}
 local implicitly_return
 local Run
 do
@@ -683,28 +686,38 @@ local Statement = Transformer({
     return node
   end,
   with = function(self, node, ret)
-    local _, exp, block = unpack(node)
-    local scope_name = NameProxy("with")
-    local named_assign
+    local exp, block = unpack(node, 2)
+    local copy_scope = true
+    local scope_name, named_assign
     if ntype(exp) == "assign" then
       local names, values = unpack(exp, 2)
-      local assign_name = names[1]
-      exp = values[1]
-      values[1] = scope_name
-      named_assign = {
-        "assign",
-        names,
-        values
-      }
+      local first_name = names[1]
+      if ntype(first_name) == "value" then
+        scope_name = first_name
+        named_assign = exp
+        exp = values[1]
+        copy_scope = false
+      else
+        scope_name = NameProxy("with")
+        exp = values[1]
+        values[1] = scope_name
+        named_assign = {
+          "assign",
+          names,
+          values
+        }
+      end
+    elseif self:is_local(exp) then
+      scope_name = exp
+      copy_scope = false
     end
+    scope_name = scope_name or NameProxy("with")
     return build["do"]({
       Run(function(self)
         return self:set("scope_var", scope_name)
       end),
-      build.assign_one(scope_name, exp),
-      build.group({
-        named_assign
-      }),
+      copy_scope and build.assign_one(scope_name, exp) or NOOP,
+      named_assign or NOOP,
       build.group(block),
       (function()
         if ret then
@@ -1363,9 +1376,7 @@ implicitly_return = function(scope)
       return scope.transform.statement(stm, fn)
     elseif types.manual_return[t] or not types.is_value(stm) then
       if is_top and t == "return" and stm[2] == "" then
-        return {
-          "noop"
-        }
+        return NOOP
       else
         return stm
       end
diff --git a/moonscript/transform.moon b/moonscript/transform.moon
index 1544adc..49b896a 100644
--- a/moonscript/transform.moon
+++ b/moonscript/transform.moon
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import insert from table
 import NameProxy, LocalName from require "moonscript.transform.names"
 
 destructure = require "moonscript.transform.destructure"
+NOOP = {"noop"}
 
 local implicitly_return
 
@@ -339,21 +340,36 @@ Statement = Transformer {
     node
 
   with: (node, ret) =>
-    _, exp, block = unpack node
+    exp, block = unpack node, 2
 
-    scope_name = NameProxy "with"
+    copy_scope = true
+    local scope_name, named_assign
 
-    named_assign = if ntype(exp) == "assign"
+    if ntype(exp) == "assign"
       names, values = unpack exp, 2
-      assign_name = names[1]
-      exp = values[1]
-      values[1] = scope_name
-      {"assign", names, values}
+      first_name = names[1]
+
+      if ntype(first_name) == "value"
+        scope_name = first_name
+        named_assign = exp
+        exp = values[1]
+        copy_scope = false
+      else
+        scope_name = NameProxy "with"
+        exp = values[1]
+        values[1] = scope_name
+        named_assign = {"assign", names, values}
+
+    elseif @is_local exp
+      scope_name = exp
+      copy_scope = false
+
+    scope_name or= NameProxy "with"
 
     build.do {
       Run => @set "scope_var", scope_name
-      build.assign_one scope_name, exp
-      build.group { named_assign }
+      copy_scope and build.assign_one(scope_name, exp) or NOOP
+      named_assign or NOOP
       build.group block
 
       if ret
@@ -747,7 +763,7 @@ implicitly_return = (scope) ->
     elseif types.manual_return[t] or not types.is_value stm
       -- remove blank return statement
       if is_top and t == "return" and stm[2] == ""
-        {"noop"}
+        NOOP
       else
         stm
     else
diff --git a/spec/inputs/with.moon b/spec/inputs/with.moon
index 2f0bcaf..54aa509 100644
--- a/spec/inputs/with.moon
+++ b/spec/inputs/with.moon
@@ -1,63 +1,97 @@
 
-a = ->
-  with something
-    print .hello
-    print hi
-    print "world"
+do
+  a = ->
+    with something
+      print .hello
+      print hi
+      print "world"
 
-with leaf
-  .world!
-  .world 1,2,3
+do
+  with leaf
+    .world!
+    .world 1,2,3
 
-  g = .what.is.this
+    g = .what.is.this
 
-  .hi 1,2,3
+    .hi 1,2,3
 
-  \hi(1,2).world 2323
+    \hi(1,2).world 2323
 
-  \hi "yeah", "man"
-  .world = 200
+    \hi "yeah", "man"
+    .world = 200
 
-zyzyzy = with something
-  .set_state "hello world"
+do
+  zyzyzy = with something
+    .set_state "hello world"
+
+do
+  x = 5 + with Something!
+    \write "hello world"
 
 
-x = 5 + with Something!
-  \write "hello world"
+do
+  x = {
+    hello: with yeah
+      \okay!
+  }
 
-
-x = {
-  hello: with yeah
-    \okay!
-}
-
-with foo
-  \prop"something".hello
-  .prop\send(one)
-  .prop\send one
+do
+  with foo
+    \prop"something".hello
+    .prop\send(one)
+    .prop\send one
 
 
 --
 
-with a, b -- b is lost
-  print .world
+do
+  with a, b -- b is lost
+    print .world
 
-mod = with _M = {}
-  .Thing = "hi"
+  mod = with _M = {}
+    .Thing = "hi"
 
--- operate on a only
-with a, b = something, pooh
-  print .world
+  -- operate on a only
+  with a, b = something, pooh
+    print .world
 
-x = with a, b = 1, 2
-  print a + b
+  x = with a, b = 1, 2
+    print a + b
 
-print with a, b = 1, 2
-  print a + b
+  print with a, b = 1, 2
+    print a + b
 
--- assignment lhs must be evaluated in the order they appear
-p = with hello!.x, world!.y = 1, 2
-  print a + b
+  -- assignment lhs must be evaluated in the order they appear
+  p = with hello!.x, world!.y = 1, 2
+    print a + b
+
+--
+
+do
+  x = "hello"
+  with x
+    x\upper!
+
+do
+  with k = "jo"
+    print \upper!
+
+do
+  with a,b,c = "", "", ""
+    print \upper!
+
+do
+  a = "bunk"
+  with a,b,c = "", "", ""
+    print \upper!
+
+do
+  with j
+    print \upper!
+
+do
+  with k.j = "jo"
+    print \upper!
 
 
 
diff --git a/spec/outputs/export.lua b/spec/outputs/export.lua
index 44ac1e8..20b7531 100644
--- a/spec/outputs/export.lua
+++ b/spec/outputs/export.lua
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ do
     local hallo = 3434
   end
   do
-    local _with_0 = tmp
     local j = 2000
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/outputs/with.lua b/spec/outputs/with.lua
index 469e434..d1d104a 100644
--- a/spec/outputs/with.lua
+++ b/spec/outputs/with.lua
@@ -1,88 +1,136 @@
-local a
-a = function()
+do
+  local a
+  a = function()
+    do
+      local _with_0 = something
+      print(_with_0.hello)
+      print(hi)
+      print("world")
+      return _with_0
+    end
+  end
+end
+do
+  do
+    local _with_0 = leaf
+    _with_0.world()
+    _with_0.world(1, 2, 3)
+    local g = _with_0.what.is.this
+    _with_0.hi(1, 2, 3)
+    _with_0:hi(1, 2).world(2323)
+    _with_0:hi("yeah", "man")
+    _with_0.world = 200
+  end
+end
+do
+  local zyzyzy
   do
     local _with_0 = something
-    print(_with_0.hello)
-    print(hi)
-    print("world")
-    return _with_0
+    _with_0.set_state("hello world")
+    zyzyzy = _with_0
   end
 end
 do
-  local _with_0 = leaf
-  _with_0.world()
-  _with_0.world(1, 2, 3)
-  local g = _with_0.what.is.this
-  _with_0.hi(1, 2, 3)
-  _with_0:hi(1, 2).world(2323)
-  _with_0:hi("yeah", "man")
-  _with_0.world = 200
-end
-local zyzyzy
-do
-  local _with_0 = something
-  _with_0.set_state("hello world")
-  zyzyzy = _with_0
-end
-local x = 5 + (function()
-  do
-    local _with_0 = Something()
-    _with_0:write("hello world")
-    return _with_0
-  end
-end)()
-x = {
-  hello = (function()
+  local x = 5 + (function()
     do
-      local _with_0 = yeah
-      _with_0:okay()
+      local _with_0 = Something()
+      _with_0:write("hello world")
       return _with_0
     end
   end)()
-}
-do
-  local _with_0 = foo
-  local _ = _with_0:prop("something").hello
-  _with_0.prop:send(one)
-  _with_0.prop:send(one)
 end
 do
-  local _with_0 = a, b
-  print(_with_0.world)
-end
-local mod
-do
-  local _with_0 = { }
-  local _M = _with_0
-  _with_0.Thing = "hi"
-  mod = _with_0
+  local x = {
+    hello = (function()
+      do
+        local _with_0 = yeah
+        _with_0:okay()
+        return _with_0
+      end
+    end)()
+  }
 end
 do
-  local _with_0 = something
-  local b
-  a, b = _with_0, pooh
-  print(_with_0.world)
+  do
+    local _with_0 = foo
+    local _ = _with_0:prop("something").hello
+    _with_0.prop:send(one)
+    _with_0.prop:send(one)
+  end
 end
 do
-  local _with_0 = 1
-  local b
-  a, b = _with_0, 2
-  print(a + b)
-  x = _with_0
-end
-print((function()
+  do
+    local _with_0 = a, b
+    print(_with_0.world)
+  end
+  local mod
+  do
+    local _M = { }
+    _M.Thing = "hi"
+    mod = _M
+  end
+  do
+    local a, b = something, pooh
+    print(a.world)
+  end
+  local x
+  do
+    local a, b = 1, 2
+    print(a + b)
+    x = a
+  end
+  print((function()
+    do
+      local a, b = 1, 2
+      print(a + b)
+      return a
+    end
+  end)())
+  local p
   do
     local _with_0 = 1
-    local b
-    a, b = _with_0, 2
+    hello().x, world().y = _with_0, 2
     print(a + b)
+    p = _with_0
+  end
+end
+do
+  local x = "hello"
+  do
+    x:upper()
+  end
+end
+do
+  do
+    local k = "jo"
+    print(k:upper())
+  end
+end
+do
+  do
+    local a, b, c = "", "", ""
+    print(a:upper())
+  end
+end
+do
+  local a = "bunk"
+  do
+    local b, c
+    a, b, c = "", "", ""
+    print(a:upper())
+  end
+end
+do
+  do
+    local _with_0 = j
+    print(_with_0:upper())
+  end
+end
+do
+  do
+    local _with_0 = "jo"
+    k.j = _with_0
+    print(_with_0:upper())
     return _with_0
   end
-end)())
-local p
-do
-  local _with_0 = 1
-  hello().x, world().y = _with_0, 2
-  print(a + b)
-  p = _with_0
 end
\ No newline at end of file