diff --git a/src/ast.rs b/src/ast.rs
index f2e41d98..546c17ee 100644
--- a/src/ast.rs
+++ b/src/ast.rs
@@ -921,7 +921,7 @@ pub struct FnCallExpr {
     /// Default value when the function is not found, mostly used to provide a default for comparison functions.
     pub def_value: Option<Dynamic>,
     /// Namespace of the function, if any. Boxed because it occurs rarely.
-    pub namespace: Option<Box<NamespaceRef>>,
+    pub namespace: Option<NamespaceRef>,
     /// Function name.
     /// Use [`Cow<'static, str>`][Cow] because a lot of operators (e.g. `==`, `>=`) are implemented as
     /// function calls and the function names are predictable, so no need to allocate a new [`String`].
@@ -961,12 +961,11 @@ pub enum Expr {
     Map(Box<StaticVec<(Ident, Expr)>>, Position),
     /// ()
     Unit(Position),
-    /// Variable access - (optional index, optional modules, hash, variable name)
+    /// Variable access - (optional index, optional (hash, modules), variable name)
     Variable(
         Box<(
             Option<NonZeroUsize>,
-            Option<Box<NamespaceRef>>,
-            Option<NonZeroU64>,
+            Option<(NonZeroU64, NamespaceRef)>,
             Ident,
         )>,
     ),
@@ -1049,7 +1048,7 @@ impl Expr {
     /// Is the expression a simple variable access?
     pub(crate) fn get_variable_access(&self, non_qualified: bool) -> Option<&str> {
         match self {
-            Self::Variable(x) if !non_qualified || x.1.is_none() => Some((x.3).name.as_str()),
+            Self::Variable(x) if !non_qualified || x.1.is_none() => Some((x.2).name.as_str()),
             _ => None,
         }
     }
@@ -1071,7 +1070,7 @@ impl Expr {
             Self::Map(_, pos) => *pos,
             Self::Property(x) => (x.1).pos,
             Self::Stmt(_, pos) => *pos,
-            Self::Variable(x) => (x.3).pos,
+            Self::Variable(x) => (x.2).pos,
             Self::FnCall(_, pos) => *pos,
 
             Self::And(x, _) | Self::Or(x, _) | Self::In(x, _) => x.lhs.position(),
@@ -1101,7 +1100,7 @@ impl Expr {
             Self::FnPointer(_, pos) => *pos = new_pos,
             Self::Array(_, pos) => *pos = new_pos,
             Self::Map(_, pos) => *pos = new_pos,
-            Self::Variable(x) => (x.3).pos = new_pos,
+            Self::Variable(x) => (x.2).pos = new_pos,
             Self::Property(x) => (x.1).pos = new_pos,
             Self::Stmt(_, pos) => *pos = new_pos,
             Self::FnCall(_, pos) => *pos = new_pos,
diff --git a/src/engine.rs b/src/engine.rs
index fdc735ea..58e7b930 100644
--- a/src/engine.rs
+++ b/src/engine.rs
@@ -861,20 +861,17 @@ impl Engine {
         match expr {
             Expr::Variable(v) => match v.as_ref() {
                 // Qualified variable
-                (_, Some(modules), hash_var, Ident { name, pos }) => {
+                (_, Some((hash_var, modules)), Ident { name, pos }) => {
                     let module = search_imports(mods, state, modules)?;
-                    let target =
-                        module
-                            .get_qualified_var(hash_var.unwrap())
-                            .map_err(|mut err| {
-                                match *err {
-                                    EvalAltResult::ErrorVariableNotFound(ref mut err_name, _) => {
-                                        *err_name = format!("{}{}", modules, name);
-                                    }
-                                    _ => (),
-                                }
-                                err.fill_position(*pos)
-                            })?;
+                    let target = module.get_qualified_var(*hash_var).map_err(|mut err| {
+                        match *err {
+                            EvalAltResult::ErrorVariableNotFound(ref mut err_name, _) => {
+                                *err_name = format!("{}{}", modules, name);
+                            }
+                            _ => (),
+                        }
+                        err.fill_position(*pos)
+                    })?;
 
                     // Module variables are constant
                     let mut target = target.clone();
@@ -898,7 +895,7 @@ impl Engine {
         this_ptr: &'s mut Option<&mut Dynamic>,
         expr: &'a Expr,
     ) -> Result<(Target<'s>, &'a str, Position), Box<EvalAltResult>> {
-        let (index, _, _, Ident { name, pos }) = match expr {
+        let (index, _, Ident { name, pos }) = match expr {
             Expr::Variable(v) => v.as_ref(),
             _ => unreachable!(),
         };
@@ -1299,7 +1296,7 @@ impl Engine {
                 let Ident {
                     name: var_name,
                     pos: var_pos,
-                } = &x.3;
+                } = &x.2;
 
                 self.inc_operations(state, *var_pos)?;
 
@@ -1715,11 +1712,11 @@ impl Engine {
             Expr::StringConstant(x, _) => Ok(x.clone().into()),
             Expr::CharConstant(x, _) => Ok((*x).into()),
             Expr::FnPointer(x, _) => Ok(FnPtr::new_unchecked(x.clone(), Default::default()).into()),
-            Expr::Variable(x) if (x.3).name == KEYWORD_THIS => {
+            Expr::Variable(x) if (x.2).name == KEYWORD_THIS => {
                 if let Some(val) = this_ptr {
                     Ok(val.clone())
                 } else {
-                    EvalAltResult::ErrorUnboundThis((x.3).pos).into()
+                    EvalAltResult::ErrorUnboundThis((x.2).pos).into()
                 }
             }
             Expr::Variable(_) => {
@@ -1795,7 +1792,7 @@ impl Engine {
                     def_value,
                     ..
                 } = x.as_ref();
-                let namespace = namespace.as_ref().map(|v| v.as_ref());
+                let namespace = namespace.as_ref();
                 let hash = hash.unwrap();
                 let def_value = def_value.as_ref();
                 self.make_qualified_function_call(
diff --git a/src/module/mod.rs b/src/module/mod.rs
index ba0b8a38..8d5c880d 100644
--- a/src/module/mod.rs
+++ b/src/module/mod.rs
@@ -1913,7 +1913,7 @@ impl Module {
 /// _(INTERNALS)_ A chain of [module][Module] names to namespace-qualify a variable or function call.
 /// Exported under the `internals` feature only.
 ///
-/// A [`NonZeroU64`] hash key is cached for quick search purposes.
+/// A [`NonZeroU64`] offset to the current [`Scope`][crate::Scope] is cached for quick search purposes.
 ///
 /// A [`StaticVec`] is used because most namespace-qualified access contains only one level,
 /// and it is wasteful to always allocate a [`Vec`] with one element.
@@ -1922,13 +1922,13 @@ impl Module {
 ///
 /// This type is volatile and may change.
 #[derive(Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Default, Hash)]
-pub struct NamespaceRef(StaticVec<Ident>, Option<NonZeroUsize>);
+pub struct NamespaceRef(Option<NonZeroUsize>, StaticVec<Ident>);
 
 impl fmt::Debug for NamespaceRef {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
-        fmt::Debug::fmt(&self.0, f)?;
+        fmt::Debug::fmt(&self.1, f)?;
 
-        if let Some(index) = self.1 {
+        if let Some(index) = self.0 {
             write!(f, " -> {}", index)
         } else {
             Ok(())
@@ -1940,19 +1940,19 @@ impl Deref for NamespaceRef {
     type Target = StaticVec<Ident>;
 
     fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
-        &self.0
+        &self.1
     }
 }
 
 impl DerefMut for NamespaceRef {
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
-        &mut self.0
+        &mut self.1
     }
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for NamespaceRef {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
-        for Ident { name, .. } in self.0.iter() {
+        for Ident { name, .. } in self.1.iter() {
             write!(f, "{}{}", name, Token::DoubleColon.syntax())?;
         }
         Ok(())
@@ -1961,7 +1961,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for NamespaceRef {
 
 impl From<StaticVec<Ident>> for NamespaceRef {
     fn from(modules: StaticVec<Ident>) -> Self {
-        Self(modules, None)
+        Self(None, modules)
     }
 }
 
@@ -1991,12 +1991,14 @@ impl<M: Into<Module>> AddAssign<M> for Module {
 }
 
 impl NamespaceRef {
+    /// Get the [`Scope`][crate::Scope] index offset.
     pub(crate) fn index(&self) -> Option<NonZeroUsize> {
-        self.1
+        self.0
     }
+    /// Set the [`Scope`][crate::Scope] index offset.
     #[cfg(not(feature = "no_module"))]
     pub(crate) fn set_index(&mut self, index: Option<NonZeroUsize>) {
-        self.1 = index
+        self.0 = index
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/optimize.rs b/src/optimize.rs
index ce0d26b9..7c032d30 100644
--- a/src/optimize.rs
+++ b/src/optimize.rs
@@ -717,12 +717,12 @@ fn optimize_expr(expr: &mut Expr, state: &mut State) {
         Expr::FnCall(x, _) => x.args.iter_mut().for_each(|a| optimize_expr(a, state)),
 
         // constant-name
-        Expr::Variable(x) if x.1.is_none() && state.find_constant(&x.3.name).is_some() => {
+        Expr::Variable(x) if x.1.is_none() && state.find_constant(&x.2.name).is_some() => {
             state.set_dirty();
 
             // Replace constant with value
-            let mut result = state.find_constant(&x.3.name).unwrap().clone();
-            result.set_position(x.3.pos);
+            let mut result = state.find_constant(&x.2.name).unwrap().clone();
+            result.set_position(x.2.pos);
             *expr = result;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index cf0e9d4f..342fe94c 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ impl Expr {
     fn into_property(self, state: &mut ParseState) -> Self {
         match self {
             Self::Variable(x) if x.1.is_none() => {
-                let ident = x.3;
+                let ident = x.2;
                 let getter = state.get_interned_string(crate::engine::make_getter(&ident.name));
                 let setter = state.get_interned_string(crate::engine::make_setter(&ident.name));
                 Self::Property(Box::new(((getter, setter), ident.into())))
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ fn parse_fn_call(
     lib: &mut FunctionsLib,
     id: ImmutableString,
     capture: bool,
-    mut namespace: Option<Box<NamespaceRef>>,
+    mut namespace: Option<NamespaceRef>,
     settings: ParseSettings,
 ) -> Result<Expr, ParseError> {
     let (token, token_pos) = input.peek().unwrap();
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ fn parse_fn_call(
         Token::RightParen => {
             eat_token(input, Token::RightParen);
 
-            let mut hash_script = if let Some(modules) = namespace.as_mut() {
+            let mut hash_script = if let Some(ref mut modules) = namespace {
                 #[cfg(not(feature = "no_module"))]
                 modules.set_index(state.find_module(&modules[0].name));
 
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ fn parse_primary(
                 name: state.get_interned_string(s),
                 pos: settings.pos,
             };
-            Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, var_name_def)))
+            Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, var_name_def)))
         }
         // Namespace qualification
         #[cfg(not(feature = "no_module"))]
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ fn parse_primary(
                 name: state.get_interned_string(s),
                 pos: settings.pos,
             };
-            Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, var_name_def)))
+            Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, var_name_def)))
         }
         // Normal variable access
         Token::Identifier(s) => {
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ fn parse_primary(
                 name: state.get_interned_string(s),
                 pos: settings.pos,
             };
-            Expr::Variable(Box::new((index, None, None, var_name_def)))
+            Expr::Variable(Box::new((index, None, var_name_def)))
         }
 
         // Function call is allowed to have reserved keyword
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ fn parse_primary(
                     name: state.get_interned_string(s),
                     pos: settings.pos,
                 };
-                Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, var_name_def)))
+                Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, var_name_def)))
             } else {
                 return Err(PERR::Reserved(s).into_err(settings.pos));
             }
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ fn parse_primary(
                     name: state.get_interned_string(s),
                     pos: settings.pos,
                 };
-                Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, var_name_def)))
+                Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, var_name_def)))
             }
         }
 
@@ -1089,35 +1089,38 @@ fn parse_primary(
                     .into_err(pos));
                 }
 
-                let (_, modules, _, Ident { name, pos }) = *x;
+                let (_, namespace, Ident { name, pos }) = *x;
                 settings.pos = pos;
-                parse_fn_call(input, state, lib, name, true, modules, settings.level_up())?
+                let ns = namespace.map(|(_, ns)| ns);
+                parse_fn_call(input, state, lib, name, true, ns, settings.level_up())?
             }
             // Function call
             (Expr::Variable(x), Token::LeftParen) => {
-                let (_, modules, _, Ident { name, pos }) = *x;
+                let (_, namespace, Ident { name, pos }) = *x;
                 settings.pos = pos;
-                parse_fn_call(input, state, lib, name, false, modules, settings.level_up())?
+                let ns = namespace.map(|(_, ns)| ns);
+                parse_fn_call(input, state, lib, name, false, ns, settings.level_up())?
             }
             (Expr::Property(_), _) => unreachable!(),
             // module access
             (Expr::Variable(x), Token::DoubleColon) => match input.next().unwrap() {
                 (Token::Identifier(id2), pos2) => {
-                    let (index, mut modules, _, var_name_def) = *x;
+                    let (index, mut namespace, var_name_def) = *x;
 
-                    if let Some(ref mut modules) = modules {
-                        modules.push(var_name_def);
+                    if let Some((_, ref mut namespace)) = namespace {
+                        namespace.push(var_name_def);
                     } else {
-                        let mut m: NamespaceRef = Default::default();
-                        m.push(var_name_def);
-                        modules = Some(Box::new(m));
+                        let mut ns: NamespaceRef = Default::default();
+                        ns.push(var_name_def);
+                        let index = NonZeroU64::new(42).unwrap(); // Dummy
+                        namespace = Some((index, ns));
                     }
 
                     let var_name_def = Ident {
                         name: state.get_interned_string(id2),
                         pos: pos2,
                     };
-                    Expr::Variable(Box::new((index, modules, None, var_name_def)))
+                    Expr::Variable(Box::new((index, namespace, var_name_def)))
                 }
                 (Token::Reserved(id2), pos2) if is_valid_identifier(id2.chars()) => {
                     return Err(PERR::Reserved(id2).into_err(pos2));
@@ -1154,14 +1157,16 @@ fn parse_primary(
         _ => None,
     }
     .map(|x| {
-        let (_, modules, hash, Ident { name, .. }) = x.as_mut();
-        let namespace = modules.as_mut().unwrap();
+        if let (_, Some((ref mut hash, ref mut namespace)), Ident { name, .. }) = x.as_mut() {
+            // Qualifiers + variable name
+            *hash =
+                calc_script_fn_hash(namespace.iter().map(|v| v.name.as_str()), name, 0).unwrap();
 
-        // Qualifiers + variable name
-        *hash = calc_script_fn_hash(namespace.iter().map(|v| v.name.as_str()), name, 0);
-
-        #[cfg(not(feature = "no_module"))]
-        namespace.set_index(state.find_module(&namespace[0].name));
+            #[cfg(not(feature = "no_module"))]
+            namespace.set_index(state.find_module(&namespace[0].name));
+        } else {
+            unreachable!();
+        }
     });
 
     // Make sure identifiers are valid
@@ -1335,7 +1340,7 @@ fn make_assignment_stmt<'a>(
         )),
         // var (indexed) = rhs
         Expr::Variable(x) => {
-            let (index, _, _, Ident { name, pos }) = x.as_ref();
+            let (index, _, Ident { name, pos }) = x.as_ref();
             match state.stack[(state.stack.len() - index.unwrap().get())].1 {
                 AccessMode::ReadWrite => Ok(Stmt::Assignment(
                     Box::new((lhs, fn_name.into(), rhs)),
@@ -1356,7 +1361,7 @@ fn make_assignment_stmt<'a>(
             )),
             // var[???] (indexed) = rhs, var.??? (indexed) = rhs
             Expr::Variable(x) => {
-                let (index, _, _, Ident { name, pos }) = x.as_ref();
+                let (index, _, Ident { name, pos }) = x.as_ref();
                 match state.stack[(state.stack.len() - index.unwrap().get())].1 {
                     AccessMode::ReadWrite => Ok(Stmt::Assignment(
                         Box::new((lhs, fn_name.into(), rhs)),
@@ -1440,7 +1445,7 @@ fn make_dot_expr(
         }
         // lhs.id
         (lhs, Expr::Variable(x)) if x.1.is_none() => {
-            let ident = x.3;
+            let ident = x.2;
             let getter = state.get_interned_string(crate::engine::make_getter(&ident.name));
             let setter = state.get_interned_string(crate::engine::make_setter(&ident.name));
             let rhs = Expr::Property(Box::new(((getter, setter), ident)));
@@ -1449,7 +1454,7 @@ fn make_dot_expr(
         }
         // lhs.module::id - syntax error
         (_, Expr::Variable(x)) if x.1.is_some() => {
-            return Err(PERR::PropertyExpected.into_err(x.1.unwrap()[0].pos));
+            return Err(PERR::PropertyExpected.into_err(x.1.unwrap().1[0].pos));
         }
         // lhs.prop
         (lhs, prop @ Expr::Property(_)) => {
@@ -1877,7 +1882,7 @@ fn parse_custom_syntax(
                     segments.push(name.clone());
                     tokens.push(state.get_interned_string(MARKER_IDENT));
                     let var_name_def = Ident { name, pos };
-                    keywords.push(Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, var_name_def))));
+                    keywords.push(Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, var_name_def))));
                 }
                 (Token::Reserved(s), pos) if is_valid_identifier(s.chars()) => {
                     return Err(PERR::Reserved(s).into_err(pos));
@@ -2797,14 +2802,12 @@ fn make_curry_from_externals(fn_expr: Expr, externals: StaticVec<Ident>, pos: Po
 
     #[cfg(not(feature = "no_closure"))]
     externals.iter().for_each(|x| {
-        let expr = Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, x.clone().into())));
-        args.push(expr);
+        args.push(Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, x.clone().into()))));
     });
 
     #[cfg(feature = "no_closure")]
     externals.into_iter().for_each(|x| {
-        let expr = Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, None, x.clone().into())));
-        args.push(expr);
+        args.push(Expr::Variable(Box::new((None, None, x.clone().into()))));
     });
 
     let curry_func = crate::engine::KEYWORD_FN_PTR_CURRY;
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index 17721e47..5a9be55d 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -22,23 +22,21 @@ use crate::Shared;
 ///
 /// Panics when hashing any data type other than a [`NonZeroU64`].
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd, Hash)]
-pub struct StraightHasher(u64);
+pub struct StraightHasher(NonZeroU64);
 
 impl Hasher for StraightHasher {
     #[inline(always)]
     fn finish(&self) -> u64 {
-        self.0
+        self.0.get()
     }
     #[inline(always)]
     fn write(&mut self, bytes: &[u8]) {
         let mut key = [0_u8; 8];
         key.copy_from_slice(&bytes[..8]); // Panics if fewer than 8 bytes
-        self.0 = u64::from_le_bytes(key);
 
         // HACK - If it so happens to hash directly to zero (OMG!) then change it to 42...
-        if self.0 == 0 {
-            self.0 = 42;
-        }
+        self.0 = NonZeroU64::new(u64::from_le_bytes(key))
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| NonZeroU64::new(42).unwrap());
     }
 }
 
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ impl BuildHasher for StraightHasherBuilder {
 
     #[inline(always)]
     fn build_hasher(&self) -> Self::Hasher {
-        StraightHasher(1)
+        StraightHasher(NonZeroU64::new(42).unwrap())
     }
 }