diff --git a/arch/8086/pcat/blk.fs b/arch/8086/pcat/blk.fs
index ecae3a1..bb4f68a 100644
--- a/arch/8086/pcat/blk.fs
+++ b/arch/8086/pcat/blk.fs
@@ -85,4 +85,4 @@ RS_ADDR 0xa0 - CONSTANT SYSVARS
 610 LOAD  ( AT-XY drivers )
 390 LOAD  ( xcomp core high )
 (entry) _ ( Update LATEST ) PC ORG @ 8 + !
-," BLK$ FD$ ' FD@ BLK@* ! ' FD! BLK!* ! " EOT,
+," BLK$ FD$ ' FD@ ' BLK@* **! ' FD! ' BLK!* **! " EOT,
diff --git a/arch/z80/sms/xcomptextmode.fs b/arch/z80/sms/xcomptextmode.fs
index 9dc74b7..3d88da0 100644
--- a/arch/z80/sms/xcomptextmode.fs
+++ b/arch/z80/sms/xcomptextmode.fs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ CREATE ~FNT CPFNT5x7
 (entry) _
 ( Update LATEST )
 PC ORG @ 8 + !
-," TMS$ GRID$ PS2$ BLK$ ' SDC@ BLK@* ! (im1) " EOT,
+," TMS$ GRID$ PS2$ BLK$ ' SDC@ ' BLK@* **! (im1) " EOT,
 ORG @ 0x100 - DUP |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
 DUP 1 ( 16K ) segasig
 0x4000 + |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
diff --git a/arch/z80/trs80/blk.fs b/arch/z80/trs80/blk.fs
index cef0143..764c1c3 100644
--- a/arch/z80/trs80/blk.fs
+++ b/arch/z80/trs80/blk.fs
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ EXX, ( unprotect BC ) ;CODE
 ( ----- 610 )
 : FD@ ['] @RDSEC SWAP FD@! ;
 : FD! ['] @WRSEC SWAP FD@! ;
-: FD$ ['] FD@ BLK@* ! ['] FD! BLK!* ! ;
+: FD$ ['] FD@ ['] BLK@* **! ['] FD! ['] BLK!* **! ;
 
 : CL$ 0x02 0xe8 PC! ( UART RST ) 0xee 0xe9 PC! ( 9600 bauds )
     0b01101100 0xea PC! ( word8 no parity RTS ) ;
diff --git a/arch/z80/z80mbc2/xcomp.fs b/arch/z80/z80mbc2/xcomp.fs
index 645e861..19ce6e4 100644
--- a/arch/z80/z80mbc2/xcomp.fs
+++ b/arch/z80/z80mbc2/xcomp.fs
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ CODE (key?) ( TODO: make non-blocking )
 (entry) _
 ( Update LATEST )
 PC ORG @ 8 + !
-," BLK$ FD$ ' FD@ BLK@* ! ' FD! BLK!* ! " EOT,
+," BLK$ FD$ ' FD@ ' BLK@* **! ' FD! ' BLK!* **! " EOT,
 ORG @ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
 H@ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
diff --git a/blk.fs b/blk.fs
index 8379e72..b0294e2 100644
--- a/blk.fs
+++ b/blk.fs
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ CREATE PREVPOS 0 , CREATE PREVBLK 0 , CREATE xoff 0 ,
 : $H EDPOS @ 0x3c0 AND pos! ;
 : $L EDPOS @ 0x3f OR pos! ;
 : $g ACC @ 1 MAX 1- 64 * pos! ;
-: $@ BLK> @ BLK@* @ EXECUTE 0 BLKDTY ! contents ;
+: $@ BLK> @ BLK@* 0 BLKDTY ! contents ;
 ( ----- 130 )
 : $w EDPOS @ BLK( + acc@ 0 DO
     BEGIN C@+ WS? UNTIL BEGIN C@+ WS? NOT UNTIL LOOP
@@ -1911,9 +1911,9 @@ SYSVARS 0x55 + :** KEY?
 : [THEN] ;
 ( ----- 372 )
 ( n -- Fetches block n and write it to BLK( )
-: BLK@* 0x34 RAM+ ;
+SYSVARS 0x34 + :** BLK@*
 ( n -- Write back BLK( to storage at block n )
-: BLK!* 0x36 RAM+ ;
+SYSVARS 0x36 + :** BLK!*
 ( Current blk pointer in ( )
 : BLK> 0x38 RAM+ ;
 ( Whether buffer is dirty )
@@ -1931,13 +1931,11 @@ SYSVARS 0x55 + :** KEY?
     -1 BLK> !
 ;
 ( ----- 374 )
-: BLK! ( -- )
-    BLK> @ BLK!* @ EXECUTE
-    0 BLKDTY ! ;
+: BLK! ( -- ) BLK> @ BLK!* 0 BLKDTY ! ;
 : FLUSH BLKDTY @ IF BLK! THEN -1 BLK> ! ;
 : BLK@ ( n -- )
     DUP BLK> @ = IF DROP EXIT THEN
-    FLUSH DUP BLK> ! BLK@* @ EXECUTE ;
+    FLUSH DUP BLK> ! BLK@* ;
 : BLK!! 1 BLKDTY ! ;
 : WIPE BLK( 1024 0 FILL BLK!! ;
 : WIPED? ( -- f )
diff --git a/cvm/forth.fs b/cvm/forth.fs
index 06cd97b..7093c9d 100644
--- a/cvm/forth.fs
+++ b/cvm/forth.fs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ SYSVARS 0xa0 + CONSTANT GRID_MEM
 (entry) _
 ( Update LATEST )
 PC ORG @ 8 + !
-," BLK$ ' EFS@ BLK@* ! ' EFS! BLK!* ! GRID$ " EOT,
+," BLK$ ' EFS@ ' BLK@* **! ' EFS! ' BLK!* **! GRID$ " EOT,
 ORG @ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
 H@ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
 
diff --git a/cvm/stage.bin b/cvm/stage.bin
index 4badec7..283b2cb 100644
Binary files a/cvm/stage.bin and b/cvm/stage.bin differ
diff --git a/cvm/stage.fs b/cvm/stage.fs
index 294c00a..809c5b7 100644
--- a/cvm/stage.fs
+++ b/cvm/stage.fs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 ( Update LATEST )
 PC ORG @ 8 + !
 ," BLK$ "
-," ' EFS@ BLK@* ! "
-," ' EFS! BLK!* ! "
+," ' EFS@ ' BLK@* **! "
+," ' EFS! ' BLK!* **! "
 EOT,
 ORG @ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
 H@ |M 2 PC! 2 PC!
diff --git a/doc/hw/sdcard.txt b/doc/hw/sdcard.txt
index 1ef4316..dcb6fa5 100644
--- a/doc/hw/sdcard.txt
+++ b/doc/hw/sdcard.txt
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ The subsystem is loaded with "423 436 LOADR".
 
 Initialization of the SDC system is done in multiple steps.
 First, the BLK system needs to be initialized with "BLK$". Then
-you can plug SDC@ and SDC! into BLK with "' SDC@ BLK@* !" and
-"' SDC! BLK! !". That only needs to be done once per boot.
+you can plug SDC@ and SDC! into BLK with "' SDC@ ' BLK@* **!"
+and "' SDC! ' BLK! **!". That only needs to be done once per
+boot.
 
 Then, the SD card that was inserted needs to be initialized. You
 can do it with "SDC$". If you have no error, it means that the
diff --git a/doc/impl.txt b/doc/impl.txt
index ea5a632..76a3929 100644
--- a/doc/impl.txt
+++ b/doc/impl.txt
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ SYSVARS   FUTURE USES          +3c       BLK(*
 +2e       BOOT C< PTR          +57       FUTURE USES
 +30       IN>                  +60       INPUT BUFFER
 +32       FUTURE USES          +a0       DRIVERS
++34       BLK@*
 +36       BLK!*
 +38       BLK>
 +3a       BLKDTY
diff --git a/emul/8086/xcomp.fs b/emul/8086/xcomp.fs
index e1b6839..943b852 100644
--- a/emul/8086/xcomp.fs
+++ b/emul/8086/xcomp.fs
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ CODE PC! AX POPx, ( discard ) AX POPx, 6 INT, ;CODE
 390 LOAD  ( xcomp core high )
 (entry) _ ( Update LATEST ) PC ORG @ 8 + !
 ," BLK$ "
-," ' EFS@ BLK@* ! "
-," ' EFS! BLK!* ! "
+," ' EFS@ ' BLK@* **! "
+," ' EFS! ' BLK!* **! "
 EOT,
 ORG @ 256 /MOD 2 PC! 2 PC!
 H@ 256 /MOD 2 PC! 2 PC!
diff --git a/emul/z80/xcomp.fs b/emul/z80/xcomp.fs
index 224de01..c0c30ef 100644
--- a/emul/z80/xcomp.fs
+++ b/emul/z80/xcomp.fs
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ RS_ADDR 0xa0 - CONSTANT SYSVARS
 ( Update LATEST )
 PC ORG @ 8 + !
 ," BLK$ "
-," ' EFS@ BLK@* ! "
-," ' EFS! BLK!* ! "
+," ' EFS@ ' BLK@* **! "
+," ' EFS! ' BLK!* **! "
 EOT,
 ORG @ 256 /MOD 2 PC! 2 PC!
 H@ 256 /MOD 2 PC! 2 PC!