diff --git a/builtin/builtin.go b/builtin/builtin.go
index 8f4ef674..a1e10126 100644
--- a/builtin/builtin.go
+++ b/builtin/builtin.go
@@ -749,9 +749,9 @@ func builtin_compile(self py.Object, args py.Tuple, kwargs py.StringDict) (py.Ob
 		return nil, py.ExceptionNewf(py.ValueError, "compile(): invalid optimize value")
 	}
 
-	if dont_inherit.(py.Int) != 0 {
+	// if dont_inherit.(py.Int) != 0 {
 		// PyEval_MergeCompilerFlags(&cf)
-	}
+	// }
 
 	// switch string(startstr.(py.String)) {
 	// case "exec":
@@ -882,9 +882,8 @@ or ... etc.
 `
 
 func isinstance(obj py.Object, classOrTuple py.Object) (py.Bool, error) {
-	switch classOrTuple.(type) {
+	switch class_tuple := classOrTuple.(type) {
 	case py.Tuple:
-		var class_tuple = classOrTuple.(py.Tuple)
 		for idx := range class_tuple {
 			res, _ := isinstance(obj, class_tuple[idx])
 			if res {
diff --git a/compile/compile.go b/compile/compile.go
index dc8851cf..d0f59c45 100644
--- a/compile/compile.go
+++ b/compile/compile.go
@@ -1342,7 +1342,6 @@ func (c *compiler) NameOp(name string, ctx ast.ExprContext) {
 		default:
 			panic("NameOp: ctx invalid for name variable")
 		}
-		break
 	}
 	if op == 0 {
 		panic("NameOp: Op not set")
diff --git a/compile/instructions_test.go b/compile/instructions_test.go
index d5fecfed..01c7db4e 100644
--- a/compile/instructions_test.go
+++ b/compile/instructions_test.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func TestLnotab(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		got := test.instrs.Lnotab()
-		if bytes.Compare(test.want, got) != 0 {
+		if !bytes.Equal(test.want, got) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: want %d got %d", i, test.want, got)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/marshal/marshal.go b/marshal/marshal.go
index dd039d5c..c29c97bf 100644
--- a/marshal/marshal.go
+++ b/marshal/marshal.go
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ func ReadPyc(r io.Reader) (obj py.Object, err error) {
 	}
 	// FIXME do something with timestamp & length?
 	if header.Magic>>16 != 0x0a0d {
-		return nil, errors.New("Bad magic in .pyc file")
+		return nil, errors.New("bad magic in .pyc file")
 	}
 	// fmt.Printf("header = %v\n", header)
 	return ReadObject(r)
diff --git a/parser/stringescape.go b/parser/stringescape.go
index 5341ce44..c5c61ca3 100644
--- a/parser/stringescape.go
+++ b/parser/stringescape.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func DecodeEscape(in *bytes.Buffer, byteMode bool) (out *bytes.Buffer, err error
 	// Early exit if no escape sequences
 	// NB in.Bytes() is cheap
 	inBytes := in.Bytes()
-	if bytes.IndexRune(inBytes, '\\') < 0 {
+	if !bytes.ContainsRune(inBytes, '\\') {
 		return in, nil
 	}
 	out = new(bytes.Buffer)
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ func DecodeEscape(in *bytes.Buffer, byteMode bool) (out *bytes.Buffer, err error
 			ignoreEscape = true
 		default:
 			ignoreEscape = true
-			break
 		}
 		// ignore unrecognised escape
 		if ignoreEscape {
diff --git a/py/bytes.go b/py/bytes.go
index b9ae3abe..2c653455 100644
--- a/py/bytes.go
+++ b/py/bytes.go
@@ -214,14 +214,14 @@ func (a Bytes) M__le__(other Object) (Object, error) {
 
 func (a Bytes) M__eq__(other Object) (Object, error) {
 	if b, ok := convertToBytes(other); ok {
-		return NewBool(bytes.Compare(a, b) == 0), nil
+		return NewBool(bytes.Equal(a, b)), nil
 	}
 	return NotImplemented, nil
 }
 
 func (a Bytes) M__ne__(other Object) (Object, error) {
 	if b, ok := convertToBytes(other); ok {
-		return NewBool(bytes.Compare(a, b) != 0), nil
+		return NewBool(!bytes.Equal(a, b)), nil
 	}
 	return NotImplemented, nil
 }
diff --git a/py/code.go b/py/code.go
index 355e88e0..09027497 100644
--- a/py/code.go
+++ b/py/code.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ const NAME_CHARS = "0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw
 // all_name_chars(s): true iff all chars in s are valid NAME_CHARS
 func all_name_chars(s String) bool {
 	for _, c := range s {
-		if strings.IndexRune(NAME_CHARS, c) < 0 {
+		if !strings.ContainsRune(NAME_CHARS, c) {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/py/int.go b/py/int.go
index d9040fed..c183991d 100644
--- a/py/int.go
+++ b/py/int.go
@@ -254,7 +254,8 @@ func (a Int) M__pos__() (Object, error) {
 
 func (a Int) M__abs__() (Object, error) {
 	if a == IntMin {
-		// FIXME upconvert
+		abig, _ := ConvertToBigInt(a)
+		return abig.M__abs__()
 	}
 	if a < 0 {
 		return -a, nil
diff --git a/py/method.go b/py/method.go
index 1f8ecb72..28e8c1d5 100644
--- a/py/method.go
+++ b/py/method.go
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ func newBoundMethod(name string, fn interface{}) (Object, error) {
 			return f(a, b, c)
 		}
 	default:
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown bound method type for %q: %T", name, fn)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown bound method type for %q: %T", name, fn)
 	}
 	return m, nil
 }
diff --git a/py/range.go b/py/range.go
index 1f0513f8..1b261ccd 100644
--- a/py/range.go
+++ b/py/range.go
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ func computeRangeLength(start, stop, step Int) Int {
 	if step > 0 {
 		lo = start
 		hi = stop
-		step = step
 	} else {
 		lo = stop
 		hi = start
diff --git a/py/string.go b/py/string.go
index b985621d..0f9ddc28 100644
--- a/py/string.go
+++ b/py/string.go
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ func StringEscape(a String, ascii bool) string {
 func fieldsN(s string, n int) []string {
 	out := []string{}
 	cur := []rune{}
-	r := []rune(s)
-	for _, c := range r {
+	for _, c := range s {
 		//until we have covered the first N elements, multiple white-spaces are 'merged'
 		if n < 0 || len(out) < n {
 			if unicode.IsSpace(c) {
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ func init() {
 				maxSplit = int(m)
 			}
 		}
-		valArray := []string{}
+		var valArray []string
 		if valStr, ok := value.(String); ok {
 			valArray = strings.SplitN(string(selfStr), string(valStr), maxSplit+1)
 		} else if _, ok := value.(NoneType); ok {
diff --git a/vm/eval.go b/vm/eval.go
index e98392a9..f8e2ef8f 100644
--- a/vm/eval.go
+++ b/vm/eval.go
@@ -1087,9 +1087,9 @@ func do_IMPORT_NAME(vm *Vm, namei int32) error {
 	}
 	v := vm.POP()
 	u := vm.TOP()
-	var locals py.Object = vm.frame.Locals
-	if locals == nil {
-		locals = py.None
+	var locals py.Object = py.None
+	if vm.frame.Locals != nil {
+		locals = vm.frame.Locals
 	}
 	var args py.Tuple
 	if _, ok := u.(py.Int); ok {