diff --git a/src/vm/js/Compiler.nqp b/src/vm/js/Compiler.nqp
index 2d34f0c3a7..de15fded42 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/Compiler.nqp
+++ b/src/vm/js/Compiler.nqp
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
                 }
                 else {
                     $pos_slurpy := 1;
-                    set_variable($param, "nqp.slurpyArray({quote_string($*HLL)}, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,{+@sig}))");
+                    set_variable($param, "nqp.slurpyArray(HLL, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,{+@sig}))");
                 }
             } else {
                 my int $type := self.type_from_typeobj($param.returns);
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
                     %convert{$T_INT} := 'intToObj';
                     %convert{$T_NUM} := 'numToObj';
                     %convert{$T_STR} := 'strToObj';
-                    return Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.{%convert{$got}}({quote_string($*HLL)}, {$chunk.expr})", $chunk);
+                    return Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.{%convert{$got}}(HLL, {$chunk.expr})", $chunk);
                 }
             }
 
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
             if $node.has_exit_handler {
               $result_for_exit_handler := $*BLOCK.add_tmp;
               $wrap_in_try := 1;
-              $exit_handler := "\} finally \{nqp.exitHandler($*CTX, {quote_string($*HLL)}, $result_for_exit_handler);\n";
+              $exit_handler := "\} finally \{nqp.exitHandler($*CTX, HLL, $result_for_exit_handler);\n";
             }
 
             if $*BLOCK.pass_on_exceptions {
@@ -1331,7 +1331,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
             "var sh = nqp.createArray([{nqp::join(',',@sh)}]);\n"
             ~ "var sc = nqp.op.createsc({quote_string(nqp::scgethandle($sc))});\n"
             ~ self.emit_code_refs_list($ast)
-            , "nqp.op.deserialize({quote_string($*HLL)}, $quoted_data,sc,sh,code_refs,null,cuids,function() \{{self.setup_wvals}\});\n"
+            , "nqp.op.deserialize(HLL, $quoted_data,sc,sh,code_refs,null,cuids,function() \{{self.setup_wvals}\});\n"
             ~ "nqp.op.scsetdesc(sc,{quote_string(nqp::scgetdesc($sc))});\n");
     }
 
@@ -1487,7 +1487,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
 
         my int $comp_mode := $node.compilation_mode;
 
-        my str $set_hll := $*HLL ?? "nqp.setCodeRefHLL(cuids, {quote_string($*HLL)});\n" !! '';
+        my str $set_hll := "nqp.setCodeRefHLL(cuids, HLL);\n";
 
         my $set_code_objects := self.set_code_objects;
         my @setup := [$pre , $comp_mode ?? self.create_sc($node) !! '', $set_code_objects,  self.declare_js_vars($*BLOCK.tmps), self.declare_js_vars($*BLOCK.js_lexicals), self.capture_inners($*BLOCK), self.clone_inners($*BLOCK), $set_hll, $post, $body];
@@ -1510,7 +1510,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
 
     multi method as_js(QAST::ParamTypeCheck $node) {
         my $check := self.as_js($node[0], :want($T_BOOL));
-        Chunk.void($check, "if (!{$check.expr}) return nqp.paramcheckfailed({quote_string($*HLL)}, $*CTX, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments));\n");
+        Chunk.void($check, "if (!{$check.expr}) return nqp.paramcheckfailed(HLL, $*CTX, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments));\n");
     }
 
     my %default_value := nqp::hash($T_OBJ, 'nqp.Null', $T_INT, '0', $T_NUM, '0', $T_STR, 'nqp.null_s');
@@ -1807,7 +1807,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
                     my $suffix := self.suffix_from_type($type);
                     my $get := self.get_var($var);
                     my $set := self.set_var($var, 'value');
-                    Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.lexRef{$suffix}({quote_string($*HLL)}, function() \{return $get\}, function(value) \{$set\})", :node($var));
+                    Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.lexRef{$suffix}(HLL, function() \{return $get\}, function(value) \{$set\})", :node($var));
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1881,7 +1881,7 @@ class QAST::CompilerJS does DWIMYNameMangling does SerializeOnce {
             }
 
 
-            Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.attrRef{$suffix}({quote_string($*HLL)}, function() \{return $get\}, function(value) \{$set\})", :node($var));
+            Chunk.new($T_OBJ, "nqp.attrRef{$suffix}(HLL, function() \{return $get\}, function(value) \{$set\})", :node($var));
         }
         elsif $var.scope eq 'attribute' {
             my @types := [$T_OBJ, $T_INT, $T_NUM, $T_STR];
diff --git a/src/vm/js/Operations.nqp b/src/vm/js/Operations.nqp
index 1eb3d1cd2b..c559fc9fe3 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/Operations.nqp
+++ b/src/vm/js/Operations.nqp
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ class QAST::OperationsJS {
 
         if $hll {
             if $method_call {
-                nqp::splice(@exprs, nqp::list(quote_string($*HLL)), 1, 0);
+                nqp::splice(@exprs, 'HLL', 1, 0);
             } else {
-                @exprs.unshift(quote_string($*HLL));
+                @exprs.unshift('HLL');
             }
         }
 
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ class QAST::OperationsJS {
                @exprs.push($chunk.expr);
            }
 
-           my $hll := $type == $T_OBJ ?? quote_string($*HLL) ~ ',' !! '';
+           my $hll := $type == $T_OBJ ?? 'HLL,' !! '';
            @setup.push($list ~ " = nqp.list" ~ $suffix ~ "(" ~ $hll ~ "[" ~ nqp::join(',', @exprs) ~ "]);\n");
 
            Chunk.new($T_OBJ, $list , @setup, :$node);
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/bignum.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/bignum.js
index 98e300c78f..22f9f14804 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/bignum.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/bignum.js
@@ -244,15 +244,15 @@ op.bool_I = function(n) {
   return intishBool(getBI(n).toNumber());
 };
 
-op.radix_I = function(hllName, radix, str, zpos, flags, type) {
+op.radix_I = function(currentHLL, radix, str, zpos, flags, type) {
   var extracted = core.radixHelper(radix, str, zpos, flags);
   if (extracted == null) {
-    return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, [makeBI(type, bignum(0)), makeBI(type, bignum(1)), -1]);
+    return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, [makeBI(type, bignum(0)), makeBI(type, bignum(1)), -1]);
   }
 
   if (radix == 10 || radix == 16) {
     var pow = bignum(radix).pow(extracted.power);
-    return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, [makeBI(type, bignum(extracted.number, radix)), makeBI(type, pow), extracted.offset]);
+    return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, [makeBI(type, bignum(extracted.number, radix)), makeBI(type, pow), extracted.offset]);
   } else {
     var n = extracted.number;
     var base = bignum(1);
@@ -271,6 +271,6 @@ op.radix_I = function(hllName, radix, str, zpos, flags, type) {
 
     if (n[0] == '-') result = result.neg();
 
-    return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, [makeBI(type, result), makeBI(type, base), extracted.offset]);
+    return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, [makeBI(type, result), makeBI(type, base), extracted.offset]);
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/core.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/core.js
index 6416deb8ec..eea7e7f1bb 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/core.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/core.js
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ function radixHelper(radix, str, zpos, flags) {
 
 exports.radixHelper = radixHelper;
 
-op.radix = function(hllName, radix, str, zpos, flags) {
+op.radix = function(currentHLL, radix, str, zpos, flags) {
   var extracted = radixHelper(radix, str, zpos, flags);
   if (extracted == null) {
-    return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, [0, 1, -1]);
+    return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, [0, 1, -1]);
   }
   var pow = Math.pow(radix, extracted.power);
-  return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, [parseInt(extracted.number, radix), pow, extracted.offset]);
+  return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, [parseInt(extracted.number, radix), pow, extracted.offset]);
 };
 
 op.setdebugtypename = function(type, debugName) {
@@ -1058,11 +1058,11 @@ op.getstaticcode = function(codeRef) {
   return codeRef.staticCode;
 };
 
-op.backtracestrings = function(hllName, exception) {
-  return hll.list(hllName, [exception.stack.replace(/^Error: .*\n/, '')]);
+op.backtracestrings = function(currentHLL, exception) {
+  return hll.list(currentHLL, [exception.stack.replace(/^Error: .*\n/, '')]);
 };
 
-op.backtrace = function(hllName, exception) {
+op.backtrace = function(currentHLL, exception) {
   if (exception.$$ctx) {
     let ctx = exception.$$ctx.$$skipHandlers();
 
@@ -1114,9 +1114,9 @@ op.backtrace = function(hllName, exception) {
 
       ctx = ctx.$$caller;
     }
-    return hll.list(hllName, rows);
+    return hll.list(currentHLL, rows);
   } else {
-    return hll.list(hllName, []);
+    return hll.list(currentHLL, []);
   }
 };
 
@@ -1272,8 +1272,8 @@ op.islist = function(list) {
   return (list._STable && list._STable.REPR instanceof reprs.VMArray) ? 1 : 0;
 };
 
-op.split = function(hllName, separator, string) {
-  return hll.slurpyArray(hllName, string !== '' ? string.split(separator) : []);
+op.split = function(currentHLL, separator, string) {
+  return hll.slurpyArray(currentHLL, string !== '' ? string.split(separator) : []);
 };
 
 op.exception = function() {
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/deserialization.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/deserialization.js
index bd76ee1808..dcb74af1c0 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/deserialization.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/deserialization.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ module.exports.wval = function(handle, idx) {
   return serializationContexts[handle].rootObjects[idx];
 };
 
-op.deserialize = function(hllName, blob, sc, sh, codeRefs, conflict, cuids, setupWVals) {
+op.deserialize = function(currentHLL, blob, sc, sh, codeRefs, conflict, cuids, setupWVals) {
   var buffer = new Buffer(blob, 'base64');
   sc.codeRefs = codeRefs.array;
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ op.deserialize = function(hllName, blob, sc, sh, codeRefs, conflict, cuids, setu
   sh = sh.array;
   var cursor = new BinaryCursor(buffer, 0, sh, sc);
 
-  cursor.deserialize(sc, cuids, setupWVals, hll.getHLL(hllName));
+  cursor.deserialize(sc, cuids, setupWVals, currentHLL);
 };
 
 op.createsc = function(handle) {
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/hll.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/hll.js
index 42118ba1b1..75c8c2ba61 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/hll.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/hll.js
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ exports.hllConfigs = hllConfigs;
 function getHLL(language) {
   if (!hllConfigs[language]) {
     hllConfigs[language] = new Map;
+    hllConfigs[language].set('slurpy_array', BOOT.Array)
+    hllConfigs[language].set('list', BOOT.Array)
 
     // For serialization purposes
     hllConfigs[language].set('name', language);
@@ -115,16 +117,12 @@ op.settypehllrole = function(type, role) {
   return type;
 };
 
-exports.slurpyArray = function(hllName, array) {
-  var slurpyArray;
-  if (hllConfigs[hllName]) slurpyArray = hllConfigs[hllName].get('slurpy_array');
-  if (slurpyArray === undefined) slurpyArray = BOOT.Array;
+exports.slurpyArray = function(currentHLL, array) {
+  const slurpyArray = currentHLL.get('slurpy_array');
   return slurpyArray._STable.REPR.allocateFromArray(slurpyArray._STable, array);
 };
 
-exports.list = function(hllName, array) {
-  var list;
-  if (hllConfigs[hllName]) list = hllConfigs[hllName].get('list');
-  if (list === undefined) list = BOOT.Array;
+exports.list = function(currentHLL, array) {
+  const list = currentHLL.get('list');
   return list._STable.REPR.allocateFromArray(list._STable, array);
 };
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/refs.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/refs.js
index b1c8af83d3..d71d2ff323 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/refs.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/refs.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ let hll = require('./hll.js');
 let helpers = exports.helpers = {};
 let op = exports.op = {};
 
-function attrRef_i(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('int_attr_ref');
+function attrRef_i(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('int_attr_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No int attribute reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ function attrRef_i(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 }
 
-function attrRef_n(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('num_attr_ref');
+function attrRef_n(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('num_attr_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No num attribute reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ function attrRef_n(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 }
 
-function attrRef_s(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('str_attr_ref');
+function attrRef_s(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('str_attr_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No str attribute reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -39,26 +39,26 @@ function attrRef_s(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 }
 
-op.getattrref_i = function(hllName, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
-  return attrRef_i(hllName,
+op.getattrref_i = function(currentHLL, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
+  return attrRef_i(currentHLL,
       () => obj.$$getattr_i(classHandle, attrName),
       value => obj.$$bindattr_i(classHandle, attrName, value));
 };
 
-op.getattrref_n = function(hllName, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
-  return attrRef_n(hllName,
+op.getattrref_n = function(currentHLL, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
+  return attrRef_n(currentHLL,
       () => obj.$$getattr_n(classHandle, attrName),
       value => obj.$$bindattr_n(classHandle, attrName, value));
 };
 
-op.getattrref_s = function(hllName, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
-  return attrRef_s(hllName,
+op.getattrref_s = function(currentHLL, obj, classHandle, attrName) {
+  return attrRef_s(currentHLL,
       () => obj.$$getattr_s(classHandle, attrName),
       value => obj.$$bindattr_s(classHandle, attrName, value));
 };
 
-helpers.lexRef_i = function(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('int_lex_ref');
+helpers.lexRef_i = function(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('int_lex_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No int lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ helpers.lexRef_i = function(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 };
 
-helpers.lexRef_s = function(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('str_lex_ref');
+helpers.lexRef_s = function(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('str_lex_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No str lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ helpers.lexRef_s = function(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 };
 
-helpers.lexRef_n = function(hllName, get, set) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('num_lex_ref');
+helpers.lexRef_n = function(currentHLL, get, set) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('num_lex_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No num lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ helpers.lexRef_n = function(hllName, get, set) {
   return ref;
 };
 
-op.atposref_i = function(hllName, obj, index) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('int_pos_ref');
+op.atposref_i = function(currentHLL, obj, index) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('int_pos_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No int lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ op.atposref_i = function(hllName, obj, index) {
   return ref;
 };
 
-op.atposref_n = function(hllName, obj, index) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('num_pos_ref');
+op.atposref_n = function(currentHLL, obj, index) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('num_pos_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No num lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ op.atposref_n = function(hllName, obj, index) {
   return ref;
 };
 
-op.atposref_s = function(hllName, obj, index) {
-  var refType = hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('str_pos_ref');
+op.atposref_s = function(currentHLL, obj, index) {
+  var refType = currentHLL.get('str_pos_ref');
   if (refType === undefined) {
     throw 'No str lexical reference type registered for current HLL';
   }
diff --git a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/runtime.js b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/runtime.js
index 725acc5389..f987d4013b 100644
--- a/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/runtime.js
+++ b/src/vm/js/nqp-runtime/runtime.js
@@ -262,10 +262,8 @@ exports.toInt = function(arg, ctx) {
   return (exports.toNum(arg, ctx) | 0);
 };
 
-exports.intToObj = function(hllName, i) {
-  var currentHLL = hll.hllConfigs[hllName];
-  var type;
-  if (currentHLL) type = currentHLL.get('int_box');
+exports.intToObj = function(currentHLL, i) {
+  const type = currentHLL.get('int_box');
   if (!type) {
     return new NQPInt(i);
   } else {
@@ -276,10 +274,8 @@ exports.intToObj = function(hllName, i) {
   }
 };
 
-exports.numToObj = function(hllName, n) {
-  var currentHLL = hll.hllConfigs[hllName];
-  var type;
-  if (currentHLL) type = currentHLL.get('num_box');
+exports.numToObj = function(currentHLL, n) {
+  const type = currentHLL.get('num_box');
   if (!type) {
     return n;
   } else {
@@ -290,10 +286,8 @@ exports.numToObj = function(hllName, n) {
   }
 };
 
-exports.strToObj = function(hllName, s) {
-  var currentHLL = hll.hllConfigs[hllName];
-  var type;
-  if (currentHLL) type = currentHLL.get('str_box');
+exports.strToObj = function(currentHLL, s) {
+  const type = currentHLL.get('str_box');
   if (!type) {
     return s;
   } else {
@@ -380,9 +374,9 @@ exports.wrapException = function(e) {
   return new NQPException('<<wrapped exception:\n' + e.stack + '\n>>\n');
 };
 
-exports.setCodeRefHLL = function(codeRefs, hllName) {
+exports.setCodeRefHLL = function(codeRefs, currentHLL) {
   for (var i = 0; i < codeRefs.length; i++) {
-    codeRefs[i].hll = hll.hllConfigs[hllName];
+    codeRefs[i].hll = currentHLL;
   }
 };
 
@@ -483,9 +477,9 @@ exports.extraRuntime = function(lang, path) {
   }
 };
 
-exports.paramcheckfailed = function(hllName, ctx, args) {
+exports.paramcheckfailed = function(currentHLL, ctx, args) {
   let capture = new Capture(args[1], Array.prototype.slice.call(args, 2));
-  return hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('bind_error').$$call(ctx, null, capture);
+  return currentHLL.get('bind_error').$$call(ctx, null, capture);
 };
 
 let execname;
@@ -497,8 +491,8 @@ op.execname = function() {
   return execname;
 };
 
-exports.exitHandler = function(ctx, hllName, value) {
-  hll.hllConfigs[hllName].get('exit_handler').$$call(ctx, null, ctx.codeRef(), value === undefined ? Null : value);
+exports.exitHandler = function(ctx, currentHLL, value) {
+  currentHLL.get('exit_handler').$$call(ctx, null, ctx.codeRef(), value === undefined ? Null : value);
 };
 
 exports.NativeRef = require('./reprs.js').NativeRef;