diff --git a/shared/sx/async_eval.py b/shared/sx/async_eval.py
index 7eed7b3..b810129 100644
--- a/shared/sx/async_eval.py
+++ b/shared/sx/async_eval.py
@@ -1013,6 +1013,8 @@ async def async_eval_to_sx(
         return result
     if result is None or result is NIL:
         return SxExpr("")
+    if isinstance(result, str):
+        return SxExpr(result)
     return SxExpr(serialize(result))
 
 
@@ -1042,6 +1044,8 @@ async def async_eval_slot_to_sx(
                     return result
                 if result is None or result is NIL:
                     return SxExpr("")
+                if isinstance(result, str):
+                    return SxExpr(result)
                 return SxExpr(serialize(result))
             else:
                 import logging
@@ -1059,6 +1063,9 @@ async def async_eval_slot_to_sx(
         return result
     if result is None or result is NIL:
         return SxExpr("")
+    if isinstance(result, str):
+        # Plain strings from page helpers are already sx source — don't quote.
+        return SxExpr(result)
     return SxExpr(serialize(result))
 
 
diff --git a/shared/sx/helpers.py b/shared/sx/helpers.py
index 6d7fba0..1d89727 100644
--- a/shared/sx/helpers.py
+++ b/shared/sx/helpers.py
@@ -347,8 +347,19 @@ async def _render_to_sx_with_env(__name: str, extra_env: dict, **kwargs: Any) ->
     """
     from .jinja_bridge import get_component_env, _get_request_context
     from .async_eval import async_eval_slot_to_sx
+    from .types import Symbol, Keyword, NIL as _NIL
+
+    # Build AST with extra_env entries as keyword args so _aser_component
+    # binds them as params (otherwise it defaults all params to NIL).
+    comp_sym = Symbol(__name if __name.startswith("~") else f"~{__name}")
+    ast: list = [comp_sym]
+    for k, v in extra_env.items():
+        ast.append(Keyword(k))
+        ast.append(v if v is not None else _NIL)
+    for k, v in kwargs.items():
+        ast.append(Keyword(k.replace("_", "-")))
+        ast.append(v if v is not None else _NIL)
 
-    ast = _build_component_ast(__name, **kwargs)
     env = dict(get_component_env())
     env.update(extra_env)
     ctx = _get_request_context()
diff --git a/sx/sxc/pages/utils.py b/sx/sxc/pages/utils.py
index f08e5de..9012cb9 100644
--- a/sx/sxc/pages/utils.py
+++ b/sx/sxc/pages/utils.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from shared.sx.helpers import (
 )
 
 
-def _nav_items_sx(items: list[tuple[str, str]], current: str | None = None) -> str:
+def _nav_items_sx(items: list[tuple[str, str]], current: str | None = None) -> SxExpr:
     """Build nav link items as sx."""
     parts = []
     for label, href in items:
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def _nav_items_sx(items: list[tuple[str, str]], current: str | None = None) -> s
             is_selected="true" if current == label else None,
             select_colours="aria-selected:bg-violet-200 aria-selected:text-violet-900",
         ))
-    return "(<> " + " ".join(parts) + ")"
+    return SxExpr("(<> " + " ".join(parts) + ")")
 
 
 def _doc_nav_sx(items: list[tuple[str, str]], current: str) -> str: