diff --git a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
index cd9c6fc3ca..7addf4ecb8 100644
--- a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
+++ b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
@@ -850,6 +850,15 @@ pub:
 	pos   token.Position
 }
 
+// `or { ... }`
+pub struct OrExpr2 {
+pub:
+	call_expr CallExpr
+	stmts     []Stmt // inside `or { }`
+	kind      OrKind
+	pos       token.Position
+}
+
 pub struct Assoc {
 pub:
 	var_name string
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index 39e4e90302..bcb8a7fa7e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -2629,6 +2629,9 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) expr(node ast.Expr) table.Type {
 			// never happens
 			return table.void_type
 		}
+		// ast.OrExpr2 {
+		// return node.typ
+		// }
 		ast.ParExpr {
 			return c.expr(node.expr)
 		}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
index f31ac4b21f..689c927519 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
@@ -1335,6 +1335,33 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_assign_stmt(assign_stmt ast.AssignStmt) {
 			g.writeln('); // free str on re-assignment')
 		}
 	}
+	// Handle optionals. We need to declare a temp variable for them, that's why they are handled
+	// here, not in call_expr().
+	// `pos := s.index('x') or { return }`
+	// ==========>
+	// Option_int _t190 = string_index(s, _STR("x"));
+	// if (!_t190.ok) {
+	// string err = _t190.v_error;
+	// int errcode = _t190.ecode;
+	// return;
+	// }
+	// int pos = *(int*)_t190.data;
+	mut gen_or := false
+	if g.pref.autofree && assign_stmt.op == .decl_assign && assign_stmt.left_types.len == 1 &&
+		assign_stmt.right[0] is ast.CallExpr {
+		call_expr := assign_stmt.right[0] as ast.CallExpr
+		if call_expr.or_block.kind != .absent {
+			styp := g.typ(call_expr.return_type.set_flag(.optional))
+			tmp_opt := g.new_tmp_var()
+			g.write('/*AF opt*/$styp $tmp_opt = ')
+			g.expr(assign_stmt.right[0])
+			gen_or = true
+			g.or_block(tmp_opt, call_expr.or_block, call_expr.return_type)
+			g.writeln('/*=============ret*/')
+			// return
+		}
+	}
+	//
 	// json_test failed w/o this check
 	if return_type != table.void_type && return_type != 0 {
 		sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(return_type)
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/fn.v b/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
index b262244bd6..c4abe66018 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
@@ -280,9 +280,12 @@ fn (mut g Gen) call_expr(node ast.CallExpr) {
 	defer {
 		g.inside_call = false
 	}
-	gen_or := node.or_block.kind != .absent
+	gen_or := node.or_block.kind != .absent && !g.pref.autofree
+	// if gen_or {
+	// g.writeln('/*start*/')
+	// }
 	is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs := gen_or && g.is_assign_rhs
-	cur_line := if is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs {
+	cur_line := if is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs && !g.pref.autofree {
 		line := g.go_before_stmt(0)
 		g.out.write(tabs[g.indent])
 		line
@@ -304,10 +307,13 @@ fn (mut g Gen) call_expr(node ast.CallExpr) {
 	} else {
 		g.fn_call(node)
 	}
-	if gen_or {
-		g.or_block(tmp_opt, node.or_block, node.return_type)
+	if gen_or { // && !g.pref.autofree {
+		if !g.pref.autofree {
+			g.or_block(tmp_opt, node.or_block, node.return_type)
+		}
 		if is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs {
-			g.write('\n$cur_line$tmp_opt')
+			g.write('\n $cur_line $tmp_opt')
+			// g.write('\n /*call_expr cur_line:*/ $cur_line /*C*/ $tmp_opt /*end*/')
 			// g.insert_before_stmt('\n /* VVV */ $tmp_opt')
 		}
 	}
@@ -545,13 +551,14 @@ fn (mut g Gen) fn_call(node ast.CallExpr) {
 			t := '_tt${g.tmp_count2}_arg_expr_${fn_name}_$i'
 			g.called_fn_name = name
 			str_expr := g.write_expr_to_string(arg.expr)
-			g.insert_before_stmt('string $t = $str_expr; // new3. to free $i ')
-			/*
+			// g.insert_before_stmt('string $t = $str_expr; // new3. to free $i ')
 			cur_line = g.go_before_stmt(0)
 			// println('cur line ="$cur_line"')
-			g.writeln('string $t = $str_expr; // new. to free $i ')
-			*/
+			g.writeln('string $t = $str_expr; // new3. to free $i ')
+			// Now free the tmp arg vars right after the function call
+			g.strs_to_free << 'string_free(&$t);'
 		}
+		// g.strs_to_free << (';')
 	}
 	// Handle `print(x)`
 	if is_print && node.args[0].typ != table.string_type { // && !free_tmp_arg_vars {
@@ -617,7 +624,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) fn_call(node ast.CallExpr) {
 		// Simple function call
 		if free_tmp_arg_vars {
 			// g.writeln(';')
-			g.write(cur_line + ' /* cur line*/')
+			g.write(cur_line + ' /* <== af cur line*/')
 		}
 		g.write('${g.get_ternary_name(name)}(')
 		if g.is_json_fn {
@@ -630,22 +637,6 @@ fn (mut g Gen) fn_call(node ast.CallExpr) {
 	}
 	g.is_c_call = false
 	g.is_json_fn = false
-	if free_tmp_arg_vars { // && tmp_arg_vars_to_free.len > 0 {
-		// g.writeln(';')
-		// g.write(cur_line + ' /* cur line*/')
-		// g.write(tmp)
-		// Now free the tmp arg vars right after the function call
-		g.strs_to_free << (';')
-		for i, arg in node.args {
-			if arg.is_tmp_autofree {
-				fn_name := node.name.replace('.', '_')
-				tmp := '_tt${g.tmp_count2}_arg_expr_${fn_name}_$i'
-				g.strs_to_free << ('string_free(&$tmp);')
-				// g.writeln('string_free(&$tmp);')
-			}
-		}
-		// g.writeln('')
-	}
 }
 
 // fn (mut g Gen) call_args(args []ast.CallArg, expected_types []table.Type, tmp_arg_vars_to_free []string) {
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/fn.v b/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
index d2cba036b3..de7a572fc5 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import v.token
 import v.util
 
 pub fn (mut p Parser) call_expr(language table.Language, mod string) ast.CallExpr {
+	// pub fn (mut p Parser) call_expr(language table.Language, mod string) ast.Expr {
 	first_pos := p.tok.position()
 	mut fn_name := if language == .c {
 		'C.$p.check_name()'
@@ -88,6 +89,25 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) call_expr(language table.Language, mod string) ast.CallExp
 			fn_name = registered.name
 		}
 	}
+	/*
+	call_expr := ast.CallExpr{
+		name: fn_name
+		args: args
+		mod: fn_mod
+		pos: pos
+		language: language
+		generic_type: generic_type
+	}
+	if or_kind != .absent {
+		return ast.OrExpr2{
+			call_expr: call_expr
+			stmts: or_stmts
+			kind: or_kind
+			pos: pos
+		}
+	}
+	return call_expr
+	*/
 	return ast.CallExpr{
 		name: fn_name
 		args: args
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
index a25d1e2d68..e580a36bd3 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
@@ -64,17 +64,21 @@ fn match_expr() string {
 	return res
 }
 
-/*
+fn opt(s string) ?int {
+	return 1
+}
+
 fn optional_str() {
 	q := 'select'
 	s := 'x'
-	pos := s.index('query: $q') or {
+	pos2 := opt('query:$q') or {
+		// pos := s.index('query: $q') or {
 		println('exiting')
 		return
 	}
-	println(pos)
+	println(pos2)
 }
-*/
+
 fn main() {
 	println('start')
 	foo()
@@ -82,6 +86,7 @@ fn main() {
 	str_inter()
 	match_expr()
 	reassign_str()
+	// optional_str()
 	// str_replace()
 	println('end')
 }