diff --git a/src/js/types.fnk b/src/js/types.fnk
index 75ecf9c..c99aa6f 100644
--- a/src/js/types.fnk
+++ b/src/js/types.fnk
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ not_nullish = fn value:
   binaryExpression '!=', value, nullLiteral _
 
 
+not_undefiend = fn value:
+  binaryExpression '!==', value, undef _
+
+
 
 ident = fn name, ctx:
   identifier escape_ident name, ctx
diff --git a/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk b/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk
index 5de65a0..f6c6462 100644
--- a/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ describe 'await', fn:
         task2 = fn foo: await (foo + 4)
 
         task3 = fn foo:
-          bar = await foo ()
           spam = await foo _
           bar + 123
 
diff --git a/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk.snap b/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk.snap
index 653a530..d9b2def 100644
--- a/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk.snap
+++ b/src/lang/async/init.test.fnk.snap
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ exports[`await compiles 1`] = `
 "export const task1 = async foo => -(await foo);
 export const task2 = async foo => await (foo + 4);
 export const task3 = async foo => {
-  const bar = await foo();
   const spam = await foo();
   return bar + 123;
 };
diff --git a/src/lang/call/call.fnk b/src/lang/call/call.fnk
index ff696af..34410d1 100644
--- a/src/lang/call/call.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/call/call.fnk
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 babel_types = import '@babel/types'
 {callExpression, identifier} = babel_types
 
-{map, filter, zip, is_empty, length} = import '@fink/std-lib/iter.fnk'
+{map, filter, zip, length} = import '@fink/std-lib/iter.fnk'
 
 {transform, map_with_ctx, collect_with_ctx} = import '../transform.fnk'
 {transform_with_partial, partial_wrapper, no_wrapper} = import '../partial/init.fnk'
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ transform_single_arg = fn [expr], ctx:
   match expr:
     {type: 'empty'}:
       [[],  ctx]
-    # TODO: remove in favour of using _ as empty?
-    {type: 'group', exprs: is_empty ?}:
-      [[], ctx]
     else:
       transform_multiple_args [expr], ctx
 
diff --git a/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk b/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk
index 744581e..6af2a45 100644
--- a/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk
@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ describe 'call', fn:
       fink2js '
         call1 = a ni, x=123, ...x
         call2 = a ni
-        call3 = a ()
-        call4 = a _
-        call5 = a fn x: x * 2
-        call6 = a foo, , bar
+        call3 = a _
+        call4 = a fn x: x * 2
+        call5 = a foo, , bar
       '
       to_match_snapshot
 
diff --git a/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk.snap b/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk.snap
index e162330..f456939 100644
--- a/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk.snap
+++ b/src/lang/call/call.test.fnk.snap
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ exports[`call compiles 1`] = `
 "export const call1 = a(ni, x = 123, ...x);
 export const call2 = a(ni);
 export const call3 = a();
-export const call4 = a();
-export const call5 = a(x => x * 2);
-export const call6 = a(foo, undefined, bar);"
+export const call4 = a(x => x * 2);
+export const call5 = a(foo, undefined, bar);"
 `;
 
 exports[`call compiles as partial 1`] = `
diff --git a/src/lang/conditionals/match.fnk b/src/lang/conditionals/match.fnk
index fcd1c65..b5189ee 100644
--- a/src/lang/conditionals/match.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/conditionals/match.fnk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ babel_types = import '@babel/types'
 } = babel_types
 {map, filter, length, is_empty} = import '@fink/std-lib/iter.fnk'
 
-{eq, not_nullish, typof, consts, unique_ident} = import '../../js/types.fnk'
+{eq, not_nullish, not_undefiend, typof, consts, unique_ident} = import '../../js/types.fnk'
 
 {get_key} = import '../literals/record.fnk'
 {wrap_with_comment_loc} = import '../comments/init.fnk'
@@ -31,14 +31,19 @@ is_iterable = fn value:
 
 
 comp = fn id, expected, ctx:
-  value_ctx = {...ctx, partial_ident: id}
-  [wrap_with_partial, value, {partial_ident: _, ...next_ctx}] = transform_with_partial expected, value_ctx, false
+  match expected:
+    {type: 'partial'}:
+      cond = not_undefiend id
+      [cond, ctx]
+    else:
+      value_ctx = {...ctx, partial_ident: id}
+      [wrap_with_partial, value, {partial_ident: _, ...next_ctx}] = transform_with_partial expected, value_ctx, false
 
-  cond = match wrap_with_partial:
-    false: eq id, value
-    else: value
+      cond = match wrap_with_partial:
+        false: eq id, value
+        else: value
 
-  [cond, next_ctx]
+      [cond, next_ctx]
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk b/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk
index 3af5434..d28ee3e 100644
--- a/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk
@@ -30,11 +30,13 @@ describe 'match', fn:
           ? > 123: ni
 
           # simple call
-          ? (): ni
           ? _: ni
 
           # simple as call arg
           shrub ?: ni
+
+          # any value
+          ?: true
       '
       to_match_snapshot
 
@@ -69,6 +71,7 @@ describe 'match iterables', fn:
         match shrub:
           # deep iterable comparison
           [1, 2, [ni]]: ni
+          # TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
           [1, 2, [], {}]: foo
           [1, [2, 3], 4]: bar
           [1, [2, [3, 4]], [5, 6], 7]: spam
@@ -96,15 +99,16 @@ describe 'match iterables', fn:
           # nested unary
           [not ?]: ni
 
+          # any value
+          [?]: true
+
           # nested binary
           [? > 123]: ni
 
           # nested call
-          [? ()]: ni
           [? _]: ni
 
           # nested member call
-          [?.is_foo ()]: ni
           [?.is_foo _]: ni
 
           # nested as call arg
@@ -122,7 +126,9 @@ describe 'match records', fn:
     expect
       fink2js "
         match shrub:
+          # TODO: fix semantics for matching {}
           {foo: {}}: spam + ni
+          # TODO: fix semantics for matching []
           {foo: []}: spam + ni
           {foo: 4, ni: {na, nu}}: spam + ni
           {foo: 1, foo: {bar: 'spam'}, shrub: {na: 'nu'}}: ni
@@ -178,11 +184,9 @@ describe 'match records', fn:
           {spam: ? > 123}: ni
 
           # nested call
-          {spam: ? ()}: ni
           {spam: ? _}: ni
 
           # nested member call
-          {spam: ?.is_foo ()}: ni
           {spam: ?.is_foo _}: ni
 
           # nested as call arg
@@ -190,6 +194,9 @@ describe 'match records', fn:
 
           {spam, ...is_empty ?}: ni
           {spam, ...("foo" in ?)}: ni
+
+          # any value
+          {spam: ?}: true
       '
       to_match_snapshot
 
diff --git a/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk.snap b/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk.snap
index 175ffd2..1f62062 100644
--- a/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk.snap
+++ b/src/lang/conditionals/match.test.fnk.snap
@@ -117,31 +117,33 @@ exports[`match iterables matches value assertions 1`] = `
       }
     }
 
-    // nested binary
+    // any value
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
       const [ˆa_4] = ˆvalue_1;
 
-      // nested binary
-      if (ˆa_4 > 123) {
-        ni;
+      // any value
+      if (ˆa_4 !== undefined) {
+        true;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
-    // nested call
+    // nested binary
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
       const [ˆa_5] = ˆvalue_1;
 
-      // nested call
-      if (ˆa_5()) {
+      // nested binary
+      if (ˆa_5 > 123) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
+    // nested call
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
       const [ˆa_6] = ˆvalue_1;
 
+      // nested call
       if (ˆa_6()) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
@@ -159,37 +161,28 @@ exports[`match iterables matches value assertions 1`] = `
       }
     }
 
-    if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
-      const [ˆa_8] = ˆvalue_1;
-
-      if (ˆa_8.is_foo()) {
-        ni;
-        break ˆmatch_2;
-      }
-    }
-
     // nested as call arg
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
-      const [ˆa_9] = ˆvalue_1;
+      const [ˆa_8] = ˆvalue_1;
 
       // nested as call arg
-      if (is_foo(ˆa_9)) {
+      if (is_foo(ˆa_8)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
-      const [ˆa_10, ...ˆa_11] = ˆvalue_1;
-      if (ˆa_10 === 1) if (is_empty(ˆa_11)) {
+      const [ˆa_9, ...ˆa_10] = ˆvalue_1;
+      if (ˆa_9 === 1) if (is_empty(ˆa_10)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
-      const [ˆa_12, ...ˆa_13] = ˆvalue_1;
-      if (ˆa_12 === 1) if (1 < length(ˆa_13)) {
+      const [ˆa_11, ...ˆa_12] = ˆvalue_1;
+      if (ˆa_11 === 1) if (1 < length(ˆa_12)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
@@ -220,12 +213,17 @@ exports[`match iterables matches values 1`] = `
           }
     }
 
+    // TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
       const [ˆa_7, ˆa_8, ˆa_9, ˆa_10] = ˆvalue_1;
-      if (ˆa_7 === 1) if (ˆa_8 === 2) if (typeof ˆa_9?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") if (ˆa_10 != null) {
-        foo;
-        break ˆmatch_2;
-      }
+      // TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
+      if (ˆa_7 === 1) // TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
+        if (ˆa_8 === 2) // TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
+          if (typeof ˆa_9?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") // TODO: fix semantics for matching [], {}
+            if (ˆa_10 != null) {
+              foo;
+              break ˆmatch_2;
+            }
     }
 
     if (typeof ˆvalue_1?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
@@ -302,14 +300,15 @@ exports[`match matches value assertions 1`] = `
       break ˆmatch_2;
     }
 
-    if (ˆvalue_1()) {
+    // simple as call arg
+    if (shrub(ˆvalue_1)) {
       ni;
       break ˆmatch_2;
     }
 
-    // simple as call arg
-    if (shrub(ˆvalue_1)) {
-      ni;
+    // any value
+    if (ˆvalue_1 !== undefined) {
+      true;
       break ˆmatch_2;
     }
   }
@@ -424,22 +423,26 @@ exports[`match records matches props 1`] = `
   ˆmatch_2: {
     const ˆvalue_1 = shrub;
 
+    // TODO: fix semantics for matching {}
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
         foo: ˆp_3
       } = ˆvalue_1;
 
+      // TODO: fix semantics for matching {}
       if (ˆp_3 != null) {
         spam + ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
+    // TODO: fix semantics for matching []
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
         foo: ˆp_4
       } = ˆvalue_1;
 
+      // TODO: fix semantics for matching []
       if (typeof ˆp_4?.[Symbol.iterator] === \\"function\\") {
         spam + ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
@@ -587,49 +590,38 @@ exports[`match records matches value assertions 1`] = `
       }
     }
 
-    if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
-      const {
-        spam: ˆp_6
-      } = ˆvalue_1;
-
-      if (ˆp_6()) {
-        ni;
-        break ˆmatch_2;
-      }
-    }
-
     // nested member call
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
-        spam: ˆp_7
+        spam: ˆp_6
       } = ˆvalue_1;
 
       // nested member call
-      if (ˆp_7.is_foo()) {
+      if (ˆp_6.is_foo()) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
+    // nested as call arg
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
-        spam: ˆp_8
+        spam: ˆp_7
       } = ˆvalue_1;
 
-      if (ˆp_8.is_foo()) {
+      // nested as call arg
+      if (is_foo(ˆp_7)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
-    // nested as call arg
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
-        spam: ˆp_9
+        spam: ˆp_8,
+        ...ˆp_9
       } = ˆvalue_1;
-
-      // nested as call arg
-      if (is_foo(ˆp_9)) {
+      if (ˆp_8 === spam) if (is_empty(ˆp_9)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
@@ -640,19 +632,21 @@ exports[`match records matches value assertions 1`] = `
         spam: ˆp_10,
         ...ˆp_11
       } = ˆvalue_1;
-      if (ˆp_10 === spam) if (is_empty(ˆp_11)) {
+      if (ˆp_10 === spam) if (_in_(\`foo\`, ˆp_11)) {
         ni;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
 
+    // any value
     if (ˆvalue_1 != null) {
       const {
-        spam: ˆp_12,
-        ...ˆp_13
+        spam: ˆp_12
       } = ˆvalue_1;
-      if (ˆp_12 === spam) if (_in_(\`foo\`, ˆp_13)) {
-        ni;
+
+      // any value
+      if (ˆp_12 !== undefined) {
+        true;
         break ˆmatch_2;
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk b/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk
index b6c2d7a..b2149ec 100644
--- a/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ describe 'func', fn:
       fink2js '
         fun = fn a, b=12, c:
           shrub ...a
-          foo ()
           bar _
         '
       to_match_snapshot
diff --git a/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk.snap b/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk.snap
index 29234af..6af10a2 100644
--- a/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk.snap
+++ b/src/lang/func/init.test.fnk.snap
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 exports[`func compiles defaults 1`] = `
 "export const fun = (a, b = 12, c) => {
   shrub(...a);
-  foo();
   return bar();
 };"
 `;
diff --git a/src/lang/js-compat/try.test.fnk b/src/lang/js-compat/try.test.fnk
index a22e4af..9f3fe37 100644
--- a/src/lang/js-compat/try.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/js-compat/try.test.fnk
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe 'try', fn:
       fink2js "
         foo1 = fn:
           [err, item] = try:
-            bar = shrub ()
+            bar = shrub _
             bar + ni _
           [item, err]
 
diff --git a/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk b/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk
index 46b95d4..76c35eb 100644
--- a/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk
+++ b/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ describe 'list', fn:
       fink2js '
         array1 = []
         array2 = [1]
-        array3 = [1, 2, 4, (a ()), (a _), ...b]
+        array3 = [1, 2, 4, (a _), ...b]
         array4 = list:
           a + 1 + 45 +
             b + c
diff --git a/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk.snap b/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk.snap
index 2d81132..54fc323 100644
--- a/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk.snap
+++ b/src/lang/literals/list.test.fnk.snap
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 exports[`list compiles 1`] = `
 "export const array1 = [];
 export const array2 = [1];
-export const array3 = [1, 2, 4, a(), a(), ...b];
+export const array3 = [1, 2, 4, a(), ...b];
 export const array4 = [a + 1 + 45 + b + c, [1, 2], (3 + 3) * 2];"
 `;