diff --git a/source/compiler/sc.h b/source/compiler/sc.h
index f2250f1..a5378fa 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc.h
+++ b/source/compiler/sc.h
@@ -870,15 +870,16 @@ SC_VDECL FILE *outf;          /* file written to */
 
 SC_VDECL jmp_buf errbuf;      /* target of longjmp() on a fatal error */
 
-
 /*  Possible entries for "emit_parsing_mode"
- *  Bits: 0     (epmBLOCK) multiline ('{}' block) syntax
- *        1     (epmEXPR) used within an expression
- *        2     (epmGLOBAL) used outside of function
+ *  Bits: 0     (epmACTIVE) 'emit'/'__emit' parsing is active
+ *        1     (epmBLOCK) multiline ('{}' block) syntax
+ *        2     (epmEXPR) used within an expression
+ *        3     (epmGLOBAL) used outside of function
  */
-#define epmBLOCK    1
-#define epmEXPR     2
-#define epmGLOBAL   4
+#define epmACTIVE   1
+#define epmBLOCK    2
+#define epmEXPR     4
+#define epmGLOBAL   8
 SC_VDECL int emit_parsing_mode;
 
 #if !defined SC_LIGHT
diff --git a/source/compiler/sc1.c b/source/compiler/sc1.c
index 7bc0138..b427b98 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc1.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc1.c
@@ -6538,6 +6538,13 @@ SC_FUNC void emit_parse_line(void)
   symbol *sym;
   char name[MAX_INSTR_LEN];
   extern char *sc_tokens[];
+  
+  /* write the staging buffer to the output file so instructions
+   * generated by the `emit`/`__emit` operator could be written
+   * separately without getting altered by the optimizer
+   */
+  stgout(0);
+  emit_parsing_mode |= epmACTIVE;
 
   tok=tokeninfo(&val,&st);
   if (tok==tSYMBOL || (tok>tMIDDLE && tok<=tLAST)) {
@@ -6580,7 +6587,7 @@ SC_FUNC void emit_parse_line(void)
     } else {
       sym=fetchlab(st);
       if ((sym->usage & uDEFINE)!=0)
-        error(021,st);  /* symbol already defined */
+        error(21,st);   /* symbol already defined */
       setlabel((int)sym->addr);
       sym->usage|=uDEFINE;
     } /* if */
@@ -6591,6 +6598,10 @@ SC_FUNC void emit_parse_line(void)
   } else if ((emit_parsing_mode & epmEXPR)==0) {
     matchtoken(';');
   } /* if */
+
+  /* write the staging buffer again */
+  stgout(0);
+  emit_parsing_mode &= ~epmACTIVE;
 }
 
 static void doemit(void)
diff --git a/source/compiler/sc3.c b/source/compiler/sc3.c
index c516a0b..9aff411 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc3.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc3.c
@@ -1452,25 +1452,11 @@ static int hier2(value *lval)
   case t__EMIT: {
     cell val;
     char* st;
-    int opt_bck;
-
-    /* write the staging buffer to the output file and temporarily disable
-     * bytecode optimisation so instructions generated by the `emit`/`__emit`
-     * operator won't get altered by the optimizer
-     */
-    stgout(0);
-    opt_bck=pc_optimize;
-    pc_optimize=sOPTIMIZE_NONE;
-
-    /* parse the `emit`/`__emit` expression */
     emit_parsing_mode |= epmEXPR;
     lex(&val,&st);
     emit_parse_line();
     emit_parsing_mode &= ~epmEXPR;
     lval->ident=iEXPRESSION;
-
-    /* restore the bytecode optimisation level and return */
-    pc_optimize=opt_bck;
     return FALSE;
   } /* case */
   default:
diff --git a/source/compiler/sc7.c b/source/compiler/sc7.c
index f8d2c9d..0c1613e 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc7.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc7.c
@@ -1770,7 +1770,7 @@ static void stgopt(char *start,char *end,int (*outputfunc)(char *str))
 
   assert(sequences!=NULL);
   /* do not match anything if debug-level is maximum */
-  if (pc_optimize>sOPTIMIZE_NONE && sc_status==statWRITE) {
+  if (pc_optimize>sOPTIMIZE_NONE && (emit_parsing_mode & epmACTIVE)==0 && sc_status==statWRITE) {
     do {
       matches=0;
       start=debut;