diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 47fc7de..dedf160 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -319,12 +319,11 @@ impl Tree {
 
         let name_str = self.nodes.get_ident_str(name).unwrap().to_owned();
         let node = if global {
-            let node = match self.st.root_mut().find_orderless_symbol(&name_str) {
+            let node = match self.st.find_root_symbol(&name_str) {
                 Some(r) => r.node(),
                 None => self
                     .st
-                    .root_mut()
-                    .insert_orderless_symbol(&name_str, self.nodes.reserve_node())
+                    .insert_root_symbol(&name_str, self.nodes.reserve_node())
                     .node(),
             };
             node
@@ -940,7 +939,7 @@ impl Tree {
                 trailing_expr,
             } => {
                 writeln_indented!(indent, writer, "%{} = {{", node.get())?;
-                self.st.into_find_child(node);
+                self.st.into_child(node);
                 for stmt in statements {
                     self.render_node(writer, stmt, indent + 1)?;
                 }
diff --git a/src/symbol_table.rs b/src/symbol_table.rs
index 74fcf42..8335b6b 100644
--- a/src/symbol_table.rs
+++ b/src/symbol_table.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
+use std::{
+    collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap},
+    ptr::NonNull,
+};
 
 use crate::ast::Node as AstNode;
 
@@ -24,63 +27,75 @@ pub enum SymbolKind {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
-pub struct SymbolTable {
-    // this is a `Vec<_>` because order matters. Some symbols such as functions
-    // cannot be shadowed, but I really like shadowing variables and function
-    // parameters, so any `x` may be redefined.
+struct InnerSymbolTable {
     ordered_identifiers: Vec<SymbolRecord>,
     orderless_identifiers: HashMap<String, SymbolRecord>,
-    children: BTreeMap<Option<AstNode>, SymbolTable>,
-    scope: Option<AstNode>,
-    parent: Option<Box<SymbolTable>>,
+    children: BTreeMap<AstNode, NonNull<InnerSymbolTable>>,
+    parent: Option<NonNull<InnerSymbolTable>>,
 }
-
-impl SymbolTable {
-    pub fn new() -> SymbolTable {
+impl InnerSymbolTable {
+    fn new() -> NonNull<InnerSymbolTable> {
+        Self::new_with(Self::new_inner)
+    }
+    fn new_with<G>(gen: G) -> NonNull<InnerSymbolTable>
+    where
+        G: FnOnce() -> Self,
+    {
+        NonNull::new(Box::leak(Box::new(gen())) as *mut _).unwrap()
+    }
+    fn new_inner() -> InnerSymbolTable {
         Self {
+            parent: None,
             ordered_identifiers: Vec::new(),
             orderless_identifiers: HashMap::new(),
             children: BTreeMap::new(),
-            scope: None,
-            parent: None,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn root_ref(&self) -> &SymbolTable {
-        match self.parent.as_ref() {
-            Some(parent) => parent.root_ref(),
-            None => self,
-        }
+    fn make_child(&self) -> NonNull<InnerSymbolTable> {
+        Self::new_with(|| Self {
+            parent: NonNull::new(self.as_ptr()),
+            ordered_identifiers: Vec::new(),
+            orderless_identifiers: HashMap::new(),
+            children: BTreeMap::new(),
+        })
     }
 
-    pub fn root_mut(&mut self) -> &mut SymbolTable {
-        let this = self as *mut Self;
-        unsafe {
-            match (&mut *this).parent.as_mut() {
-                Some(parent) => parent.root_mut(),
-                None => self,
+    fn parent(&self) -> Option<NonNull<InnerSymbolTable>> {
+        self.parent
+    }
+
+    fn parent_ref(&self) -> Option<&InnerSymbolTable> {
+        unsafe { self.parent.map(|p| p.as_ref()) }
+    }
+
+    fn parent_mut(&mut self) -> Option<&mut InnerSymbolTable> {
+        unsafe { self.parent.map(|mut p| p.as_mut()) }
+    }
+
+    fn as_ptr(&self) -> *mut Self {
+        self as *const _ as *mut _
+    }
+
+    fn root(&self) -> NonNull<InnerSymbolTable> {
+        self.parent()
+            .map(|p| unsafe { p.as_ref().root() })
+            .unwrap_or(NonNull::new(self.as_ptr()).unwrap())
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for InnerSymbolTable {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        for child in self.children.values() {
+            unsafe {
+                _ = Box::from_raw(child.as_ptr());
             }
         }
     }
+}
 
-    pub fn parent_ref(&self) -> &SymbolTable {
-        match self.parent.as_ref() {
-            Some(parent) => Box::as_ref(parent),
-            None => self,
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn parent_mut(&mut self) -> &mut SymbolTable {
-        let this = self as *mut Self;
-        unsafe {
-            match (&mut *this).parent.as_mut() {
-                Some(parent) => Box::as_mut(parent),
-                None => self,
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn insert_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode, kind: SymbolKind) -> &SymbolRecord {
+impl InnerSymbolTable {
+    fn insert_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode, kind: SymbolKind) -> &SymbolRecord {
         match kind {
             SymbolKind::Var => {
                 self.ordered_identifiers.push(SymbolRecord {
@@ -89,20 +104,11 @@ impl SymbolTable {
                 });
                 self.ordered_identifiers.last().unwrap()
             }
-            _ => {
-                self.orderless_identifiers.insert(
-                    name.to_owned(),
-                    SymbolRecord {
-                        name: name.to_owned(),
-                        decl: node,
-                    },
-                );
-                self.orderless_identifiers.get(name).unwrap()
-            }
+            _ => self.insert_orderless_symbol(name, node),
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn insert_orderless_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode) -> &SymbolRecord {
+    fn insert_orderless_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode) -> &SymbolRecord {
         self.orderless_identifiers.insert(
             name.to_owned(),
             SymbolRecord {
@@ -113,7 +119,7 @@ impl SymbolTable {
         self.orderless_identifiers.get(name).unwrap()
     }
 
-    pub fn find_symbol_or_insert_with<'a, F>(&'a mut self, name: &str, cb: F) -> &'a SymbolRecord
+    fn find_symbol_or_insert_with<'a, F>(&'a mut self, name: &str, cb: F) -> &'a SymbolRecord
     where
         F: FnOnce() -> (AstNode, SymbolKind),
     {
@@ -126,7 +132,7 @@ impl SymbolTable {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn find_symbol_by_decl(&self, decl: AstNode) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+    fn find_symbol_by_decl(&self, decl: AstNode) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
         self.ordered_identifiers
             .iter()
             .find(|r| r.decl == decl)
@@ -136,53 +142,148 @@ impl SymbolTable {
                     .find(|(_, v)| v.decl == decl)
                     .map(|(_, v)| v)
             })
-            .or_else(|| {
-                self.parent
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .and_then(|p| p.find_symbol_by_decl(decl))
-            })
+            .or_else(|| self.parent_ref().and_then(|p| p.find_symbol_by_decl(decl)))
     }
 
-    pub fn find_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+    fn find_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
         self.ordered_identifiers
             .iter()
             .find(|r| r.name.as_str() == name)
             .or_else(|| self.orderless_identifiers.get(name))
-            .or_else(|| self.parent.as_ref().and_then(|p| p.find_symbol(name)))
+            .or_else(|| self.parent_ref().and_then(|p| p.find_symbol(name)))
     }
 
-    pub fn find_orderless_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+    fn find_orderless_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
         self.orderless_identifiers.get(name).or_else(|| {
-            self.parent
-                .as_ref()
+            self.parent_ref()
                 .and_then(|p| p.find_orderless_symbol(name))
         })
     }
 
-    pub fn into_find_child(&mut self, scope: AstNode) -> Option<()> {
-        if let Some(mut parent) = self.children.remove(&Some(scope)) {
-            core::mem::swap(self, &mut parent);
-            self.parent = Some(Box::new(parent));
-            Some(())
-        } else {
-            None
+    fn extend_orderless<I>(&mut self, iter: I)
+    where
+        I: IntoIterator<Item = (String, SymbolRecord)>,
+    {
+        self.orderless_identifiers.extend(iter)
+    }
+
+    fn extract_orderless_if<F>(
+        &mut self,
+        pred: F,
+    ) -> std::collections::hash_map::ExtractIf<String, SymbolRecord, F>
+    where
+        F: FnMut(&String, &mut SymbolRecord) -> bool,
+    {
+        self.orderless_identifiers.extract_if(pred)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct SymbolTableWrapper {
+    current: NonNull<InnerSymbolTable>,
+}
+
+impl Drop for SymbolTableWrapper {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        unsafe {
+            _ = Box::from_raw(self.current.as_ref().root().as_ptr());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl SymbolTableWrapper {
+    pub fn new() -> SymbolTableWrapper {
+        Self {
+            current: InnerSymbolTable::new(),
         }
     }
 
+    fn current(&self) -> &InnerSymbolTable {
+        unsafe { self.current.as_ref() }
+    }
+
+    fn current_mut(&mut self) -> &mut InnerSymbolTable {
+        unsafe { self.current.as_mut() }
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn root_ref(&self) -> &InnerSymbolTable {
+        unsafe { self.current().root().as_ref() }
+    }
+
+    fn root_mut(&mut self) -> &mut InnerSymbolTable {
+        unsafe { self.current_mut().root().as_mut() }
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn parent_ref(&self) -> Option<&InnerSymbolTable> {
+        self.current().parent_ref()
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn parent_mut(&mut self) -> Option<&mut InnerSymbolTable> {
+        self.current_mut().parent_mut()
+    }
+
     pub fn into_child(&mut self, scope: AstNode) {
-        let mut parent = Self {
-            scope: Some(scope),
-            ..Default::default()
+        let child = if let Some(child) = self.current().children.get(&scope) {
+            *child
+        } else {
+            let child = self.current().make_child();
+            self.current_mut().children.insert(scope, child);
+            child
         };
-        core::mem::swap(self, &mut parent);
-        self.parent = Some(Box::new(parent));
+        self.current = child;
+    }
+
+    pub fn into_parent(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(parent) = self.current().parent() {
+            self.current = parent;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl SymbolTableWrapper {
+    pub fn insert_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode, kind: SymbolKind) -> &SymbolRecord {
+        self.current_mut().insert_symbol(name, node, kind)
+    }
+
+    pub fn find_root_symbol(&mut self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+        self.root_mut().find_orderless_symbol(name)
+    }
+
+    pub fn insert_root_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode) -> &SymbolRecord {
+        self.root_mut().insert_orderless_symbol(name, node)
+    }
+
+    pub fn insert_orderless_symbol(&mut self, name: &str, node: AstNode) -> &SymbolRecord {
+        self.current_mut().insert_orderless_symbol(name, node)
+    }
+
+    pub fn find_symbol_or_insert_with<'a, F>(&'a mut self, name: &str, cb: F) -> &'a SymbolRecord
+    where
+        F: FnOnce() -> (AstNode, SymbolKind),
+    {
+        self.current_mut().find_symbol_or_insert_with(name, cb)
+    }
+
+    pub fn find_symbol_by_decl(&self, decl: AstNode) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+        self.current().find_symbol_by_decl(decl)
+    }
+
+    pub fn find_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+        self.current().find_symbol(name)
+    }
+
+    pub fn find_orderless_symbol(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&SymbolRecord> {
+        self.current().find_orderless_symbol(name)
     }
 
     pub fn extend_orderless<I>(&mut self, iter: I)
     where
         I: IntoIterator<Item = (String, SymbolRecord)>,
     {
-        self.orderless_identifiers.extend(iter)
+        self.current_mut().extend_orderless(iter)
     }
 
     pub fn extract_orderless_if<F>(
@@ -192,15 +293,8 @@ impl SymbolTable {
     where
         F: FnMut(&String, &mut SymbolRecord) -> bool,
     {
-        self.orderless_identifiers.extract_if(pred)
-    }
-
-    /// returns `self` if `self.parent` was `Some(_)`.
-    pub fn into_parent(&mut self) {
-        if let Some(child) = self.parent.take() {
-            let mut child = Box::into_inner(child);
-            core::mem::swap(self, &mut child);
-            self.children.insert(child.scope, child);
-        }
+        self.current_mut().extract_orderless_if(pred)
     }
 }
+
+pub type SymbolTable = SymbolTableWrapper;