diff --git a/c/containers/mlhmmv.c b/c/containers/mlhmmv.c
index aadfea4cc..cc10177b8 100644
--- a/c/containers/mlhmmv.c
+++ b/c/containers/mlhmmv.c
@@ -1535,3 +1535,34 @@ void mlhmmv_root_print_json_single_lines(mlhmmv_root_t* pmap, int quote_keys_alw
 		quote_values_always, ostream);
 	fprintf(ostream, "%s", line_term);
 }
+
+// xxx to do
+//// Temporarily wrap the localvar in a parent map whose single key is the variable name.
+//void mlhmmv_named_level_to_lrecs(
+//	sllmv_t*         pmvkeys,
+//	sllmv_t*         pmvnames,
+//	mv_t*            pname,
+//	xxx              pmvnames,
+//	mlhmmv_xvalue_t* pxval,
+//	sllv_t*          poutrecs,
+//	int              do_full_prefixing,
+//	char*            oosvar_flatten_separator)
+//{
+//	mlhmmv_root_t* pmap = mlhmmv_root_alloc();
+//	mlhmmv_level_put_xvalue_singly_keyed(pmap->root_xvalue.proot_level, &name, pmval);
+//
+//	mlhmmv_root_partial_to_lrecs(pmap, pmvkeys, pmvnames, poutrecs,
+//		pstate->do_full_prefixing, oosvar_flatten_separator);
+//
+//	mlhmmv_level_unreference_single_key(pmap->root_xvalue.proot_level);
+//
+//	mlhmmv_root_free(pmap);
+//}
+//
+//void mlhmmv_level_unreference_single_key(mlhmmv_t* plevel) {
+//	mlhmmv_level_entry_t* pentry = plevel->phead;
+//	mv_free(&pentry->level_key);
+//	plevel->phead = NULL;
+//	plevel->tail = NULL;
+//	plevel->num_occupied = 0;
+//}
diff --git a/c/dsl/mlr_dsl_cst_output_statements.c b/c/dsl/mlr_dsl_cst_output_statements.c
index 8d13765a3..0ee74789a 100644
--- a/c/dsl/mlr_dsl_cst_output_statements.c
+++ b/c/dsl/mlr_dsl_cst_output_statements.c
@@ -869,6 +869,10 @@ static void record_emitter_from_local_variable(
 {
 	int keys_all_non_null_or_error = TRUE;
 	sllmv_t* pmvkeys = evaluate_list(pstate->pemit_keylist_evaluators, pvars, &keys_all_non_null_or_error);
+
+	mv_t name = mv_from_string(pstate->localvar_name, NO_FREE);
+	sllmv_prepend_no_free(pmvkeys, &name);
+
 	if (keys_all_non_null_or_error) {
 		int names_all_non_null_or_error = TRUE;
 		sllmv_t* pmvnames = evaluate_list(pstate->pemit_namelist_evaluators, pvars,
@@ -882,7 +886,6 @@ static void record_emitter_from_local_variable(
 
 				// xxx this is an unpleasant hack. The idea is to temporarily wrap the localvar
 				// in a parent map whose single key is the variable name.
-				mv_t name = mv_from_string(pstate->localvar_name, NO_FREE);
 
 				// xxx libify
 				mlhmmv_level_t* proot_level = mlhmmv_level_alloc();
@@ -893,7 +896,6 @@ static void record_emitter_from_local_variable(
 				map.root_xvalue.is_terminal = FALSE;
 				map.root_xvalue.terminal_mlrval = mv_absent();
 				map.root_xvalue.pnext_level = proot_level;
-				sllmv_prepend_no_free(pmvkeys, &name);
 
 				mlhmmv_root_partial_to_lrecs(&map, pmvkeys, pmvnames, poutrecs,
 					pstate->do_full_prefixing, oosvar_flatten_separator);