diff --git a/etlua.lua b/etlua.lua
index 445aaa6..3657c97 100644
--- a/etlua.lua
+++ b/etlua.lua
@@ -169,7 +169,14 @@ do
       if not (success) then
         return nil, err
       end
-      return self:load(self:chunks_to_lua())
+      local fn
+      fn, err = self:load(self:chunks_to_lua())
+      if not (fn) then
+        return nil, err
+      end
+      return function(...)
+        return self:run(fn, ...)
+      end
     end,
     parse = function(self, str)
       self.str = str
@@ -230,25 +237,26 @@ do
         end
         return nil, err
       end
-      return function(env, buffer)
-        if env == nil then
-          env = { }
-        end
-        if buffer == nil then
-          buffer = { }
-        end
-        local combined_env = setmetatable({ }, {
-          __index = function(self, name)
-            local val = env[name]
-            if val == nil then
-              val = _G[name]
-            end
-            return val
-          end
-        })
-        setfenv(fn, combined_env)
-        return fn(buffer, #buffer, tostring, concat, html_escape)
+      return fn
+    end,
+    run = function(self, fn, env, buffer)
+      if env == nil then
+        env = { }
       end
+      if buffer == nil then
+        buffer = { }
+      end
+      local combined_env = setmetatable({ }, {
+        __index = function(self, name)
+          local val = env[name]
+          if val == nil then
+            val = _G[name]
+          end
+          return val
+        end
+      })
+      setfenv(fn, combined_env)
+      return fn(buffer, #buffer, tostring, concat, html_escape)
     end,
     chunks_to_lua = function(self)
       local buffer = {
diff --git a/etlua.moon b/etlua.moon
index 036a187..025261a 100644
--- a/etlua.moon
+++ b/etlua.moon
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ class Parser
   compile: (str) =>
     success, err = @parse str
     return nil, err unless success
-    @load @chunks_to_lua!
+    fn, err = @load @chunks_to_lua!
+    return nil, err unless fn
+    (...) -> @run fn, ...
 
   parse: (@str) =>
     assert type(@str) == "string", "expecting string for parse"
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ class Parser
     source_line = get_line @str, source_line_no
     "#{err_msg} [#{source_line_no}]: #{source_line}"
 
+  -- converts lua string into template function
   load: (code, name="etlua") =>
     code_fn = do
       code_ref = code
@@ -179,14 +182,17 @@ class Parser
 
       return nil, err
 
-    (env={}, buffer={}) ->
-      combined_env = setmetatable {}, __index: (name) =>
-        val = env[name]
-        val = _G[name] if val == nil
-        val
+    fn
 
-      setfenv fn, combined_env
-      fn buffer, #buffer, tostring, concat, html_escape
+  -- takes a function from @load and executes it with correct parameters
+  run: (fn, env={}, buffer={}) =>
+    combined_env = setmetatable {}, __index: (name) =>
+      val = env[name]
+      val = _G[name] if val == nil
+      val
+
+    setfenv fn, combined_env
+    fn buffer, #buffer, tostring, concat, html_escape
 
   -- generates the code of the template
   chunks_to_lua: =>