diff --git a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
index fac8aff3..8b2827f2 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
+++ b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
   "language": "erlang",
-  "total_pass": 738,
-  "total": 738,
+  "total_pass": 750,
+  "total": 750,
   "suites": [
     {"name":"tokenize","pass":62,"total":62,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"parse","pass":52,"total":52,"status":"ok"},
-    {"name":"eval","pass":385,"total":385,"status":"ok"},
+    {"name":"eval","pass":397,"total":397,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"runtime","pass":93,"total":93,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"ring","pass":4,"total":4,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"ping-pong","pass":4,"total":4,"status":"ok"},
diff --git a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
index 75cac040..13ad1a7c 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
+++ b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # Erlang-on-SX Scoreboard
 
-**Total: 738 / 738 tests passing**
+**Total: 750 / 750 tests passing**
 
 |  | Suite | Pass | Total |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | ✅ | tokenize | 62 | 62 |
 | ✅ | parse | 52 | 52 |
-| ✅ | eval | 385 | 385 |
+| ✅ | eval | 397 | 397 |
 | ✅ | runtime | 93 | 93 |
 | ✅ | ring | 4 | 4 |
 | ✅ | ping-pong | 4 | 4 |
diff --git a/lib/erlang/tests/eval.sx b/lib/erlang/tests/eval.sx
index 4bd322db..7ff48aed 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/tests/eval.sx
+++ b/lib/erlang/tests/eval.sx
@@ -1341,6 +1341,23 @@
   (get (nth (get er-rt-cap-result :elements) 4) :name) "true")
 
 
+
+;; ── $X char literals (Step 3b substrate fix 2026-06-04) ──────────
+(er-eval-test "char $A" (ev "$A") 65)
+(er-eval-test "char $a" (ev "$a") 97)
+(er-eval-test "char $0 is digit, not escape-NUL" (ev "$0") 48)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\n is newline (10)" (ev "$\\n") 10)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\t is tab (9)" (ev "$\\t") 9)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\r is CR (13)" (ev "$\\r") 13)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\s is space (32)" (ev "$\\s") 32)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\0 is NUL (0)" (ev "$\\0") 0)
+(er-eval-test "char $\\\\ is backslash (92)" (ev "$\\\\") 92)
+(er-eval-test "[$h,$i] head is 104" (ev "hd([$h, $i])") 104)
+(er-eval-test "list_to_binary char-list -> bytes"
+  (ev "byte_size(list_to_binary([$f, $e, $d]))") 3)
+(er-eval-test "list_to_binary char-list round-trip"
+  (nm (ev "list_to_binary([$h, $i]) =:= <<104, 105>>")) "true")
+
 (define
   er-eval-test-summary
   (str "eval " er-eval-test-pass "/" er-eval-test-count))
diff --git a/lib/erlang/tokenizer.sx b/lib/erlang/tokenizer.sx
index c46e7bc6..8a70bde4 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/tokenizer.sx
+++ b/lib/erlang/tokenizer.sx
@@ -229,13 +229,37 @@
                 (= ch "$")
                 (do
                   (er-advance! 1)
-                  (if
-                    (and (< pos src-len) (= (er-cur) "\\"))
-                    (do
-                      (er-advance! 1)
-                      (when (< pos src-len) (er-advance! 1)))
-                    (when (< pos src-len) (er-advance! 1)))
-                  (er-emit! "integer" (slice src start pos) start)
+                  ;; Emit the char's decimal code as the integer token value
+                  ;; (was: raw "$X" text — parse-number then returned nil).
+                  (let
+                    ((code (cond
+                       (>= pos src-len) 0
+                       (= (er-cur) "\\")
+                         (do
+                           (er-advance! 1)
+                           (let ((esc (if (< pos src-len) (er-cur) "")))
+                             (when (< pos src-len) (er-advance! 1))
+                             (cond
+                               (= esc "n")  10
+                               (= esc "t")  9
+                               (= esc "r")  13
+                               (= esc "s")  32
+                               (= esc "b")  8
+                               (= esc "e")  27
+                               (= esc "f")  12
+                               (= esc "v")  11
+                               (= esc "d")  127
+                               (= esc "0")  0
+                               (= esc "\\")  92
+                               (= esc "\"") 34
+                               (= esc "'")  39
+                               (= esc "")   0
+                               :else (char->integer (nth (string->list esc) 0)))))
+                       :else
+                         (let ((c (er-cur)))
+                           (er-advance! 1)
+                           (char->integer (nth (string->list c) 0))))))
+                    (er-emit! "integer" (str code) start))
                   (scan!))
                 (er-lower? ch)
                 (do