diff --git a/compiler/kernel/vop.go b/compiler/kernel/vop.go
index 876febe5dd..341d559f8b 100644
--- a/compiler/kernel/vop.go
+++ b/compiler/kernel/vop.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brimdata/zed/compiler/ast/dag"
 	"github.com/brimdata/zed/compiler/optimizer"
+	"github.com/brimdata/zed/runtime/vam/expr"
 	vamop "github.com/brimdata/zed/runtime/vam/op"
 	"github.com/brimdata/zed/vector"
 	"github.com/brimdata/zed/zbuf"
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ func (b *Builder) compileVamLeaf(o dag.Op, parent vector.Puller) (vector.Puller,
 		} else {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("internal error: unhandled dag.Summarize: %#v", o)
 		}
+	case *dag.Put:
+		return b.compileVamPut(o, parent)
 	case *dag.Yield:
 		exprs, err := b.compileVamExprs(o.Exprs)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -95,6 +98,36 @@ func (b *Builder) compileVamLeaf(o dag.Op, parent vector.Puller) (vector.Puller,
 	}
 }
 
+func (b *Builder) compileVamPut(put *dag.Put, parent vector.Puller) (vector.Puller, error) {
+	elems := []dag.RecordElem{
+		&dag.Spread{Kind: "Spread", Expr: &dag.This{Kind: "This"}},
+	}
+	for _, a := range put.Args {
+		lhs, ok := a.LHS.(*dag.This)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("internal error: dynamic field name not yet supported in vector runtime: %#v", a.LHS)
+		}
+		elems = append(elems, newDagRecordExprForPath(lhs.Path, a.RHS).Elems...)
+	}
+	e, err := b.compileVamRecordExpr(&dag.RecordExpr{Kind: "RecordExpr", Elems: elems})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return vamop.NewYield(b.rctx.Zctx, parent, []expr.Evaluator{expr.NewPutter(b.zctx(), e)}), nil
+}
+
+func newDagRecordExprForPath(path []string, expr dag.Expr) *dag.RecordExpr {
+	if len(path) > 1 {
+		expr = newDagRecordExprForPath(path[1:], expr)
+	}
+	return &dag.RecordExpr{
+		Kind: "RecordExpr",
+		Elems: []dag.RecordElem{
+			&dag.Field{Kind: "Field", Name: path[0], Value: expr},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
 func (b *Builder) compileVamSeq(seq dag.Seq, parents []vector.Puller) ([]vector.Puller, error) {
 	for _, o := range seq {
 		var err error
diff --git a/runtime/vam/expr/coerce.go b/runtime/vam/expr/coerce.go
index 8156ac26bd..c2da7450c4 100644
--- a/runtime/vam/expr/coerce.go
+++ b/runtime/vam/expr/coerce.go
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ func coerceVals(zctx *zed.Context, a, b vector.Any) (vector.Any, vector.Any, vec
 	//return id, ok
 }
 
-//XXX need to handle const here
-
 func promoteWider(id int, val vector.Any) vector.Any {
 	typ, err := zed.LookupPrimitiveByID(id)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -103,6 +101,14 @@ func promoteWider(id int, val vector.Any) vector.Any {
 		return val.Promote(typ)
 	case *vector.Uint:
 		return val.Promote(typ)
+	case *vector.Const:
+		var zedVal zed.Value
+		if zed.IsSigned(id) {
+			zedVal = zed.NewInt(typ, val.Value().Int())
+		} else {
+			zedVal = zed.NewUint(typ, val.Value().Uint())
+		}
+		return vector.NewConst(zedVal, val.Len(), val.Nulls)
 	case *vector.Dict:
 		promoted := val.Any.(vector.Promotable).Promote(typ)
 		return vector.NewDict(promoted, val.Index, val.Counts, val.Nulls)
diff --git a/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go b/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5f91daf07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package expr
+
+import (
+	"github.com/brimdata/zed"
+	"github.com/brimdata/zed/vector"
+)
+
+// Putter adapts the behavior of recordExpr (obtained from NewRecordExpr) to
+// match that of the put operator, which emits an error when an input value is
+// not a record.
+type Putter struct {
+	zctx       *zed.Context
+	recordExpr Evaluator
+}
+
+func NewPutter(zctx *zed.Context, recordExpr Evaluator) *Putter {
+	return &Putter{zctx, recordExpr}
+}
+
+func (p *Putter) Eval(vec vector.Any) vector.Any {
+	return vector.Apply(false, p.eval, vec)
+}
+
+func (p *Putter) eval(vecs ...vector.Any) vector.Any {
+	vec := vecs[0]
+	if vec.Type().Kind() != zed.RecordKind {
+		return vector.NewWrappedError(p.zctx, "put: not a record", vec)
+	}
+	return p.recordExpr.Eval(vec)
+}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-1.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-1.yaml
similarity index 92%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-1.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-1.yaml
index 33c8f8f497..f56758a973 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-1.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-1.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests a simple expression written into a new field
 zed: put y := x + 1
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32)}
   {x:2(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-2.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-2.yaml
similarity index 91%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-2.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-2.yaml
index cb6338b9fc..ea4e6de1c3 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-2.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-2.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests a simple expression written into an existing field
 zed: put x := x + 1
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32)}
   {x:2(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-3.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-3.yaml
similarity index 92%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-3.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-3.yaml
index 9e25d04f49..e1259333a8 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-3.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-3.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests writing a new record
 zed: put r2 := r
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {r:{s:"hello"}}
   {r:{s:"world"}}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-4.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-4.yaml
similarity index 93%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-4.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-4.yaml
index 7ce5cec097..814576f593 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-4.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-4.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests overwriting a primitive value with a record
 zed: put x := r
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32),r:{s:"hello"}}
   {x:2(int32),r:{s:"world"}}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-5.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-5.yaml
similarity index 93%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-5.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-5.yaml
index 721b7f768a..b555f43300 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-5.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-5.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests overwriting a record with a primitive value
 zed: put r := x
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32),r:{s:"hello"}}
   {x:2(int32),r:{s:"world"}}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-1.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-1.yaml
similarity index 88%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-1.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-1.yaml
index 0e6b19b194..d8bb09495a 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-1.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-1.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 zed: y := x + 1
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32)}
   {x:2(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-2.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-2.yaml
similarity index 87%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-2.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-2.yaml
index 88580f3710..fbb46f72e4 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-implied-2.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-implied-2.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 zed: 'x:=upper(x), y:=lower(x)'
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:"vAlUe1"}
 
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-1.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-1.yaml
similarity index 91%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-1.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-1.yaml
index 8219baa8cc..c52508c041 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-1.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-1.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Tests multiple output expressions
 zed: put a:=1, b:=2
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32)}
   {x:2(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-2.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-2.yaml
similarity index 93%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-2.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-2.yaml
index 154a775572..ac87b8f811 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-2.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-2.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Test overwriting multiple fields in-order
 zed: put a:=b, b:=a
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {a:1(int32),b:2(int32)}
   {a:3(int32),b:4(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-3.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-3.yaml
similarity index 93%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-3.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-3.yaml
index 241e0d18c0..51cb1d0511 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-3.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-3.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Test overwriting multiple fields out of order
 zed: put b:=a, a:=b
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {a:1(int32),b:2(int32)}
   {a:3(int32),b:4(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-4.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-4.yaml
similarity index 93%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-4.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-4.yaml
index ecbf12fe76..048f26a5e9 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-multi-4.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-multi-4.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 # creates a new field
 zed: put new:=1, x:=x+1
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {x:1(int32)}
   {x:2(int32)}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/op/put-non-record.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-non-record.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f205713ce4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-non-record.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+zed: put a:=1
+
+vector: true
+
+input: |
+  0
+
+output: |
+  error({message:"put: not a record",on:0})
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-null.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-null.yaml
similarity index 84%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-null.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-null.yaml
index eda752b78e..b249a217a1 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-null.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-null.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 zed: put b:=null
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {a:1(int32)}
 
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-132.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-132.yaml
similarity index 95%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-132.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-132.yaml
index b2882db857..968846da4e 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-132.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-132.yaml
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 # and this test will need to be updated.
 zed: put c:=1,a:=3,b:=2
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {a:1(int32),b:2(int32),c:3(int32)}
 
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-321.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-321.yaml
similarity index 86%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-321.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-321.yaml
index fc0b352250..0bd2cecb58 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-overwrite-321.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-overwrite-321.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 zed: put a:=3,b:=2,c:=1
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {a:1(int32),b:2(int32)}
 
diff --git a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-root.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-root.yaml
similarity index 86%
rename from runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-root.yaml
rename to runtime/ztests/op/put-root.yaml
index b3f7add23c..1d630b5f56 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/op/ztests/put-root.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-root.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 zed: yield a
 
+vector: true
+
 input: |
   {"a": {"a": "a", "b": "b"}, "b": "b"}