diff --git a/src/Visp.Compiler/Syntax/LexHelpers.fs b/src/Visp.Compiler/Syntax/LexHelpers.fs
index 560fa4d..7bd1f0d 100644
--- a/src/Visp.Compiler/Syntax/LexHelpers.fs
+++ b/src/Visp.Compiler/Syntax/LexHelpers.fs
@@ -241,6 +241,10 @@ let specialSymbol (s: string) =
     | it when it.Length > 1 && it[0] = '+' && isLetter it[1] -> Some(PROP_PLUS s)
     | it when it.Length > 1 && it[0] = '.' && isLetter it[1] -> Some(DOT_METHOD s)
     | it when it.Length > 1 && it[0] = '-' && isLetter it[1] -> Some(APPLY_METHOD s)
+    | "+" -> Some(OP_PLUS)
+    | "-" -> Some(OP_MINUS)
+    | "/" -> Some(OP_DIV)
+    | "*" -> Some(OP_MULT)
     | _ -> None
 
 let symbolOrKeyword (s: string) =
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/ParsingTests.generated.fs b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/ParsingTests.generated.fs
index bc75800..bbb93a6 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/ParsingTests.generated.fs
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/ParsingTests.generated.fs
@@ -195,6 +195,11 @@ module ``tests_macros_struct-example-1`` =
     [<Fact>]
     let ``can parse`` () = TestUtils.runTest "tests/macros/struct-example-1.visp"
 
+[<VerifyXunit.UsesVerify>]
+module ``tests_macros_count-exprs-0`` =
+    [<Fact>]
+    let ``can parse`` () = TestUtils.runTest "tests/macros/count-exprs-0.visp"
+
 [<VerifyXunit.UsesVerify>]
 module ``tests_macros_syntax-macro-2`` =
     [<Fact>]
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can parse.verified.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79673d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// This file is auto-generated
+
+#nowarn "0020"  // unused results from functions
+
+open Visp.Runtime.Library
+
+let state = { Todo = () }
+// line 8 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+let macro_CountExprsExampleTest1 = "__MACRO_INIT__"
+// line 15 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+let exprCount =
+  // line 15 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+  (1) +
+  ((1) +
+  ((1) +
+  ((1) +
+  ((1) +
+  ((1) +
+  (1))))))
+// line 17 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+let visp_result_todo =
+  // line 17 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+  printfn ("exprs: %A") (exprCount)
+// line 17 @"count-exprs-0.visp"
+printfn ("%A") (visp_result_todo)
+
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-example-1.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-example-1.can parse.verified.txt
index 407b808..3b91dde 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-example-1.can parse.verified.txt	
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-example-1.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ type Range (start: int64, len: int64) =
   // line 8 @"struct-example-1.visp"
   member _.End =
         // line 8 @"struct-example-1.visp"
-    CoreMethods.``add``(start, len)
+    (start) +
+    (len)
   // line 8 @"struct-example-1.visp"
   member d.Offset v =
     // line 8 @"struct-example-1.visp"
-    CoreMethods.``sub``(v, (d.Start))
+    v - (d.Start)
 
   // line 8 @"struct-example-1.visp"
   member d.Contains v =
@@ -78,13 +79,14 @@ type SourceDestMap (dest: int64, src: int64, len: int64) =
       ((d.Src).Contains src))
       then
         // line 29 @"struct-example-1.visp"
-        CoreMethods.``add``(d
+        (d
           |> (fun a1 ->
             // line 29 @"struct-example-1.visp"
             (a1.Dest))
           |> (fun a1 ->
             // line 29 @"struct-example-1.visp"
-            (a1.Start)), ((d.Src).Offset src))
+            (a1.Start))) +
+        (((d.Src).Offset src))
       else
         // line 29 @"struct-example-1.visp"
         if CoreMethods.isTruthy(
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt
index 5a0de22..0c1851e 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt	
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ type Example (x: int, y: int) =
   // line 16 @"struct-macro-0.visp"
   member d.Sum () =
     // line 16 @"struct-macro-0.visp"
-    CoreMethods.``add``((d.X), (d.Y))
+    ((d.X)) +
+    ((d.Y))
 
 // line 22 @"struct-macro-0.visp"
 let instance =
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt
index 51fe013..a4f9701 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt	
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_struct-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ type Example (x: int, y: int) =
   // line 22 @"struct-macro-2.visp"
   member d.Sum () =
     // line 22 @"struct-macro-2.visp"
-    CoreMethods.``add``((d.X), (d.Y))
+    ((d.X)) +
+    ((d.Y))
 
 // line 22 @"struct-macro-2.visp"
 let mkExample x y =
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt
index 018e60e..0e9a137 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt	
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-0.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ let name arg =
   match arg with
     | (a, b) ->
       // line 21 @"syntax-macro-0.visp"
-      CoreMethods.``add``(a, b)
+      (a) +
+      (b)
     | _ ->
       0
 
diff --git a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt
index 15aa384..6c2cd9a 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt	
+++ b/tests/Visp.Compiler.UnitTests/snapshots/tests_macros_syntax-macro-2.can parse.verified.txt	
@@ -17,14 +17,16 @@ let lambda =
     match arg with
       | (a , b) ->
         // line 28 @"syntax-macro-2.visp"
-        CoreMethods.``add``(a, b))
+        (a) +
+        (b))
 // line 29 @"syntax-macro-2.visp"
 let named arg =
   // line 29 @"syntax-macro-2.visp"
   match arg with
     | (a , b) ->
       // line 29 @"syntax-macro-2.visp"
-      CoreMethods.``add``(a, b)
+      (a) +
+      (b)
 
 // line 32 @"syntax-macro-2.visp"
 printfn ("lambda: %i") (lambda (1, 2))
diff --git a/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/ExecutionTests.generated.fs b/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/ExecutionTests.generated.fs
index db0ace0..b1e4045 100644
--- a/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/ExecutionTests.generated.fs
+++ b/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/ExecutionTests.generated.fs
@@ -195,6 +195,11 @@ module ``tests_macros_struct-example-1`` =
     [<Fact>]
     let ``can execute`` () = TestUtils.runTest "tests/macros/struct-example-1.visp"
 
+[<VerifyXunit.UsesVerify>]
+module ``tests_macros_count-exprs-0`` =
+    [<Fact>]
+    let ``can execute`` () = TestUtils.runTest "tests/macros/count-exprs-0.visp"
+
 [<VerifyXunit.UsesVerify>]
 module ``tests_macros_syntax-macro-2`` =
     [<Fact>]
diff --git a/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can execute.verified.txt b/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can execute.verified.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..154b77e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Visp.ExecutionTests/snapshots/tests_macros_count-exprs-0.can execute.verified.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+exprs: 7
+()
+
+ExitCode: 0
diff --git a/visp/tests/macros/count-exprs-0.visp b/visp/tests/macros/count-exprs-0.visp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7073643
--- /dev/null
+++ b/visp/tests/macros/count-exprs-0.visp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+;; Copyright 2023 Ville Penttinen
+;; Distributed under the MIT License.
+;; https://github.com/vipentti/visp-fs/blob/main/LICENSE.md
+;;
+;; for basic syntax highlighting
+;; vim: set syntax=clojure:
+
+(syntax-macro CountExprsExampleTest1
+  [(_) 0]
+  [(_ _) 1]
+  [(_ head tail ...)
+    (+ 1 (CountExprsExampleTest1 tail ...))]
+)
+
+(let exprCount (CountExprsExampleTest1 [] [] [] [] [] [] []))
+
+(printfn "exprs: %A" exprCount)