diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/amd64.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/amd64.v
index 3bc5f4745f..7d6ae8277f 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/amd64.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/amd64.v
@@ -458,11 +458,9 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_loop_end(to int, label int) {
 	g.jl(label)
 }
 
-pub fn (mut g Gen) allocate_string(s string, opsize int) int {
-	g.strings << s
+pub fn (mut g Gen) allocate_string(s string, opsize int, typ RelocType) int {
 	str_pos := g.buf.len + opsize
-	g.str_pos << str_pos
-	g.strs << String{s, str_pos}
+	g.strs << String{s, str_pos, typ}
 	return str_pos
 }
 
@@ -507,7 +505,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) inline_strlen(r Register) {
 
 // TODO: strlen of string at runtime
 pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_print_reg(r Register, n int, fd int) {
-	mystrlen := true
+	mystrlen := true // if n < 0 maybe?
 	g.mov_reg(.rsi, r)
 	if mystrlen {
 		g.inline_strlen(.rsi)
@@ -550,24 +548,20 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_print(s string, fd int) {
 		g.apicall('GetStdHandle')
 		g.mov_reg(.rcx, .rax)
 		// g.mov64(.rdx, g.allocate_string(s, 3))
-		g.lea(.rdx, g.allocate_string(s, 3))
+		g.lea(.rdx, g.allocate_string(s, 3, .abs64))
 		g.mov(.r8, s.len) // string length
 		g.write([byte(0x4c), 0x8d, 0x4c, 0x24, 0x20]) // lea r9, [rsp+0x20]
 		g.write([byte(0x48), 0xc7, 0x44, 0x24, 0x20])
 		g.write32(0) // mov qword[rsp+0x20], 0
 		// g.mov(.r9, rsp+0x20)
 		g.apicall('WriteFile')
-		return
+	} else {
+		g.mov(.eax, g.nsyscall_write())
+		g.mov(.edi, fd)
+		g.learel(.rsi, g.allocate_string(s, 3, .rel32)) // for rsi its 2
+		g.mov(.edx, s.len) // len
+		g.syscall()
 	}
-	//
-	// qq := s + '\n'
-	//
-	g.mov(.eax, g.nsyscall_write())
-	g.mov(.edi, fd)
-	// segment_start +  0x9f) // str pos // placeholder
-	g.mov64(.rsi, g.allocate_string(s, 2)) // for rsi its 2
-	g.mov(.edx, s.len) // len
-	g.syscall()
 }
 
 fn (mut g Gen) nsyscall_write() int {
@@ -638,6 +632,24 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_amd64_exit(expr ast.Expr) {
 	g.trap() // should never be reached, just in case
 }
 
+fn (mut g Gen) learel(reg Register, val int) {
+	g.write8(0x48)
+	g.write8(0x8d)
+	match reg {
+		.rax {
+			g.write8(0x05)
+		}
+		.rsi {
+			g.write8(0x35)
+		}
+		else {
+			g.n_error('learel must use rsi or rax')
+		}
+	}
+	g.write32(val)
+	g.println('lea $reg, rip + $val')
+}
+
 fn (mut g Gen) lea(reg Register, val int) {
 	g.write8(0x48)
 	g.write8(0x8d)
@@ -1109,7 +1121,7 @@ g.v_error('oops', node.pos)
 							pos += 8
 						}
 						ast.StringLiteral {
-							g.mov64(.rsi, g.allocate_string('$e.val', 2)) // for rsi its 2
+							g.mov64(.rsi, g.allocate_string('$e.val', 2, .abs64)) // for rsi its 2
 							g.mov_reg_to_var(pos, .rsi)
 							pos += 8
 						}
@@ -1148,7 +1160,7 @@ g.v_error('oops', node.pos)
 			ast.StringLiteral {
 				dest := g.allocate_var(name, 4, 0)
 				ie := node.right[i] as ast.StringLiteral
-				g.mov64(.rsi, g.allocate_string(ie.str(), 2)) // for rsi its 2
+				g.mov64(.rsi, g.allocate_string(ie.str(), 2, .abs64)) // for rsi its 2
 				g.mov_reg_to_var(dest, .rsi)
 			}
 			ast.CallExpr {
@@ -1254,6 +1266,10 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_asm_stmt_amd64(asm_node ast.AsmStmt) {
 					line += a.val.str()
 					imm = if a.val { 1 } else { 0 }
 				}
+				ast.CharLiteral {
+					line += a.val.str()
+					imm = a.val.int()
+				}
 				/*
 				ast.AsmAddressing {
 				}
@@ -1261,8 +1277,6 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_asm_stmt_amd64(asm_node ast.AsmStmt) {
 				}
 				ast.AsmDisp {
 				}
-				ast.CharLiteral {
-				}
 				ast.FloatLiteral {
 				}
 				*/
@@ -1489,7 +1503,6 @@ fn (mut g Gen) for_stmt(node ast.ForStmt) {
 		return
 	}
 	infix_expr := node.cond as ast.InfixExpr
-	// g.mov(.eax, 0x77777777)
 	mut jump_addr := 0 // location of `jne *00 00 00 00*`
 	start := g.pos()
 	match mut infix_expr.left {
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
index e1d3642c77..aa9a8a2bb5 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
@@ -4,58 +4,82 @@
 module native
 
 const (
-	mag0        = byte(0x7f)
-	mag1        = `E`
-	mag2        = `L`
-	mag3        = `F`
-	ei_class    = 4
-	elfclass64  = 2
-	elfdata2lsb = 1
-	ev_current  = 1
-)
+	elf_class32       = 1
+	elf_class64       = 2
 
-// ELF file types
-const (
-	elf_osabi       = 0
-	et_rel          = 1
-	et_exec         = 2
-	et_dyn          = 3
-	e_machine_amd64 = 0x3e
-	e_machine_arm64 = 0xb7
-	shn_xindex      = 0xffff
-	sht_null        = 0
+	elf_data_le       = 1
+	elf_data_be       = 2
+
+	elf_version       = 1
+	elf_abiversion    = 0
+
+	elf_type_rel      = 1
+	elf_type_exec     = 2
+	elf_type_dyn      = 3
+
+	elf_amd64         = 0x3e
+	elf_arm64         = 0xb7
+
+	elf_osabi_none    = 0
+	elf_osabi_hpux    = 1
+	elf_osabi_netbsd  = 2
+	elf_osabi_linux   = 3
+	elf_osabi_freebsd = 9
+
+	elf_header_size   = 0x40
+	elf_phentry_size  = 0x38
 )
 
 const (
 	segment_start = 0x400000
 	placeholder   = 0
-	sevens        = 0x77777777
 )
 
+/*
+struct Header64 {
+	ident     u8  // File identification.
+	@type     u16 // File type.
+	machine   u16 // Machine architecture.
+	version   u32 // ELF format version.
+	entry     u64 // Entry point.
+	phoff     u64 // Program header file offset.
+	shoff     u64 // Section header file offset.
+	flags     u32 // Architecture-specific flags.
+	ehsize    u16 // Size of ELF header in bytes.
+	phentsize u16 // Size of program header entry.
+	phnum     u16 // Number of program header entries.
+	shentsize u16 // Size of section header entry.
+	shnum     u16 // Number of section header entries.
+	shstrndx  u16 // Section name strings section.
+}
+*/
+
 pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_header() {
-	g.buf << [byte(native.mag0), native.mag1, native.mag2, native.mag3]
-	g.buf << native.elfclass64 // file class
-	g.buf << native.elfdata2lsb // data encoding
-	g.buf << native.ev_current // file version
-	g.buf << native.elf_osabi
-	g.write64(0) // et_rel) // et_rel for .o
-	g.write16(2) // e_type
+	elf_type := native.elf_type_dyn // PIE (use _exec for non-relocatable executables)
+
+	g.buf << '\x7fELF'.bytes()
+	g.buf << native.elf_class64
+	g.buf << native.elf_data_le
+	g.buf << native.elf_version
+	g.buf << native.elf_osabi_none
+	g.write64(0) // abiversion(1)+pad(6)+nident(1)
+	g.write16(elf_type)
+
 	if g.pref.arch == .arm64 {
-		g.write16(native.e_machine_arm64)
+		g.write16(native.elf_arm64)
 	} else {
-		g.write16(native.e_machine_amd64)
+		g.write16(native.elf_amd64)
 	}
-	g.write32(native.ev_current) // e_version
-	eh_size := 0x40
-	phent_size := 0x38
-	g.write64(native.segment_start + eh_size + phent_size) // e_entry
-	g.write64(0x40) // e_phoff
+	g.write32(native.elf_version)
+	g.write64(native.segment_start + native.elf_header_size + native.elf_phentry_size) // e_entry
+	g.write64(native.elf_header_size) // e_phoff
 	g.write64(0) // e_shoff
 	g.write32(0) // e_flags
-	g.write16(eh_size) // e_ehsize
-	g.write16(phent_size) // e_phentsize
+	g.write16(native.elf_header_size)
+	g.write16(native.elf_phentry_size)
 	g.write16(1) // e_phnum
 	g.write16(0) // e_shentsize
+	// e_shnum := g.buf.len
 	g.write16(0) // e_shnum (number of sections)
 	g.write16(0) // e_shstrndx
 	// Elf64_Phdr
@@ -68,6 +92,16 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_header() {
 	g.write64(0) // p_filesz PLACEHOLDER, set to file_size later // addr: 060
 	g.write64(0) // p_memsz
 	g.write64(0x1000) // p_align
+	// write sections
+	/*
+	sections := []string{}
+	g.write16_at(e_shnum, sections.len) // e_shnum (number of sections)
+
+	for section in sections {
+		// write section data
+		println('section $section')
+	}
+	*/
 	// user code starts here at
 	// address: 00070 and a half
 	if g.pref.is_verbose {
@@ -79,24 +113,30 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_header() {
 	g.println('; call fn main')
 }
 
-pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_footer() {
-	// Return 0
-	/*
-	g.mov(.edi, 0) // ret value
-	g.mov(.eax, 60)
-	g.syscall()
-	*/
-	// Strings table
-	// Loop thru all strings and set the right addresses
-	for i, s in g.strings {
-		g.write64_at(native.segment_start + g.buf.len, int(g.str_pos[i]))
-		g.write_string(s)
-		g.write8(0)
+fn (mut g Gen) elf_string_table() {
+	for _, s in g.strs {
+		match s.typ {
+			.abs64 {
+				// g.write64_at(native.segment_start + g.buf.len, int(g.str_pos[i]))
+				g.write64_at(s.pos, g.buf.len)
+			}
+			.rel32 {
+				g.write32_at(s.pos, g.buf.len - s.pos - 4)
+			}
+			else {
+				g.n_error('unsupported string reloc type')
+			}
+		}
+		g.write_string(s.str)
 	}
-	// Now we know the file size, set it
+}
+
+pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_footer() {
+	g.elf_string_table()
+	// file_size holds the address at the end of the code and const strings table
 	file_size := g.buf.len
-	g.write64_at(file_size, g.file_size_pos) // set file size 64 bit value
-	g.write64_at(file_size, g.file_size_pos + 8)
+	g.write64_at(g.file_size_pos, file_size) // set file size 64 bit value
+	g.write64_at(g.file_size_pos + 8, file_size)
 	if g.pref.arch == .arm64 {
 		bl_next := u32(0x94000001)
 		g.write32_at(g.code_start_pos, int(bl_next))
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
index 61d2485086..1f4f7b65e7 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ mut:
 	buf                  []byte
 	sect_header_name_pos int
 	offset               i64
-	str_pos              []i64
 	stackframe_size      int
-	strings              []string // TODO use a map and don't duplicate strings
 	file_size_pos        i64
 	main_fn_addr         i64
 	code_start_pos       i64 // location of the start of the assembly instructions
@@ -50,9 +48,18 @@ mut:
 	strs                 []String
 }
 
+enum RelocType {
+	rel8
+	rel16
+	rel32
+	rel64
+	abs64
+}
+
 struct String {
 	str string
 	pos int
+	typ RelocType
 }
 
 struct CallPatch {
@@ -168,7 +175,10 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_footer() {
 		.raw {
 			g.create_executable()
 		}
-		else {}
+		else {
+			eprintln('Unsupported target file format')
+			exit(1)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -224,7 +234,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write64(n i64) {
 	g.buf << byte(n >> 56)
 }
 
-fn (mut g Gen) write64_at(n i64, at i64) {
+fn (mut g Gen) write64_at(at i64, n i64) {
 	// write 8 bytes
 	g.buf[at] = byte(n)
 	g.buf[at + 1] = byte(n >> 8)
@@ -244,11 +254,17 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write32_at(at i64, n int) {
 	g.buf[at + 3] = byte(n >> 24)
 }
 
+fn (mut g Gen) write16_at(at i64, n int) {
+	// write 2 bytes
+	g.buf[at] = byte(n)
+	g.buf[at + 1] = byte(n >> 8)
+}
+
 fn (mut g Gen) write_string(s string) {
 	for c in s {
 		g.write8(int(c))
 	}
-	// g.write8(0) // null terminated strings
+	g.zeroes(1)
 }
 
 fn (mut g Gen) write_string_with_padding(s string, max int) {
@@ -288,15 +304,16 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_print_from_expr(expr ast.Expr, name string) {
 			g.gen_print_reg(.rax, 3, fd)
 		}
 		ast.IntegerLiteral {
-			g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string('$expr.val\n', 2))
+			g.learel(.rax, g.allocate_string('$expr.val\n', 3, .rel32))
 			g.gen_print_reg(.rax, 3, fd)
 		}
 		ast.BoolLiteral {
 			// register 'true' and 'false' strings // g.expr(expr)
+			// XXX mov64 shuoldnt be used for addressing
 			if expr.val {
-				g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string('true', 2))
+				g.learel(.rax, g.allocate_string('true', 3, .rel32))
 			} else {
-				g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string('false', 2))
+				g.learel(.rax, g.allocate_string('false', 3, .rel32))
 			}
 			g.gen_print_reg(.rax, 3, fd)
 		}
@@ -310,7 +327,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_print_from_expr(expr ast.Expr, name string) {
 				mut off := 0
 				for f in s.fields {
 					if f.name == field_name {
-						g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string('$off\n', 2))
+						g.learel(.rax, g.allocate_string('$off\n', 3, .rel32))
 						g.gen_print_reg(.rax, 3, fd)
 						break
 					}
@@ -591,7 +608,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) stmt(node ast.Stmt) {
 				ast.StringLiteral {
 					s = e0.val.str()
 					g.expr(node.exprs[0])
-					g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string(s, 2))
+					g.mov64(.rax, g.allocate_string(s, 2, .abs64))
 				}
 				ast.Ident {
 					g.expr(e0)
@@ -643,7 +660,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_syscall(node ast.CallExpr) {
 					match expr.expr {
 						ast.StringLiteral {
 							s := expr.expr.val.replace('\\n', '\n')
-							g.allocate_string(s, 2)
+							g.allocate_string(s, 2, .abs64)
 							g.mov64(ra[i], 1)
 							done = true
 						}
@@ -660,7 +677,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_syscall(node ast.CallExpr) {
 						node.pos)
 				}
 				s := expr.val.replace('\\n', '\n')
-				g.allocate_string(s, 2)
+				g.allocate_string(s, 2, .abs64)
 				g.mov64(ra[i], 1)
 			}
 			else {
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/macho.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/macho.v
index d0bd9c6b1f..2b8d0961b7 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/macho.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/macho.v
@@ -395,16 +395,23 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_symbol(s Symbol) {
 fn (mut g Gen) sym_string_table() int {
 	begin := g.buf.len
 	g.zeroes(1)
-	for i, s in g.strings {
-		pos := g.buf.len - int(g.str_pos[i])
-		if g.pref.os == .windows {
-			g.write32_at(int(g.str_pos[i]), pos - 4) // 0x402028 + pos)
-		} else {
-			baddr := i64(0x100000000)
-			g.write64_at(g.buf.len + baddr, int(g.str_pos[i]))
+	for _, s in g.strs {
+		pos := g.buf.len - s.pos - 4
+		match s.typ {
+			.rel32 {
+				g.write32_at(s.pos, pos)
+			}
+			else {
+				if g.pref.os == .windows {
+					// that should be .rel32, not windows-specific
+					g.write32_at(s.pos, pos)
+				} else {
+					baddr := i64(0x100000000)
+					g.write64_at(s.pos, g.buf.len + baddr)
+				}
+			}
 		}
-		g.write_string(s)
-		g.write8(0)
+		g.write_string(s.str)
 	}
 	return g.buf.len - begin
 }