diff --git a/vlib/vweb/tmpl/README.md b/vlib/v/TEMPLATES.md
similarity index 100%
rename from vlib/vweb/tmpl/README.md
rename to vlib/v/TEMPLATES.md
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index 54cc35f0e8..48f547688f 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -4101,7 +4101,7 @@ fn (mut c Checker) comptime_call(mut node ast.ComptimeCall) table.Type {
 		c2.check(node.vweb_tmpl)
 		mut i := 0 // tmp counter var for skipping first three tmpl vars
 		for k, _ in c2.file.scope.children[0].objects {
-			if i < 4 {
+			if i < 2 {
 				// Skip first three because they are tmpl vars see vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
 				i++
 				continue
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/comptime.v b/vlib/v/parser/comptime.v
index d2adb61283..619eb1e660 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/comptime.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/comptime.v
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import v.ast
 import v.pref
 import v.table
 import v.token
-import vweb.tmpl
 
 const (
 	supported_comptime_calls = ['html', 'tmpl', 'env', 'embed_file']
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) comp_call() ast.ComptimeCall {
 	$if trace_comptime ? {
 		println('>>> compiling comptime template file "$path" for $tmp_fn_name')
 	}
-	v_code := tmpl.compile_file(path, tmp_fn_name)
+	v_code := p.compile_template_file(path, tmp_fn_name)
 	$if print_vweb_template_expansions ? {
 		lines := v_code.split('\n')
 		for i, line in lines {
@@ -181,9 +180,9 @@ fn (mut p Parser) comp_call() ast.ComptimeCall {
 	}
 	$if trace_comptime ? {
 		println('')
-		println('>>> vweb template for $path:')
+		println('>>> template for $path:')
 		println(v_code)
-		println('>>> end of vweb template END')
+		println('>>> end of template END')
 		println('')
 	}
 	mut file := parse_comptime(v_code, p.table, p.pref, scope, p.global_scope)
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index 988ab1837a..da228f8c9b 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -979,6 +979,31 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) error_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) {
 	}
 }
 
+pub fn (mut p Parser) error_with_error(error errors.Error) {
+	if p.pref.fatal_errors {
+		exit(1)
+	}
+	mut kind := 'error:'
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+		if p.pref.is_verbose {
+			print_backtrace()
+			kind = 'parser error:'
+		}
+		ferror := util.formatted_error(kind, error.message, error.file_path, error.pos)
+		eprintln(ferror)
+		exit(1)
+	} else {
+		p.errors << error
+	}
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .silent {
+		// Normally, parser errors mean that the parser exits immediately, so there can be only 1 parser error.
+		// In the silent mode however, the parser continues to run, even though it would have stopped. Some
+		// of the parser logic does not expect that, and may loop forever.
+		// The p.next() here is needed, so the parser is more robust, and *always* advances, even in the -silent mode.
+		p.next()
+	}
+}
+
 pub fn (mut p Parser) warn_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) {
 	if p.pref.warns_are_errors {
 		p.error_with_pos(s, pos)
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v b/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..22956cfe93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2019-2021 Alexander Medvednikov. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by an MIT license
+// that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+module parser
+
+import v.token
+import v.errors
+import os
+import strings
+
+const tmpl_str_start = "sb.write_string('"
+
+const tmpl_str_end = "' ) "
+
+enum State {
+	html
+	css // <style>
+	js // <script>
+	// span // span.{
+}
+
+// compile_file compiles the content of a file by the given path as a template
+pub fn (mut p Parser) compile_template_file(template_file string, fn_name string) string {
+	mut lines := os.read_lines(template_file) or {
+		p.error('reading from $template_file failed')
+		return ''
+	}
+	basepath := os.dir(template_file)
+	lstartlength := lines.len * 30
+	mut source := strings.new_builder(1000)
+	source.writeln('
+import strings
+// === vweb html template ===
+fn vweb_tmpl_${fn_name}() {
+mut sb := strings.new_builder($lstartlength)\n
+
+')
+	source.write_string(parser.tmpl_str_start)
+	mut state := State.html
+	mut in_span := false
+	mut end_of_line_pos := 0
+	mut start_of_line_pos := 0
+	mut tline_number := -1 // keep the original line numbers, even after insert/delete ops on lines; `i` changes
+	for i := 0; i < lines.len; i++ {
+		oline := lines[i]
+		tline_number++
+		start_of_line_pos = end_of_line_pos
+		end_of_line_pos += oline.len + 1
+		$if trace_tmpl ? {
+			eprintln('>>> tfile: $template_file, spos: ${start_of_line_pos:6}, epos:${end_of_line_pos:6}, fi: ${tline_number:5}, i: ${i:5}, line: $oline')
+		}
+		line := oline.trim_space()
+		if line == '<style>' {
+			state = .css
+		} else if line == '</style>' {
+			state = .html
+		} else if line == '<script>' {
+			state = .js
+		} else if line == '</script>' {
+			state = .html
+		}
+		if line.contains('@header') {
+			position := line.index('@header') or { 0 }
+			p.error_with_error(errors.Error{
+				message: "Please use @include 'header' instead of @header (deprecated)"
+				file_path: template_file
+				pos: token.Position{
+					len: '@header'.len
+					line_nr: tline_number
+					pos: start_of_line_pos + position
+					last_line: lines.len
+				}
+				reporter: .parser
+			})
+		} else if line.contains('@footer') {
+			position := line.index('@footer') or { 0 }
+			p.error_with_error(errors.Error{
+				message: "Please use @include 'footer' instead of @footer (deprecated)"
+				file_path: template_file
+				pos: token.Position{
+					len: '@footer'.len
+					line_nr: tline_number
+					pos: start_of_line_pos + position
+					last_line: lines.len
+				}
+				reporter: .parser
+			})
+		}
+		if line.contains('@include ') {
+			lines.delete(i)
+			mut file_name := line.split("'")[1]
+			mut file_ext := os.file_ext(file_name)
+			if file_ext == '' {
+				file_ext = '.html'
+			}
+			file_name = file_name.replace(file_ext, '')
+			// relative path, starting with the current folder
+			mut templates_folder := os.real_path(basepath)
+			if file_name.contains('/') && file_name.starts_with('/') {
+				// an absolute path
+				templates_folder = ''
+			}
+			file_path := os.real_path(os.join_path(templates_folder, '$file_name$file_ext'))
+			$if trace_tmpl ? {
+				eprintln('>>> basepath: "$basepath" , template_file: "$template_file" , fn_name: "$fn_name" , @include line: "$line" , file_name: "$file_name" , file_ext: "$file_ext" , templates_folder: "$templates_folder" , file_path: "$file_path"')
+			}
+			file_content := os.read_file(file_path) or {
+				position := line.index('@include ') or { 0 } + '@include '.len
+				p.error_with_error(errors.Error{
+					message: 'Reading file $file_name from path: $file_path failed'
+					details: "Failed to @include '$file_name'"
+					file_path: template_file
+					pos: token.Position{
+						len: '@include '.len + file_name.len
+						line_nr: tline_number
+						pos: start_of_line_pos + position
+						last_line: lines.len
+					}
+					reporter: .parser
+				})
+				''
+			}
+			file_splitted := file_content.split_into_lines().reverse()
+			for f in file_splitted {
+				tline_number--
+				lines.insert(i, f)
+			}
+			i--
+		} else if line.contains('@js ') {
+			pos := line.index('@js') or { continue }
+			source.write_string('<script src="')
+			source.write_string(line[pos + 5..line.len - 1])
+			source.writeln('"></script>')
+		} else if line.contains('@css ') {
+			pos := line.index('@css') or { continue }
+			source.write_string('<link href="')
+			source.write_string(line[pos + 6..line.len - 1])
+			source.writeln('" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">')
+		} else if line.contains('@if ') {
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_end)
+			pos := line.index('@if') or { continue }
+			source.writeln('if ' + line[pos + 4..] + '{')
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_start)
+		} else if line.contains('@end') {
+			// Remove new line byte
+			source.go_back(1)
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_end)
+			source.writeln('}')
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_start)
+		} else if line.contains('@else') {
+			// Remove new line byte
+			source.go_back(1)
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_end)
+			source.writeln(' } else { ')
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_start)
+		} else if line.contains('@for') {
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_end)
+			pos := line.index('@for') or { continue }
+			source.writeln('for ' + line[pos + 4..] + '{')
+			source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_start)
+		} else if state == .html && line.contains('span.') && line.ends_with('{') {
+			// `span.header {` => `<span class='header'>`
+			class := line.find_between('span.', '{').trim_space()
+			source.writeln('<span class="$class">')
+			in_span = true
+		} else if state == .html && line.contains('.') && line.ends_with('{') {
+			// `.header {` => `<div class='header'>`
+			class := line.find_between('.', '{').trim_space()
+			source.writeln('<div class="$class">')
+		} else if state == .html && line.contains('#') && line.ends_with('{') {
+			// `#header {` => `<div id='header'>`
+			class := line.find_between('#', '{').trim_space()
+			source.writeln('<div id="$class">')
+		} else if state == .html && line == '}' {
+			if in_span {
+				source.writeln('</span>')
+				in_span = false
+			} else {
+				source.writeln('</div>')
+			}
+		} else {
+			// HTML, may include `@var`
+			// escaped by cgen, unless it's a `vweb.RawHtml` string
+			source.writeln(line.replace('@', '$').replace('$$', '@').replace('.$', '.@').replace("'",
+				"\\'"))
+		}
+	}
+	source.writeln(parser.tmpl_str_end)
+	source.writeln('_tmpl_res_$fn_name := sb.str() ')
+	source.writeln('}')
+	source.writeln('// === end of vweb html template ===')
+	result := source.str()
+	return result
+}
diff --git a/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v b/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
deleted file mode 100644
index 85dd14e080..0000000000
--- a/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,168 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2019-2021 Alexander Medvednikov. All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by an MIT license
-// that can be found in the LICENSE file.
-module tmpl
-
-import os
-import strings
-
-const (
-	str_start = "sb.write_string('"
-	str_end   = "' ) "
-)
-
-// compile_file compiles the content of a file by the given path as a template
-pub fn compile_file(path string, fn_name string) string {
-	basepath := os.dir(path)
-	html := os.read_file(path) or { panic('html failed') }
-	return compile_template(basepath, html, fn_name)
-}
-
-enum State {
-	html
-	css // <style>
-	js // <script>
-	// span // span.{
-}
-
-pub fn compile_template(basepath string, html_ string, fn_name string) string {
-	// lines := os.read_lines(path)
-	mut html := html_.trim_space()
-	mut header := ''
-	mut footer := ''
-	if os.exists(os.join_path(basepath, 'header.html')) && html.contains('@header') {
-		h := os.read_file(os.join_path(basepath, 'header.html')) or {
-			panic('reading file ${os.join_path(basepath, 'header.html')} failed')
-		}
-		header = h.trim_space().replace("'", '"')
-		html = header + html
-	}
-	if os.exists(os.join_path(basepath, 'footer.html')) && html.contains('@footer') {
-		f := os.read_file(os.join_path(basepath, 'footer.html')) or {
-			panic('reading file ${os.join_path(basepath, 'footer.html')} failed')
-		}
-		footer = f.trim_space().replace("'", '"')
-		html += footer
-	}
-	mut lines := html.split_into_lines()
-	lstartlength := lines.len * 30
-	mut s := strings.new_builder(1000)
-	// base := path.all_after_last('/').replace('.html', '')
-	s.writeln("
-import strings
-// === vweb html template ===
-fn vweb_tmpl_${fn_name}() {
-mut sb := strings.new_builder($lstartlength)\n
-header := \' \' // TODO remove
-_ = header
-footer := \' \' // TODO remove
-_ = footer
-
-")
-	s.write_string(tmpl.str_start)
-	mut state := State.html
-	mut in_span := false
-	// for _line in lines {
-	for i := 0; i < lines.len; i++ {
-		line := lines[i].trim_space()
-		if line == '<style>' {
-			state = .css
-		} else if line == '</style>' {
-			state = .html
-		} else if line == '<script>' {
-			state = .js
-		} else if line == '</script>' {
-			state = .html
-		}
-		if line.contains('@include ') {
-			lines.delete(i)
-			mut file_name := line.split("'")[1]
-			mut file_ext := os.file_ext(file_name)
-			if file_ext == '' {
-				file_ext = '.html'
-			}
-			file_name = file_name.replace(file_ext, '')
-			// relative path, starting with the current folder
-			mut templates_folder := os.real_path(basepath)
-			if file_name.contains('/') && file_name.starts_with('/') {
-				// an absolute path
-				templates_folder = ''
-			}
-			file_path := os.real_path(os.join_path(templates_folder, '$file_name$file_ext'))
-			$if trace_tmpl ? {
-				eprintln('>>> basepath: "$basepath" , fn_name: "$fn_name" , @include line: "$line" , file_name: "$file_name" , file_ext: "$file_ext" , templates_folder: "$templates_folder" , file_path: "$file_path"')
-			}
-			file_content := os.read_file(file_path) or {
-				panic('Vweb: reading file $file_name from path: $file_path failed.')
-			}
-			file_splitted := file_content.split_into_lines().reverse()
-			for f in file_splitted {
-				lines.insert(i, f)
-			}
-			i--
-		} else if line.contains('@js ') {
-			pos := line.index('@js') or { continue }
-			s.write_string('<script src="')
-			s.write_string(line[pos + 5..line.len - 1])
-			s.writeln('"></script>')
-		} else if line.contains('@css ') {
-			pos := line.index('@css') or { continue }
-			s.write_string('<link href="')
-			s.write_string(line[pos + 6..line.len - 1])
-			s.writeln('" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">')
-		} else if line.contains('@if ') {
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_end)
-			pos := line.index('@if') or { continue }
-			s.writeln('if ' + line[pos + 4..] + '{')
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_start)
-		} else if line.contains('@end') {
-			// Remove new line byte
-			s.go_back(1)
-
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_end)
-			s.writeln('}')
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_start)
-		} else if line.contains('@else') {
-			// Remove new line byte
-			s.go_back(1)
-
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_end)
-			s.writeln(' } else { ')
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_start)
-		} else if line.contains('@for') {
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_end)
-			pos := line.index('@for') or { continue }
-			s.writeln('for ' + line[pos + 4..] + '{')
-			s.writeln(tmpl.str_start)
-		} else if state == .html && line.contains('span.') && line.ends_with('{') {
-			// `span.header {` => `<span class='header'>`
-			class := line.find_between('span.', '{').trim_space()
-			s.writeln('<span class="$class">')
-			in_span = true
-		} else if state == .html && line.contains('.') && line.ends_with('{') {
-			// `.header {` => `<div class='header'>`
-			class := line.find_between('.', '{').trim_space()
-			s.writeln('<div class="$class">')
-		} else if state == .html && line.contains('#') && line.ends_with('{') {
-			// `#header {` => `<div id='header'>`
-			class := line.find_between('#', '{').trim_space()
-			s.writeln('<div id="$class">')
-		} else if state == .html && line == '}' {
-			if in_span {
-				s.writeln('</span>')
-				in_span = false
-			} else {
-				s.writeln('</div>')
-			}
-		} else {
-			// HTML, may include `@var`
-			// escaped by cgen, unless it's a `vweb.RawHtml` string
-			s.writeln(line.replace('@', '$').replace('$$', '@').replace("'", "\\'"))
-		}
-	}
-	s.writeln(tmpl.str_end)
-	s.writeln('_tmpl_res_$fn_name := sb.str() ')
-	s.writeln('}')
-	s.writeln('// === end of vweb html template ===')
-	return s.str()
-}