diff --git a/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx b/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
index 80fbbf20..6f346d29 100644
--- a/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
+++ b/lib/hyperscript/compiler.sx
@@ -1257,13 +1257,12 @@
               ((= head (quote empty-target))
                 (let
                   ((tgt (nth ast 1)))
-                  (if
-                    (and (list? tgt) (= (first tgt) (quote local)))
-                    (list
-                      (quote set!)
-                      (make-symbol (nth tgt 1))
-                      (list (quote hs-empty-like) (make-symbol (nth tgt 1))))
-                    (list (quote hs-empty-target!) (hs-to-sx tgt)))))
+                  (cond
+                    ((and (list? tgt) (= (first tgt) (quote local)))
+                      (emit-set
+                        tgt
+                        (list (quote hs-empty-like) (hs-to-sx tgt))))
+                    (true (list (quote hs-empty-target!) (hs-to-sx tgt))))))
               ((= head (quote open-element))
                 (list (quote hs-open!) (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))))
               ((= head (quote close-element))
diff --git a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
index 80fbbf20..6f346d29 100644
--- a/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
+++ b/shared/static/wasm/sx/hs-compiler.sx
@@ -1257,13 +1257,12 @@
               ((= head (quote empty-target))
                 (let
                   ((tgt (nth ast 1)))
-                  (if
-                    (and (list? tgt) (= (first tgt) (quote local)))
-                    (list
-                      (quote set!)
-                      (make-symbol (nth tgt 1))
-                      (list (quote hs-empty-like) (make-symbol (nth tgt 1))))
-                    (list (quote hs-empty-target!) (hs-to-sx tgt)))))
+                  (cond
+                    ((and (list? tgt) (= (first tgt) (quote local)))
+                      (emit-set
+                        tgt
+                        (list (quote hs-empty-like) (hs-to-sx tgt))))
+                    (true (list (quote hs-empty-target!) (hs-to-sx tgt))))))
               ((= head (quote open-element))
                 (list (quote hs-open!) (hs-to-sx (nth ast 1))))
               ((= head (quote close-element))
diff --git a/tests/hs-run-filtered.js b/tests/hs-run-filtered.js
index 93a8992d..8e122561 100755
--- a/tests/hs-run-filtered.js
+++ b/tests/hs-run-filtered.js
@@ -265,7 +265,18 @@ const _log = _origLog; // keep reference for our own output
 
 // ─── FFI ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 K.registerNative('host-global',a=>{const n=a[0];return(n in globalThis)?globalThis[n]:null;});
-K.registerNative('host-get',a=>{if(a[0]==null)return null;let v=a[0][a[1]];if(v===undefined)return null;if((a[1]==='innerHTML'||a[1]==='textContent'||a[1]==='value'||a[1]==='className')&&typeof v!=='string')v=String(v!=null?v:'');return v;});
+K.registerNative('host-get',a=>{
+  if(a[0]==null)return null;
+  // SX lists (arrive as {_type:'list', items:[...]}) don't expose length/size
+  // through JS property access. Hand-roll common collection queries so
+  // compiled HS `x.length` / `x.size` works on scoped lists.
+  if(a[0] && a[0]._type==='list' && (a[1]==='length' || a[1]==='size')) return a[0].items.length;
+  if(a[0] && a[0]._type==='dict' && a[1]==='size') return Object.keys(a[0]).filter(k=>k!=='_type').length;
+  let v=a[0][a[1]];
+  if(v===undefined)return null;
+  if((a[1]==='innerHTML'||a[1]==='textContent'||a[1]==='value'||a[1]==='className')&&typeof v!=='string')v=String(v!=null?v:'');
+  return v;
+});
 K.registerNative('host-set!',a=>{if(a[0]!=null){const v=a[2]; if(a[1]==='innerHTML'&&a[0] instanceof El){const s=String(v!=null?v:'');a[0]._setInnerHTML(s);a[0][a[1]]=a[0].innerHTML;} else if(a[1]==='textContent'&&a[0] instanceof El){const s=String(v!=null?v:'');a[0].textContent=s;a[0].innerHTML=s;for(const c of a[0].children){c.parentElement=null;c.parentNode=null;}a[0].children=[];a[0].childNodes=[];} else{a[0][a[1]]=v;}} return a[2];});
 K.registerNative('host-call',a=>{if(_testDeadline&&Date.now()>_testDeadline)throw new Error('TIMEOUT: wall clock exceeded');const[o,m,...r]=a;if(o==null){const f=globalThis[m];return typeof f==='function'?f.apply(null,r):null;}if(o&&typeof o[m]==='function'){try{const v=o[m].apply(o,r);return v===undefined?null:v;}catch(e){return null;}}return null;});
 K.registerNative('host-new',a=>{const C=typeof a[0]==='string'?globalThis[a[0]]:a[0];return typeof C==='function'?new C(...a.slice(1)):null;});