diff --git a/src/bin/cli.ml b/src/bin/cli.ml
index 47aac3cd9..3ca3d2bf3 100644
--- a/src/bin/cli.ml
+++ b/src/bin/cli.ml
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ let compile_storage =
     toplevel ~display_format @@
     let%bind value =
       trace (simple_error "compile-storage") @@
-      Ligo.Compile.Of_source.compile_file_contract_storage ~bigmap source entry_point expression (Syntax_name syntax) in
+      Ligo.Compile.Of_source.compile_file_contract_storage ~value:bigmap source entry_point expression (Syntax_name syntax) in
     ok @@ Format.asprintf "%a\n" Tezos_utils.Michelson.pp value
   in
   let term =
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ let dry_run =
   let f source entry_point storage input amount syntax display_format bigmap =
     toplevel ~display_format @@
     let%bind output =
-      Ligo.Run.Of_source.run_contract ~amount ~bigmap source entry_point storage input (Syntax_name syntax) in
+      Ligo.Run.Of_source.run_contract ~amount ~storage_value:bigmap source entry_point storage input (Syntax_name syntax) in
     ok @@ Format.asprintf "%a\n" Ast_simplified.PP.expression output
   in
   let term =
diff --git a/src/main/compile/of_mini_c.ml b/src/main/compile/of_mini_c.ml
index 5a1ff886e..34d8cd753 100644
--- a/src/main/compile/of_mini_c.ml
+++ b/src/main/compile/of_mini_c.ml
@@ -5,8 +5,16 @@ open Tezos_utils
 let compile_value : value -> type_value -> Michelson.t result =
   Compiler.Program.translate_value
 
-let compile_expression : expression -> _ result = fun e ->
-  Compiler.Program.translate_expression e Compiler.Environment.empty
+let compile_expression ?(value = false)  : expression -> _ result = fun e ->
+  if value then (
+    let%bind value = expression_to_value e in
+    Format.printf "Compile to value\n" ;
+    let%bind result = compile_value value e.type_value in
+    Format.printf "Compiled to value\n" ;
+    ok result
+  ) else (
+    Compiler.Program.translate_expression e Compiler.Environment.empty
+  )
 
 let compile_expression_as_function : expression -> _ result = fun e ->
   let (input , output) = t_unit , e.type_value in
diff --git a/src/main/compile/of_source.ml b/src/main/compile/of_source.ml
index 169dba0da..42c6adf91 100644
--- a/src/main/compile/of_source.ml
+++ b/src/main/compile/of_source.ml
@@ -30,19 +30,19 @@ let compile_file_expression : string -> string -> string -> s_syntax -> Michelso
   let%bind simplified = parsify_expression syntax expression in
   Of_simplified.compile_expression simplified
 
-let compile_file_contract_storage : string -> string -> string -> s_syntax -> Michelson.t result =
+let compile_file_contract_storage ~value : string -> string -> string -> s_syntax -> Michelson.t result =
   fun source_filename _entry_point expression syntax ->
   let%bind syntax = syntax_to_variant syntax (Some source_filename) in
   let%bind simplified = parsify_expression syntax expression in
-  Of_simplified.compile_expression simplified
+  Of_simplified.compile_expression ~value simplified
 
 let compile_file_contract_args =
-  fun source_filename _entry_point storage parameter syntax ->
+  fun ?value source_filename _entry_point storage parameter syntax ->
   let%bind syntax = syntax_to_variant syntax (Some source_filename) in
   let%bind storage_simplified = parsify_expression syntax storage in
   let%bind parameter_simplified = parsify_expression syntax parameter in
   let args = Ast_simplified.e_pair storage_simplified parameter_simplified in
-  Of_simplified.compile_expression args
+  Of_simplified.compile_expression ?value args
 
 let type_file ?(debug_simplify = false) ?(debug_typed = false)
     syntax (source_filename:string) : Ast_typed.program result =
diff --git a/src/main/compile/of_typed.ml b/src/main/compile/of_typed.ml
index ea75960b9..e8ac1e8e7 100644
--- a/src/main/compile/of_typed.ml
+++ b/src/main/compile/of_typed.ml
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ open Tezos_utils
 
 
 let compile_expression ?(value = false) : annotated_expression -> Michelson.t result = fun e ->
-  let _ = value in
   let%bind mini_c_expression = Transpiler.transpile_annotated_expression e in
-  let%bind expr = Of_mini_c.compile_expression mini_c_expression in
+  let%bind expr = Of_mini_c.compile_expression ~value mini_c_expression in
   ok expr
 
 let compile_expression_as_function : annotated_expression -> _ result = fun e ->
diff --git a/src/main/run/of_simplified.ml b/src/main/run/of_simplified.ml
index e0e3e1a17..9c5d830cc 100644
--- a/src/main/run/of_simplified.ml
+++ b/src/main/run/of_simplified.ml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ let run_typed_program
     let env = get_final_environment program in
     Compile.Of_simplified.compile_expression ~env ?value:input_to_value input
   in
-  let%bind ex_ty_value = Of_michelson.run ?options code input in
+  let%bind ex_ty_value = Of_michelson.run ?is_input_value:input_to_value ?options code input in
   Compile.Of_simplified.uncompile_typed_program_entry_function_result program entry ex_ty_value
 
 let evaluate_typed_program_entry
diff --git a/src/main/run/of_source.ml b/src/main/run/of_source.ml
index 5bc8b421c..3014cbbb7 100644
--- a/src/main/run/of_source.ml
+++ b/src/main/run/of_source.ml
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ include struct
     ok ()
 end
 
-let run_contract ?amount source_filename entry_point storage parameter syntax =
+let run_contract ?amount ?storage_value source_filename entry_point storage parameter syntax =
   let%bind program = Compile.Of_source.type_file syntax source_filename in
   let%bind code = Compile.Of_typed.compile_function_entry program entry_point in
-  let%bind args = Compile.Of_source.compile_file_contract_args source_filename entry_point storage parameter syntax in
+  let%bind args = Compile.Of_source.compile_file_contract_args ?value:storage_value source_filename entry_point storage parameter syntax in
   let%bind ex_value_ty =
     let options =
       let open Proto_alpha_utils.Memory_proto_alpha in
diff --git a/src/passes/8-compiler/uncompiler.ml b/src/passes/8-compiler/uncompiler.ml
index c114d901d..2838298d3 100644
--- a/src/passes/8-compiler/uncompiler.ml
+++ b/src/passes/8-compiler/uncompiler.ml
@@ -77,10 +77,12 @@ let rec translate_value ?bm_opt (Ex_typed_value (ty, value)) : value result =
         let aux k v acc = (k, v) :: acc in
         let lst = Script_ir_translator.map_fold aux m.diff [] in
         List.rev lst in
-      let%bind original_big_map = 
+      let%bind original_big_map =
         match bm_opt with
         | Some (D_big_map l) -> ok @@ l
-        | _ -> fail @@ simple_error "Do not have access to the original big_map" in
+        | _ -> ok []
+        (* | _ -> fail @@ simple_error "Do not have access to the original big_map" . When does this matter? *)
+      in
       let%bind lst' =
         let aux orig (k, v) =
           let%bind k' = translate_value (Ex_typed_value (k_ty, k)) in
diff --git a/src/stages/mini_c/misc.ml b/src/stages/mini_c/misc.ml
index 21e049e38..60810643c 100644
--- a/src/stages/mini_c/misc.ml
+++ b/src/stages/mini_c/misc.ml
@@ -106,3 +106,61 @@ let aggregate_entry (lst : program) (name : string) (to_functionalize : bool) :
       Format.printf "Not functional: %a\n" PP.expression entry_expression ;
       fail @@ Errors.not_functional_main name
   )
+
+let rec expression_to_value (exp: expression) : value result =
+  match exp.content with
+    | E_literal v -> ok @@ v
+    | E_constant ("map" , lst) ->
+      let aux el =
+        let%bind l = expression_to_value el in
+        match l with
+          | D_pair (a , b) -> ok @@ (a , b)
+          | _ -> fail @@ simple_error "??" in
+      let%bind lstl = bind_map_list aux lst in
+      ok @@ D_map lstl
+    | E_constant ("big_map" , lst) ->
+      let aux el =
+        let%bind l = expression_to_value el in
+        match l with
+          | D_pair (a , b) -> ok @@ (a , b)
+          | _ -> fail @@ simple_error "??" in
+      let%bind lstl = bind_map_list aux lst in
+      ok @@ D_big_map lstl
+    | E_constant ("PAIR" , fst::snd::[]) ->
+      let%bind fstl = expression_to_value fst in
+      let%bind sndl = expression_to_value snd in
+      ok @@ D_pair (fstl , sndl)
+    | E_constant ("UNIT", _) -> ok @@ D_unit
+    | E_constant ("UPDATE", _) ->
+      let rec handle_prev upd =
+        match upd.content with
+        | E_constant ("UPDATE" , [k;v;prev]) ->
+          begin
+            match v.content with
+              | E_constant ("SOME" , [i]) ->
+                let%bind kl = expression_to_value k in
+                let%bind il  = expression_to_value i in
+                let%bind prevl = handle_prev prev in
+                ok @@ (kl,il)::prevl
+              | E_constant ("NONE" , []) ->
+                let%bind prevl = handle_prev prev in
+                ok @@ prevl
+              | _ -> failwith "UPDATE second parameter is not an option"
+          end
+        | E_make_empty_map _ ->
+          ok @@ []
+        | _ -> failwith "Ill-constructed map"
+      in
+      begin
+      match exp.type_value with
+        | T_big_map _ ->
+          let%bind kvl = handle_prev exp in
+          ok @@ D_big_map kvl
+        | T_map _ ->
+          let%bind kvl = handle_prev exp in
+          ok @@ D_map kvl
+        | _ -> failwith "UPDATE with a non-map type_value"
+      end
+    | _ as nl ->
+      let expp = Format.asprintf "'%a'" PP.expression' nl in
+      fail @@ simple_error ("Can not convert expression "^expp^" to literal")
diff --git a/src/test/integration_tests.ml b/src/test/integration_tests.ml
index f3f49af85..639310afc 100644
--- a/src/test/integration_tests.ml
+++ b/src/test/integration_tests.ml
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ let big_map () : unit result =
   let%bind () =
     let make_input = fun n -> ez [(23, n) ; (42, 4)] in
     let make_expected = e_int in
-    expect_eq_n ?input_to_value:(Some true) program "gf" make_input make_expected
+    expect_eq_n ~input_to_value:true program "gf" make_input make_expected
   in
   let%bind () =
     let make_input = fun n ->