diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4787d4b8a..2aef795b6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 
-all: build test examples/issue-293 
-# examples/issue-254 
+all: build test examples/issue-293 examples/issue-254 
 
 prep: npm-install
 
diff --git a/examples/issue-254.jison b/examples/issue-254.jison
index caccae077..26d12f623 100644
--- a/examples/issue-254.jison
+++ b/examples/issue-254.jison
@@ -14,28 +14,44 @@
 
 /lex
 
-%start function_call
+%start test
 
 %%
 
+test
+    : function_call
+        {
+            //console.log("result: ", $function_call);
+            return $function_call;
+        }
+    ;
+
+
 function_call
     : IDENTIFIER ("(" (expression[e1] ("," expression[e2])* )? ")")
         {
             console.log($1);
             console.log($3);
-            console.log($e1);
-            $$ = $IDENTIFIER + ':' + $e1;
-            try {
-                if ($5) {
-                    console.log($5);
-                }
-                if ($e2) {
-                    console.log($e2);
-                }
-                $$ += ':' + $e2;
-            } catch (e) {
-                console.log("exception");
-            }
+            // unreachable; injected a dot to prevent the action inspector from still seeing this one: 
+            //console.log($.e1);
+            //$$ = $IDENTIFIER + ':' + $.e1;
+            //try {
+            //    if ($.5) {
+            //        console.log($.5);
+            //    }
+            //    if ($.e2) {
+            //        console.log($.e2);
+            //    }
+            //    $$ += ':' + $.e2;
+            //} catch (e) {
+            //    console.log("exception");
+            //}
+
+            // new code:
+            //
+            //   IDENTIFIER "(" q_container ")"
+            //       1       2       3       4       
+            $$ = $IDENTIFIER + ':' + $2 + JSON.stringify($3) + $4;
         }
     ;
 
@@ -63,10 +79,12 @@ var assert = require("assert");
 parser.main = function () {
     var rv = parser.parse("a(b, c)");
     console.log("a(b, c) ==> ", rv);
+    assert.equal(rv, "a:([\"b\",[[\",\",\"c\"]]])");
+
     var rv = parser.parse("a(b)");
     console.log("a(b) ==> ", rv);
+    assert.equal(rv, "a:([\"b\",[]])");
 
-    assert.equal(rv, "a(a(a))");
 
     // if you get past the assert(), you're good.
     console.log("tested OK");