diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d31e2bc..5205cb3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ check: tyche-test
 	./tyche-test
 
 clean:
-	rm -f tyche libtyche.a libtyche.so* tyche-test **/*.o **/*.d compiler/compiler.h
+	rm -f tyche libtyche.a libtyche.so* tyche-test **/*.o **/*.d lib/compiler/compiler.h
 
 install: tyche libtyche.a libtyche.so.${VERSION} lib/tyche.h
 	install -m 644 libtyche.a libtyche.so.${VERSION} ${PREFIX}/lib
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ uninstall:
 # TODO - temporary, using Lua for compilation for now
 #
 LDFLAGS+=-llua -lm
-lib/compiler/compiler.lua.h:
+lib/compiler/compiler.lua.h: lib/compiler/compiler.lua
 	luac -o lib/compiler/compiler.out lib/compiler/compiler.lua
 	xxd -i lib/compiler/compiler.out > lib/compiler/compiler.lua.h
 	rm lib/compiler/compiler.out
diff --git a/lib/code.c b/lib/code.c
index 0c2e9cd..df963c1 100644
--- a/lib/code.c
+++ b/lib/code.c
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 #include "priv.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#if __BYTE_ORDER__ == __ORDER_BIG_ENDIAN__
+#  error Sorry, big endian architectures are not supported at this time.
+#endif
+
+#define MAGIC 0xa7d6e9b1
 
 struct Code {
+    uint8_t* bytecode;
+    size_t   bytecode_sz;
 };
 
-Code* code_new(uint8_t* bytecode, size_t bytecode_sz)
+Code* code_new()
 {
     Code* code = xcalloc(1, sizeof(Code));
     return code;
@@ -16,6 +25,23 @@ void code_destroy(Code* code)
     free(code);
 }
 
+TYC_RESULT code_load_bytecode(Code* code, uint8_t* bytecode, size_t bytecode_sz)
+{
+    // TODO - linking
+
+    if (bytecode_sz < 24)
+        return T_ERR_BYTECODE_TOO_SMALL;
+
+    uint32_t magic = *(uint32_t*) &bytecode[0];
+    if (magic != MAGIC)
+        return T_ERR_BYTECODE_INVALID_MAGIC;
+
+    code->bytecode = bytecode;
+    code->bytecode_sz = bytecode_sz;
+
+    return T_OK;
+}
+
 size_t code_n_consts(Code const* code)
 {
     return 0;  // TODO
diff --git a/lib/compiler.c b/lib/compiler.c
index cd86aea..a8fe31b 100644
--- a/lib/compiler.c
+++ b/lib/compiler.c
@@ -33,15 +33,11 @@ TYC_RESULT code_assemble(const char* code, uint8_t** bytecode, size_t* bytecode_
         return T_ERR_ASSEMBLER_SYNTAX_ERROR;
     }
 
-    if (!lua_istable(L, -1))
+    if (!lua_isstring(L, -1))
         abort();
     *bytecode_sz = luaL_len(L, -1);
     *bytecode = malloc(*bytecode_sz);
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < *bytecode_sz; ++i) {
-        lua_geti(L, -1, i + 1);
-        (*bytecode)[i] = (uint8_t) lua_tointeger(L, -1);
-        lua_pop(L, 1);
-    }
+    memcpy(*bytecode, lua_tostring(L, -1), *bytecode_sz);
 
     lua_close(L);
     return T_OK;
diff --git a/lib/compiler/compiler.lua b/lib/compiler/compiler.lua
index 34085d7..664c816 100644
--- a/lib/compiler/compiler.lua
+++ b/lib/compiler/compiler.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 --                  --
 ----------------------
 
-local function assemble(source)
+local function parse_assembly(source)
     local proto = {
         constants = {},
         functions = {},
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ local function assemble(source)
 
     local next_label = nil
     for line in source:gmatch("([^\n]+)") do
-        local line = line:gsub("%s*;.*$", "")   -- remove comments
-        line = line:match("^%s*(.-)%s*$")       -- trim
+        local line = line:gsub("%s*;.*$", "") -- remove comments
+        line = line:match("^%s*(.-)%s*$")     -- trim
 
         if #line == 0 then goto continue end
 
@@ -37,23 +37,23 @@ local function assemble(source)
             end
         elseif section == 'function' then
             local regexes = {
-                "^%s*(%a+)%s+(%d+)%s*$",                -- instruction + parameter
-                "^%s*(%a+)%s+(@[%a_][%a%d_]*)%s*$",     -- instruction + label
-                "^%s*(%a+)%s*$",                        -- instruction only
-                "^(@[%a_][%a%d_]*):%s*$",                      -- label
+                "^%s*(%a+)%s+(%d+)%s*$",            -- instruction + parameter
+                "^%s*(%a+)%s+(@[%a_][%a%d_]*)%s*$", -- instruction + label
+                "^%s*(%a+)%s*$",                    -- instruction only
+                "^(@[%a_][%a%d_]*):%s*$",           -- label
             }
             local match = false
-            for i,regex in ipairs(regexes) do
+            for i, regex in ipairs(regexes) do
                 local inst, par = line:match(regex)
                 if inst then
                     match = true
-                    if i == 1 then       -- instruction + parameter
+                    if i == 1 then     -- instruction + parameter
                         table.insert(proto.functions[current_f_id], { inst, tonumber(par), labels = next_label })
-                    elseif i == 2 then   -- instruction + label
+                    elseif i == 2 then -- instruction + label
                         table.insert(proto.functions[current_f_id], { inst, par, labels = next_label })
-                    elseif i == 3 then   -- instruction only
+                    elseif i == 3 then -- instruction only
                         table.insert(proto.functions[current_f_id], { inst, labels = next_label })
-                    elseif i == 4 then   -- label
+                    elseif i == 4 then -- label
                         if not next_label then
                             next_label = { inst }
                         else
@@ -74,6 +74,48 @@ local function assemble(source)
     return proto
 end
 
+----------------------
+--                  --
+--     BINARY       --
+--                  --
+----------------------
+
+local MAGIC = 0xa7d6e9b1
+local VERSION = 1
+
+local function assemble(proto)
+    local bin = {}
+
+    local push16 = function(data)
+        table.insert(bin, data & 0xff)
+        table.insert(bin, (data >> 8) & 0xff)
+        return #bin - 2
+    end
+
+    local push32 = function(data)
+        table.insert(bin, data & 0xff)
+        table.insert(bin, (data >> 8) & 0xff)
+        table.insert(bin, (data >> 16) & 0xff)
+        table.insert(bin, (data >> 24) & 0xff)
+        return #bin - 4
+    end
+
+    -- header
+    push32(MAGIC)
+    push16(VERSION)
+    push16(0)
+
+    -- constants
+    local code_addr_pos = push32(0) -- code address, to be replaced
+    push32(0)                       -- number of constants
+
+    -- code
+    push32(0) -- debug address (TODO)
+    push32(0) -- number of functions
+
+    return string.char(table.unpack(bin))
+end
+
 ----------------------
 --                  --
 --     GENERIC      --
@@ -81,6 +123,5 @@ end
 ----------------------
 
 return function(source)
-    print('test')
-    return { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 }
+    return assemble(parse_assembly(source))
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/priv.h b/lib/priv.h
index ab112d4..adb3d90 100644
--- a/lib/priv.h
+++ b/lib/priv.h
@@ -126,9 +126,11 @@ void     heap_gc(Heap* h, VALUE const* roots, size_t n_roots);
 
 TYC_RESULT code_assemble(const char* code, uint8_t** bytecode, size_t* bytecode_sz);
 
-Code* code_new(uint8_t* bytecode, size_t bytecode_sz);
+Code* code_new();
 void  code_destroy(Code* code);
 
+TYC_RESULT     code_load_bytecode(Code* code, uint8_t* bytecode, size_t bytecode_sz);
+
 size_t         code_n_consts(Code const* code);
 TYC_CONST_TYPE code_const_type(Code const* code, size_t n);
 
diff --git a/lib/tyche.h b/lib/tyche.h
index 1598c86..6ff15d5 100644
--- a/lib/tyche.h
+++ b/lib/tyche.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ typedef enum {
     T_ERR_HEAP_KEY_NOT_FOUND = -10,
     T_ERR_TABLE_KEY_NOT_FOUND = -20,
     T_ERR_ASSEMBLER_SYNTAX_ERROR = -30,
+    T_ERR_BYTECODE_TOO_SMALL = -40, T_ERR_BYTECODE_INVALID_MAGIC = -41,
 } TYC_RESULT;
 
 #define T_REAL float
diff --git a/test/tests.c b/test/tests.c
index f0d6d6a..59f85c5 100644
--- a/test/tests.c
+++ b/test/tests.c
@@ -233,7 +233,9 @@ int main()
         uint8_t* bytecode; size_t bytecode_sz;
         assert(code_assemble(assembly_code, &bytecode, &bytecode_sz) == T_OK);
 
-        Code* code = code_new(bytecode, bytecode_sz);
+        Code* code = code_new();
+
+        assert(code_load_bytecode(code, bytecode, bytecode_sz) == T_OK);
 
         assert(code_n_consts(code) == 2);
         assert(code_const_type(code, 0) == TC_REAL);