diff --git a/repl/main.c b/repl/main.c
index 66d6719..9f88889 100644
--- a/repl/main.c
+++ b/repl/main.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ int repl(const char* filepath) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		void* buffer = Toy_compileModule(ast);
+		unsigned char* buffer = Toy_compileModule(ast);
 		Toy_Module module = Toy_parseModule(buffer);
 		Toy_bindVM(&vm, &module, runCount++ > 0);
 
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
 
 		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
 		Toy_Ast* ast = Toy_scanParser(&bucket, &parser);
-		void* buffer = Toy_compileModule(ast);
+		unsigned char* buffer = Toy_compileModule(ast);
 		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
 		free(source);
 
diff --git a/source/toy_bucket.c b/source/toy_bucket.c
index 630b8fe..9e03b51 100644
--- a/source/toy_bucket.c
+++ b/source/toy_bucket.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Toy_Bucket* Toy_allocateBucket(unsigned int capacity) {
 	return bucket;
 }
 
-void* Toy_partitionBucket(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, unsigned int amount) {
+unsigned char* Toy_partitionBucket(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, unsigned int amount) {
 
 	//BUGFIX: the endpoint must be aligned to the word size, otherwise you'll get a bus error from moving pointers
 	amount = (amount + 3) & ~3;
diff --git a/source/toy_bucket.h b/source/toy_bucket.h
index 1da9700..4b9be4d 100644
--- a/source/toy_bucket.h
+++ b/source/toy_bucket.h
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ typedef struct Toy_Bucket {  //32 | 64 BITNESS
 	struct Toy_Bucket* next; //4  | 8
 	unsigned int capacity;   //4  | 4
 	unsigned int count;      //4  | 4
-	char data[];             //-  | -
+	unsigned char data[];    //-  | -
 } Toy_Bucket;                //12 | 16
 
 TOY_API Toy_Bucket* Toy_allocateBucket(unsigned int capacity);
-TOY_API void* Toy_partitionBucket(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, unsigned int amount);
+TOY_API unsigned char* Toy_partitionBucket(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, unsigned int amount);
 TOY_API void Toy_freeBucket(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle);
 
 //standard capacity sizes
diff --git a/source/toy_module_bundle.c b/source/toy_module_bundle.c
index 9486839..3ecf36f 100644
--- a/source/toy_module_bundle.c
+++ b/source/toy_module_bundle.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void Toy_appendModuleBundle(Toy_ModuleBundle* bundle, Toy_Ast* ast) {
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	void* module = Toy_compileModule(ast);
+	unsigned char* module = Toy_compileModule(ast);
 
 	//don't try writing an empty module
 	if (module == NULL) {
diff --git a/source/toy_module_compiler.c b/source/toy_module_compiler.c
index f2522f0..e4be5ae 100644
--- a/source/toy_module_compiler.c
+++ b/source/toy_module_compiler.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ static bool checkForChaining(Toy_Ast* ptr) {
 }
 
 //escapes
-void* Toy_private_resizeEscapeArray(Toy_private_EscapeArray* ptr, unsigned int capacity) {
+Toy_private_EscapeArray* Toy_private_resizeEscapeArray(Toy_private_EscapeArray* ptr, unsigned int capacity) {
 	//if you're freeing everything, just return
 	if (capacity == 0) {
 		free(ptr);
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ static unsigned int writeModuleCompilerCode(Toy_ModuleCompiler** mb, Toy_Ast* as
 	return result;
 }
 
-static void* writeModuleCompiler(Toy_ModuleCompiler* mb, Toy_Ast* ast) {
+static unsigned char* writeModuleCompiler(Toy_ModuleCompiler* mb, Toy_Ast* ast) {
 	//code
 	writeModuleCompilerCode(&mb, ast);
 
@@ -1122,7 +1122,7 @@ static void* writeModuleCompiler(Toy_ModuleCompiler* mb, Toy_Ast* ast) {
 }
 
 //exposed functions
-void* Toy_compileModule(Toy_Ast* ast) {
+unsigned char* Toy_compileModule(Toy_Ast* ast) {
 	//setup
 	Toy_ModuleCompiler compiler;
 
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ void* Toy_compileModule(Toy_Ast* ast) {
 	compiler.panic = false;
 
 	//compile the ast to memory
-	void * buffer = writeModuleCompiler(&compiler, ast);
+	unsigned char* buffer = writeModuleCompiler(&compiler, ast);
 
 	//cleanup
 	Toy_private_resizeEscapeArray(compiler.breakEscapes, 0);
diff --git a/source/toy_module_compiler.h b/source/toy_module_compiler.h
index 66443f5..7b85289 100644
--- a/source/toy_module_compiler.h
+++ b/source/toy_module_compiler.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ typedef struct Toy_private_EscapeArray {
 #define TOY_ESCAPE_EXPANSION_RATE 4
 #endif
 
-TOY_API void* Toy_private_resizeEscapeArray(Toy_private_EscapeArray* ptr, unsigned int capacity);
+TOY_API Toy_private_EscapeArray* Toy_private_resizeEscapeArray(Toy_private_EscapeArray* ptr, unsigned int capacity);
 
 //structure for holding the module as it is built
 typedef struct Toy_ModuleCompiler {
@@ -59,4 +59,4 @@ typedef struct Toy_ModuleCompiler {
 	bool panic;
 } Toy_ModuleCompiler;
 
-TOY_API void* Toy_compileModule(Toy_Ast* ast);
+TOY_API unsigned char* Toy_compileModule(Toy_Ast* ast);
diff --git a/source/toy_scope.c b/source/toy_scope.c
index 7177375..77aa8f8 100644
--- a/source/toy_scope.c
+++ b/source/toy_scope.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static Toy_TableEntry* lookupScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, unsigned i
 
 //exposed functions
 Toy_Scope* Toy_pushScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope) {
-	Toy_Scope* newScope = Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Scope));
+	Toy_Scope* newScope = (Toy_Scope*)Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Scope));
 
 	newScope->next = scope;
 	newScope->table = Toy_allocateTable();
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Toy_Scope* Toy_popScope(Toy_Scope* scope) {
 
 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));
+	Toy_Scope* newScope = (Toy_Scope*)Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Scope));
 
 	newScope->next = scope->next;
 	newScope->table = Toy_private_adjustTableCapacity(NULL, scope->table->capacity);
diff --git a/tests/cases/test_module_compiler.c b/tests/cases/test_module_compiler.c
index c84a11f..6fe0117 100644
--- a/tests/cases/test_module_compiler.c
+++ b/tests/cases/test_module_compiler.c
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ int test_compiler_expressions(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			return -1;
 		}
 
-		void* data = jumps + 4;
+		unsigned char* data = jumps + 4;
 
 		//check data
 		if (
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ int test_compiler_keywords(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			return -1;
 		}
 
-		void* data = jumps + 4;
+		unsigned char* data = jumps + 4;
 
 		//check data
 		if (
@@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ int test_compiler_keywords(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			return -1;
 		}
 
-		void* data = jumps + 4;
+		unsigned char* data = jumps + 4;
 
 		//check data
 		if (