diff --git a/schala-lang/language/src/eval.rs b/schala-lang/language/src/eval.rs
index 44e266a..63dbdff 100644
--- a/schala-lang/language/src/eval.rs
+++ b/schala-lang/language/src/eval.rs
@@ -387,37 +387,38 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
     Ok(Node::Expr(Expr::Unit))
   }
 
+  fn guard_passes(&mut self, guard: &Option<Expr>, cond: &Node) -> EvalResult<bool> {
+    if let Some(ref guard_expr) = guard {
+      let guard_expr = match cond {
+        Node::Expr(ref e) => guard_expr.clone().replace_conditional_target_sigil(e),
+        _ => guard_expr.clone()
+      };
+      Ok(self.expression(guard_expr.to_node())?.is_true())
+    } else {
+      Ok(true)
+    }
+  }
+
   fn case_match_expression(&mut self, cond: Expr, alternatives: Vec<Alternative>) -> EvalResult<Node> {
+
+    //TODO need to handle recursive subpatterns
+    let all_subpatterns_pass = |state: &mut State, subpatterns: &Vec<Option<Subpattern>>, items: &Vec<Node>| -> EvalResult<bool> {
+      for (maybe_subp, cond) in subpatterns.iter().zip(items.iter()) {
+        if let Some(subp) = maybe_subp {
+          if !state.guard_passes(&subp.guard, &cond)? {
+            return Ok(false)
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      Ok(true)
+    };
+
     let cond = self.expression(Node::Expr(cond))?;
     for alt in alternatives {
       println!("ALTERNATIVE: {:?}", alt);
       // no matter what type of condition we have, ignore alternative if the guard evaluates false
-      if let Some(ref guard_expr) = alt.guard {
-        let guard_expr = match &cond {
-          Node::Expr(ref e) => guard_expr.clone().replace_conditional_target_sigil(e),
-          _ => guard_expr.clone()
-        };
-
-        if !self.expression(guard_expr.to_node())?.is_true() {
-          continue;
-        }
-      }
-
-      fn all_subpatterns_pass(state: &mut State, subpatterns: &Vec<Option<Subpattern>>, items: &Vec<Node>) -> EvalResult<bool> {
-        for (maybe_subp, cond) in subpatterns.iter().zip(items.iter()) {
-          if let Some(subp) = maybe_subp {
-            if let Some(ref guard) = subp.guard {
-              let guard_expr = match &cond {
-                Node::Expr(ref e) => guard.clone().replace_conditional_target_sigil(e),
-                _ => guard.clone()
-              };
-              if !state.expression(guard_expr.to_node())?.is_true() {
-                return Ok(false);
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        }
-        Ok(true)
+      if !self.guard_passes(&alt.guard, &cond)? {
+        continue;
       }
 
       match cond {
diff --git a/schala-lang/language/src/reduced_ast.rs b/schala-lang/language/src/reduced_ast.rs
index 05fab9d..96e0a5c 100644
--- a/schala-lang/language/src/reduced_ast.rs
+++ b/schala-lang/language/src/reduced_ast.rs
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ fn handle_symbol(symbol: Option<&Symbol>, inner_patterns: &Vec<Pattern>, symbol_
 
 impl Pattern {
   fn to_alternative(&self, item: Vec<Stmt>, symbol_table: &SymbolTable) -> Alternative {
-    use self::Pattern::*;
     let s = self.to_subpattern(symbol_table);
     Alternative {
       tag: s.tag,