diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
index 6d8ca5f3..d5c8f897 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
@@ -347,6 +347,33 @@ impl Compiler {
                 ));
                 Ok(r)
             }
+            Expression::ObjectExpression(obj) => {
+                let obj_reg = ctx.alloc_reg();
+                ctx.emit(opcode::encode(OpCode::NEW_OBJECT, obj_reg, 0, 0));
+                for prop in &obj.properties {
+                    let oxide_parser::ObjectPropertyKind::ObjectProperty(p) = prop else {
+                        return Err("spread properties not yet supported".into());
+                    };
+                    let prop_name = match &p.key {
+                        oxide_parser::PropertyKey::StaticIdentifier(ident) => {
+                            ident.name.as_str().to_string()
+                        }
+                        oxide_parser::PropertyKey::StringLiteral(s) => s.value.to_string(),
+                        _ => return Err("unsupported object property key type".into()),
+                    };
+                    let idx = ctx.add_constant(Constant::String(prop_name.to_string()));
+                    let key_reg = ctx.alloc_reg();
+                    ctx.emit(opcode::encode(
+                        OpCode::LOAD_CONST,
+                        key_reg,
+                        (idx & 0xFF) as u8,
+                        ((idx >> 8) & 0xFF) as u8,
+                    ));
+                    let val_reg = self.emit_expression(&p.value, ctx)?;
+                    ctx.emit(opcode::encode(OpCode::SET_PROP, obj_reg, val_reg, key_reg));
+                }
+                Ok(obj_reg)
+            }
             _ => Err(format!(
                 "unsupported expression type: {:?}",
                 std::mem::discriminant(expr)
diff --git a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
index fb505c4a..a2fba9c7 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
@@ -313,8 +313,7 @@ impl Vm {
                         return Err("GET_PROP on non-object".into());
                     }
                     let obj = unsafe { &*obj_ptr };
-                    let prop_val = self.constants[opcode::imm16(instr) as usize];
-                    let prop_name_si = prop_val.as_string_index();
+                    let prop_name_si = self.regs[b].as_string_index();
                     if let Some(offset) = shape::lookup_offset(obj.shape_id(), prop_name_si) {
                         self.regs[a] = obj.get_prop(offset);
                     } else {
@@ -322,6 +321,25 @@ impl Vm {
                     }
                 }
 
+                OpCode::SET_PROP => {
+                    let obj_ptr = self.regs[rd].as_object_ptr() as *mut JsObject;
+                    if obj_ptr.is_null() {
+                        return Err("SET_PROP on non-object".into());
+                    }
+                    let obj = unsafe { &mut *obj_ptr };
+                    let prop_name_si = self.regs[b].as_string_index();
+                    if let Some(offset) = shape::lookup_offset(obj.shape_id(), prop_name_si) {
+                        obj.set_prop(offset, self.regs[a]);
+                    } else {
+                        let new_offset = obj.prop_count();
+                        let new_shape_id = shape::make_shape(obj.shape_id(), prop_name_si);
+                        obj.set_shape_id(new_shape_id);
+                        obj.set_prop_count(new_offset + 1);
+                        obj.set_prop(new_offset, self.regs[a]);
+                        obj.bump_generation();
+                    }
+                }
+
                 OpCode::GET_PROP_DYNAMIC => {
                     let obj_ptr = self.regs[rd].as_object_ptr() as *mut JsObject;
                     if obj_ptr.is_null() {
@@ -340,26 +358,6 @@ impl Vm {
                     }
                 }
 
-                OpCode::SET_PROP => {
-                    let obj_ptr = self.regs[rd].as_object_ptr() as *mut JsObject;
-                    if obj_ptr.is_null() {
-                        return Err("SET_PROP on non-object".into());
-                    }
-                    let obj = unsafe { &mut *obj_ptr };
-                    let prop_val = self.constants[opcode::imm16(instr) as usize];
-                    let prop_name_si = prop_val.as_string_index();
-                    if let Some(offset) = shape::lookup_offset(obj.shape_id(), prop_name_si) {
-                        obj.set_prop(offset, self.regs[a]);
-                    } else {
-                        let new_offset = obj.prop_count();
-                        let new_shape_id = shape::make_shape(obj.shape_id(), prop_name_si);
-                        obj.set_shape_id(new_shape_id);
-                        obj.set_prop_count(new_offset + 1);
-                        obj.set_prop(new_offset, self.regs[a]);
-                        obj.bump_generation();
-                    }
-                }
-
                 OpCode::SET_PROP_DYNAMIC => {
                     let obj_ptr = self.regs[rd].as_object_ptr() as *mut JsObject;
                     if obj_ptr.is_null() {