diff --git a/engine/clause.go b/engine/clause.go
index 34bd07d..afa1d46 100644
--- a/engine/clause.go
+++ b/engine/clause.go
@@ -64,19 +64,19 @@ type clause struct {
 }
 
 func compileClause(head Term, body Term, env *Env) (clause, error) {
-	var c clause
-	var goals []Term
-
-	head, goals = desugar(head, goals)
-	body, goals = desugar(body, goals)
+	head, preds := desugarHead(head, env)
+	body = desugarBody(body, env)
 
-	if body != nil {
-		goals = append(goals, body)
-	}
-	if len(goals) > 0 {
-		body = seq(atomComma, goals...)
+	if len(preds) > 0 {
+		predSeq := seq(atomComma, preds...)
+		if body == nil {
+			body = predSeq
+		} else {
+			body = atomComma.Apply(body, predSeq)
+		}
 	}
 
+	var c clause
 	c.compileHead(head, env)
 
 	if body != nil {
@@ -86,22 +86,48 @@ func compileClause(head Term, body Term, env *Env) (clause, error) {
 	}
 
 	c.emit(instruction{opcode: OpExit})
+
 	return c, nil
 }
 
-func desugar(term Term, acc []Term) (Term, []Term) {
-	switch t := term.(type) {
+func desugarHead(head Term, env *Env) (Term, []Term) {
+	if head, ok := env.Resolve(head).(Compound); ok {
+		return desugarPred(head, nil, env)
+	}
+	return head, nil
+}
+
+func desugarBody(body Term, env *Env) Term {
+	if body == nil {
+		return body
+	}
+
+	var items []Term
+	iter := seqIterator{Seq: body, Env: env}
+	for iter.Next() {
+		t, preds := desugarPred(iter.Current(), nil, env)
+		if len(preds) > 0 {
+			items = append(items, preds...)
+		}
+		items = append(items, t)
+	}
+
+	return seq(atomComma, items...)
+}
+
+func desugarPred(term Term, acc []Term, env *Env) (Term, []Term) {
+	switch t := env.Resolve(term).(type) {
 	case charList, codeList:
 		return t, acc
 	case list:
 		l := make(list, len(t))
 		for i, e := range t {
-			l[i], acc = desugar(e, acc)
+			l[i], acc = desugarPred(e, acc, env)
 		}
 		return l, acc
 	case *partial:
-		c, acc := desugar(t.Compound, acc)
-		tail, acc := desugar(*t.tail, acc)
+		c, acc := desugarPred(t.Compound, acc, env)
+		tail, acc := desugarPred(*t.tail, acc, env)
 		return &partial{
 			Compound: c.(Compound),
 			tail:     &tail,
@@ -109,8 +135,8 @@ func desugar(term Term, acc []Term) (Term, []Term) {
 	case Compound:
 		if t.Functor() == atomSpecialDot && t.Arity() == 2 {
 			tempV := NewVariable()
-			lhs, acc := desugar(t.Arg(0), acc)
-			rhs, acc := desugar(t.Arg(1), acc)
+			lhs, acc := desugarPred(t.Arg(0), acc, env)
+			rhs, acc := desugarPred(t.Arg(1), acc, env)
 
 			return tempV, append(acc, atomDot.Apply(lhs, rhs, tempV))
 		}
@@ -120,7 +146,7 @@ func desugar(term Term, acc []Term) (Term, []Term) {
 			args:    make([]Term, t.Arity()),
 		}
 		for i := 0; i < t.Arity(); i++ {
-			c.args[i], acc = desugar(t.Arg(i), acc)
+			c.args[i], acc = desugarPred(t.Arg(i), acc, env)
 		}
 
 		if _, ok := t.(Dict); ok {
diff --git a/engine/text_test.go b/engine/text_test.go
index 1a0cedb..3ddd593 100644
--- a/engine/text_test.go
+++ b/engine/text_test.go
@@ -282,6 +282,58 @@ point(point{x: 5}.x).
 				},
 			},
 		)},
+		{title: "dict head (3)", text: `
+point(point{x: 5}.x) :- true.
+`, result: buildOrderedMap(
+			procedurePair{
+				Key: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("foo"), arity: 1},
+				Value: &userDefined{
+					multifile: true,
+					clauses: clauses{
+						{
+							pi:  procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("foo"), arity: 1},
+							raw: &compound{functor: NewAtom("foo"), args: []Term{NewAtom("c")}},
+							bytecode: bytecode{
+								{opcode: OpGetConst, operand: NewAtom("c")},
+								{opcode: OpExit},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			procedurePair{
+				Key: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("point"), arity: 1},
+				Value: &userDefined{
+					clauses: clauses{
+						{
+							pi: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("point"), arity: 1},
+							raw: atomIf.Apply(
+								&compound{functor: "point", args: []Term{
+									&compound{functor: "$dot", args: []Term{
+										&dict{compound: compound{functor: "dict", args: []Term{NewAtom("point"), NewAtom("x"), Integer(5)}}},
+										NewAtom("x"),
+									}}}},
+								NewAtom("true")),
+							vars: []Variable{lastVariable() + 1},
+							bytecode: bytecode{
+								{opcode: OpGetVar, operand: Integer(0)},
+								{opcode: OpEnter},
+								{opcode: OpCall, operand: procedureIndicator{name: atomTrue, arity: 0}},
+								{opcode: OpPutDict, operand: Integer(3)},
+								{opcode: OpPutConst, operand: NewAtom("point")},
+								{opcode: OpPutConst, operand: NewAtom("x")},
+								{opcode: OpPutConst, operand: Integer(5)},
+								{opcode: OpPop},
+								{opcode: OpPutConst, operand: NewAtom("x")},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(0)},
+								{opcode: OpCall, operand: procedureIndicator{name: atomDot, arity: Integer(3)}},
+								{opcode: OpExit},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		)},
 		{title: "dict body", text: `
 p :- foo(point{x: 5}).
 `, result: buildOrderedMap(
@@ -328,6 +380,58 @@ p :- foo(point{x: 5}).
 				},
 			},
 		)},
+		{title: "dict body (2)", text: `
+x(X) :- p(P), =(X, P.x).
+`, result: buildOrderedMap(
+			procedurePair{
+				Key: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("foo"), arity: 1},
+				Value: &userDefined{
+					multifile: true,
+					clauses: clauses{
+						{
+							pi:  procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("foo"), arity: 1},
+							raw: &compound{functor: NewAtom("foo"), args: []Term{NewAtom("c")}},
+							bytecode: bytecode{
+								{opcode: OpGetConst, operand: NewAtom("c")},
+								{opcode: OpExit},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			procedurePair{
+				Key: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("x"), arity: 1},
+				Value: &userDefined{
+					clauses: clauses{
+						{
+							pi: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("x"), arity: 1},
+							raw: atomIf.Apply(
+								NewAtom("x").Apply(lastVariable()+1),
+								seq(
+									atomComma,
+									NewAtom("p").Apply(lastVariable()+2),
+									atomEqual.Apply(lastVariable()+1, NewAtom("$dot").Apply(lastVariable()+2, NewAtom("x"))),
+								)),
+							vars: []Variable{lastVariable() + 1, lastVariable() + 2, lastVariable() + 3},
+							bytecode: bytecode{
+								{opcode: OpGetVar, operand: Integer(0)},
+								{opcode: OpEnter},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(1)},
+								{opcode: OpCall, operand: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("p"), arity: 1}},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(1)},
+								{opcode: OpPutConst, operand: NewAtom("x")},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(2)},
+								{opcode: OpCall, operand: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("."), arity: 3}},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(0)},
+								{opcode: OpPutVar, operand: Integer(2)},
+								{opcode: OpCall, operand: procedureIndicator{name: NewAtom("="), arity: 2}},
+								{opcode: OpExit},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		)},
 		{title: "dynamic", text: `
 :- dynamic(foo/1).
 foo(a).
diff --git a/interpreter_test.go b/interpreter_test.go
index db01532..2cfd796 100644
--- a/interpreter_test.go
+++ b/interpreter_test.go
@@ -1022,6 +1022,27 @@ func TestDict(t *testing.T) {
 				"X": "1",
 			}}},
 		},
+		{
+			program: "ok. p(point{x:1}.x) :- ok.",
+			query:   "p(X).",
+			wantResult: []result{{solutions: map[string]TermString{
+				"X": "1",
+			}}},
+		},
+		{
+			program: "point(point{x: X}.x) :- X = 5.",
+			query:   "point(X).",
+			wantResult: []result{{solutions: map[string]TermString{
+				"X": "5",
+			}}},
+		},
+		{
+			program: "point(point{x: 5}.X) :- X = x.",
+			query:   "point(X).",
+			wantResult: []result{{solutions: map[string]TermString{
+				"X": "5",
+			}}},
+		},
 		// access
 		{
 			query: "A = point{x:1,y:2}.x.",
@@ -1055,6 +1076,13 @@ func TestDict(t *testing.T) {
 				"X": "10",
 			}}},
 		},
+		{
+			program: "p(P) :- P = point{x:10, y:20}. x(X) :- p(P), X = P.x.",
+			query:   "x(X).",
+			wantResult: []result{{solutions: map[string]TermString{
+				"X": "10",
+			}}},
+		},
 		{
 			query: "A = point{x:1,y:2}.z.",
 			wantResult: []result{