diff --git a/source/toy_scope.c.txt b/source/toy_scope.c
similarity index 62%
rename from source/toy_scope.c.txt
rename to source/toy_scope.c
index dc105a7..d8bd7ca 100644
--- a/source/toy_scope.c.txt
+++ b/source/toy_scope.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ static void decrementRefCount(Toy_Scope* scope) {
 	}
 }
 
-static Toy_Value* lookupScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_Value key, unsigned int hash, bool recursive) {
+static Toy_Value* lookupScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, unsigned int hash, bool recursive) {
 	//terminate
 	if (scope == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ static Toy_Value* lookupScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_Value key, unsigned int hash
 
 	while (true) {
 		//found the entry
-		if (TOY_VALUES_ARE_EQUAL(scope->table->data[probe].key, key)) {
+		if (Toy_compareStrings(TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(scope->table->data[probe].key), key)) {
 			return &(scope->table->data[probe].value);
 		}
 
-		//if its an empty slot
+		//if its an empty slot (didn't find it here)
 		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(scope->table->data[probe].key)) {
 			return recursive ? lookupScope(scope->next, key, hash, recursive) : NULL;
 		}
@@ -69,8 +69,15 @@ Toy_Scope* Toy_popScope(Toy_Scope* scope) {
 	return scope->next;
 }
 
-Toy_Scope* deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope) {
-	Toy_Scope* newScope = Toy_pushScope(bucketHandle, scope->next);
+Toy_Scope* Toy_deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope) {
+	//copy/pasted from pushScope, so I can allocate the table manually
+	Toy_Scope* newScope = Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Scope));
+
+	newScope->next = scope->next;
+	newScope->table = Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity(NULL, scope->table->capacity);
+	newScope->refCount = 0;
+
+	incrementRefCount(newScope);
 
 	//forcibly copy the contents
 	for (int i = 0; i < scope->table->capacity; i++) {
@@ -82,36 +89,36 @@ Toy_Scope* deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope) {
 	return newScope;
 }
 
-void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key, Toy_Value value) {
-	if (key.type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
+void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value) {
+	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashValue(key), false);
+	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashString(key), false);
 
 	if (valuePtr != NULL) {
 
-		char buffer[key.length + 256];
-		snprintf(buffer, "Can't redefine a variable: %s", key.as.name.data);
+		char buffer[key->length + 256];
+		sprintf(buffer, "Can't redefine a variable: %s", key->as.name.data);
 		Toy_error(buffer);
 		return;
 	}
 
-	Toy_insertTable(&scope->table, key, value);
+	Toy_insertTable(&scope->table, TOY_VALUE_FROM_STRING(Toy_copyString(bucketHandle, key)), value);
 }
 
-void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key, Toy_Value value) {
-	if (key.type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
+void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value) {
+	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashValue(key), true);
+	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashString(key), true);
 
 	if (valuePtr == NULL) {
-		char buffer[key.length + 256];
-		snprintf(buffer, "Undefined variable: %s", key.as.name.data);
+		char buffer[key->length + 256];
+		sprintf(buffer, "Undefined variable: %s", key->as.name.data);
 		Toy_error(buffer);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -119,31 +126,31 @@ void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key
 	*valuePtr = value;
 }
 
-Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key) {
-	if (key.type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
+Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {
+	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashValue(key), true);
+	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashString(key), true);
 
 	if (valuePtr == NULL) {
-		char buffer[key.length + 256];
-		snprintf(buffer, "Undefined variable: %s", key.as.name.data);
+		char buffer[key->length + 256];
+		sprintf(buffer, "Undefined variable: %s", key->as.name.data);
 		Toy_error(buffer);
-		return;
+		return TOY_VALUE_FROM_NULL();
 	}
 
 	return *valuePtr;
 }
 
-bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key) {
-	if (key.type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
+bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {
+	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashValue(key), true);
+	Toy_Value* valuePtr = lookupScope(scope, key, Toy_hashString(key), true);
 
 	return valuePtr != NULL;
 }
diff --git a/source/toy_scope.h.txt b/source/toy_scope.h
similarity index 70%
rename from source/toy_scope.h.txt
rename to source/toy_scope.h
index 31f251b..b7395d9 100644
--- a/source/toy_scope.h.txt
+++ b/source/toy_scope.h
@@ -14,15 +14,15 @@ typedef struct Toy_Scope {
 	unsigned int refCount;
 } Toy_Scope;
 
-//handle deep scopes
+//handle deep scopes - the scope is stored in the bucket, not the table
 TOY_API Toy_Scope* Toy_pushScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope);
 TOY_API Toy_Scope* Toy_popScope(Toy_Scope* scope);
 
-TOY_API Toy_Scope* deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope);
+TOY_API Toy_Scope* Toy_deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope);
 
 //manage the contents
-TOY_API void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key, Toy_Value value);
-TOY_API void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key, Toy_Value value);
-TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key);
+TOY_API void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value);
+TOY_API void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value);
+TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key);
 
-TOY_API bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String key);
+TOY_API bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key);
diff --git a/source/toy_table.c b/source/toy_table.c
index 710b6b4..d3c14fb 100644
--- a/source/toy_table.c
+++ b/source/toy_table.c
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ static void probeAndInsert(Toy_Table** tableHandle, Toy_Value key, Toy_Value val
 	}
 }
 
-static Toy_Table* adjustTableCapacity(Toy_Table* oldTable, unsigned int newCapacity) {
+//exposed functions
+Toy_Table* Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity(Toy_Table* oldTable, unsigned int newCapacity) {
 	//allocate and zero a new table in memory
 	Toy_Table* newTable = malloc(newCapacity * sizeof(Toy_TableEntry) + sizeof(Toy_Table));
 
@@ -86,9 +87,8 @@ static Toy_Table* adjustTableCapacity(Toy_Table* oldTable, unsigned int newCapac
 	return newTable;
 }
 
-//exposed functions
 Toy_Table* Toy_allocateTable() {
-	return adjustTableCapacity(NULL, MIN_CAPACITY);
+	return Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity(NULL, MIN_CAPACITY);
 }
 
 void Toy_freeTable(Toy_Table* table) {
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void Toy_insertTable(Toy_Table** tableHandle, Toy_Value key, Toy_Value value) {
 
 	//expand the capacity
 	if ((*tableHandle)->count > (*tableHandle)->capacity * 0.8) {
-		(*tableHandle) = adjustTableCapacity((*tableHandle), (*tableHandle)->capacity * 2);
+		(*tableHandle) = Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity((*tableHandle), (*tableHandle)->capacity * 2);
 	}
 
 	probeAndInsert(tableHandle, key, value);
diff --git a/source/toy_table.h b/source/toy_table.h
index 640e5c0..1459ea4 100644
--- a/source/toy_table.h
+++ b/source/toy_table.h
@@ -26,3 +26,5 @@ TOY_API void Toy_insertTable(Toy_Table** tableHandle, Toy_Value key, Toy_Value v
 TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_lookupTable(Toy_Table** tableHandle, Toy_Value key);
 TOY_API void Toy_removeTable(Toy_Table** tableHandle, Toy_Value key);
 
+//NOTE: exposed to skip unnecessary allocations within Toy_Scope
+TOY_API Toy_Table* Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity(Toy_Table* oldTable, unsigned int newCapacity);
diff --git a/tests/cases/test_scope.c b/tests/cases/test_scope.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b1d11c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/test_scope.c
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+#include "toy_scope.h"
+#include "toy_console_colors.h"
+
+#include "toy_bucket.h"
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+
+
+int test_scope_allocation() {
+	//allocate and free a scope
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		Toy_Scope* scope = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, NULL);
+
+		//check
+		if (scope == NULL ||
+			scope->next != NULL ||
+			scope->table == NULL ||
+			scope->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to allocate a Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			Toy_popScope(scope);
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		Toy_popScope(scope);
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	//allocate and free a list of scopes
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		//run
+		Toy_Scope* scope = NULL;
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+			scope = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scope);
+		}
+
+		//check
+		if (
+			scope == NULL ||
+			scope->next == NULL ||
+			scope->table == NULL ||
+			scope->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scope->next->next == NULL ||
+			scope->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->refCount != 2 ||
+
+			scope->next->next->next == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->next->refCount != 3 ||
+
+			scope->next->next->next->next == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->next->next->refCount != 4 ||
+
+			scope->next->next->next->next->next != NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->next->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->next->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->next->next->next->refCount != 5 || //refCount includes all ancestors
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to allocate a list of Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			while (scope) {
+				scope = Toy_popScope(scope);
+			}
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		while (scope) {
+			scope = Toy_popScope(scope);
+		}
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	//ensure pops work correctly
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		//run
+		Toy_Scope* scope = NULL;
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+			scope = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scope);
+		}
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+			scope = Toy_popScope(scope);
+		}
+
+		//check
+		if (
+			scope == NULL ||
+			scope->next == NULL ||
+			scope->table == NULL ||
+			scope->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scope->next->next == NULL ||
+			scope->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->refCount != 2 ||
+
+			scope->next->next->next != NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->table == NULL ||
+			scope->next->next->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scope->next->next->refCount != 3 ||
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to allocate and free a list of Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			while (scope) {
+				scope = Toy_popScope(scope);
+			}
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		while (scope) {
+			scope = Toy_popScope(scope);
+		}
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	//branched scope references
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		//run
+		Toy_Scope* scopeBase = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, NULL);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeA = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scopeBase);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeB = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scopeBase);
+
+		//check
+		if (
+			scopeBase == NULL ||
+			scopeBase->next != NULL ||
+			scopeBase->table == NULL ||
+			scopeBase->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeBase->refCount != 3 ||
+
+			scopeA == NULL ||
+			scopeA->next != scopeBase ||
+			scopeA->table == NULL ||
+			scopeA->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeA->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scopeB == NULL ||
+			scopeB->next != scopeBase ||
+			scopeB->table == NULL ||
+			scopeB->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeB->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scopeA->next != scopeB->next || //double check
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to allocate branched scopes\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeB);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeBase);
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		Toy_popScope(scopeB);
+		Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+		Toy_popScope(scopeBase);
+
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	//deallocate ancestors correctly
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		//run
+		Toy_Scope* scopeA = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, NULL);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeB = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scopeA);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeC = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scopeB);
+
+		Toy_popScope(scopeB);
+
+		//check
+		if (
+			scopeA == NULL ||
+			scopeA->next != NULL ||
+			scopeA->table == NULL ||
+			scopeA->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeA->refCount != 2 ||
+
+			//scopeB still exists in memory until scopeC is popped
+			scopeB == NULL ||
+			scopeB->next != scopeA ||
+			scopeB->table == NULL ||
+			scopeB->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeB->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scopeC == NULL ||
+			scopeC->next != scopeB ||
+			scopeC->table == NULL ||
+			scopeC->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeC->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to deallocate ancestors scopes correctly\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeC);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		Toy_popScope(scopeC);
+		Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	//deep copy
+	{
+		//setup
+		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
+
+		//run
+		Toy_Scope* scopeA = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, NULL);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeB = Toy_pushScope(&bucket, scopeA);
+		Toy_Scope* scopeCopy = Toy_deepCopyScope(&bucket, scopeB);
+
+		//check
+		if (
+			scopeA == NULL ||
+			scopeA->next != NULL ||
+			scopeA->table == NULL ||
+			scopeA->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeA->refCount != 3 ||
+
+			scopeB == NULL ||
+			scopeB->next != scopeA ||
+			scopeB->table == NULL ||
+			scopeB->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeB->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scopeB == NULL ||
+			scopeB->next != scopeA ||
+			scopeB->table == NULL ||
+			scopeB->table->capacity != 16 ||
+			scopeB->refCount != 1 ||
+
+			scopeB == scopeCopy ||
+
+			false)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to deep copy a scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeCopy);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeB);
+			Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+			Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		//cleanup
+		Toy_popScope(scopeCopy);
+		Toy_popScope(scopeB);
+		Toy_popScope(scopeA);
+
+		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int test_scope_elements() {
+	//TODO: Ensure the scope's primary function of handling key-value pairs works correctly.
+	printf(TOY_CC_WARN "'test_scope_elements()' not yet implemented\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int main() {
+	//run each test set, returning the total errors given
+	int total = 0, res = 0;
+
+	{
+		res = test_scope_allocation();
+		if (res == 0) {
+			printf(TOY_CC_NOTICE "All good\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+		}
+		total += res;
+	}
+
+	{
+		res = test_scope_elements();
+		if (res == 0) {
+			// printf(TOY_CC_NOTICE "All good\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+		}
+		total += res;
+	}
+
+	return total;
+}
diff --git a/tests/makefile b/tests/makefile
index 132b0e8..d7e4262 100644
--- a/tests/makefile
+++ b/tests/makefile
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ TEST_OBJDIR=obj
 
 #file names
 TEST_SOURCEFILES=$(wildcard $(TEST_SOURCEDIR)/*.c)
-TEST_CASESFILES=$(wildcard $(TEST_CASESDIR)/*.c)
+TEST_CASESFILES=$(wildcard $(TEST_CASESDIR)/test_*.c)
 
 #build the object files, compile the test cases, and run
 all: clean build-source build-cases build-link build-run