diff --git a/src/jolt/core.janet b/src/jolt/core.janet
index 000cd84..ac2a4c7 100644
--- a/src/jolt/core.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/core.janet
@@ -1532,6 +1532,25 @@
     (pr-render buf (in pair 1)))
   (buffer/push-string buf "}"))
 
+(defn- name-of
+  "Extract a plain name string from a string, symbol struct, or a namespace/var
+  table (reading its :name) — never recurses into the cyclic ns structure."
+  [x]
+  (cond
+    (nil? x) nil
+    (string? x) x
+    (and (struct? x) (= :symbol (get x :jolt/type))) (x :name)
+    (or (struct? x) (table? x)) (name-of (get x :name))
+    (string x)))
+
+(defn- var-display
+  "Render a Jolt var as #'ns/name. A var's :meta/:ns refs are cyclic, so this
+  reads only its :name and :ns name — printing the var's pairs would loop."
+  [v]
+  (let [nm (name-of (v :name))
+        ns (name-of (v :ns))]
+    (if ns (string "#'" ns "/" nm) (string "#'" nm))))
+
 (set pr-render
   (fn [buf v]
     (cond
@@ -1551,6 +1570,7 @@
       (number? v) (buffer/push-string buf (fmt-number v))
       (and (struct? v) (= :symbol (v :jolt/type)))
         (buffer/push-string buf (if (v :ns) (string (v :ns) "/" (v :name)) (v :name)))
+      (and (table? v) (= :jolt/var (get v :jolt/type))) (buffer/push-string buf (var-display v))
       (core-sorted-map? v) (pr-render-pairs buf (sorted-map-entries v))
       (core-sorted-set? v) (pr-render-seq buf (v :items) "#{" "}")
       (lazy-seq? v) (pr-render-seq buf (realize-for-iteration v) "(" ")")
@@ -1580,6 +1600,7 @@
     (keyword? v) (string ":" (string v))
     (and (struct? v) (= :symbol (v :jolt/type)))
       (if (v :ns) (string (v :ns) "/" (v :name)) (v :name))
+    (and (table? v) (= :jolt/var (get v :jolt/type))) (var-display v)
     (number? v) (fmt-number v)
     (= true v) "true"
     (= false v) "false"
diff --git a/src/jolt/jolt/nrepl.clj b/src/jolt/jolt/nrepl.clj
index 27f4f42..55bb4a6 100644
--- a/src/jolt/jolt/nrepl.clj
+++ b/src/jolt/jolt/nrepl.clj
@@ -90,16 +90,13 @@
 ; regardless of the ambient ns.
 (defn- eval-in-ns [ns-str form]
   (in-ns (symbol ns-str))
-  (let [result (try {:val (eval form) :ns (:name (the-ns))}
+  ; Bind the value before reading the ns: jolt evaluates map-literal values
+  ; right-to-left, so the result ns must be captured *after* eval runs any in-ns.
+  (let [result (try (let [v (eval form)] {:val v :ns (:name (the-ns))})
                     (catch Throwable e {:err e :ns (:name (the-ns))}))]
     (in-ns 'jolt.nrepl)
     result))
 
-; pr-str on a var loops forever on its cyclic ns refs, so render vars (def/defn
-; results) ourselves as #'ns/name rather than printing them.
-(defn- render-value [v ns-str]
-  (if (var? v) (str "#'" ns-str "/" (get v :name)) (pr-str v)))
-
 (defn- eval-handler [server msg send!]
   ; current-ns is global ctx state shared by all fibers, so set the eval ns
   ; explicitly each time: requested :ns, else the session's last ns, else user.
@@ -122,7 +119,7 @@
               (flush-out)
               (swap! server assoc :eval-ns ns)
               (when err (throw err))
-              (respond {"ns" ns "value" (render-value val ns)})
+              (respond {"ns" ns "value" (pr-str val)})
               (recur (next forms) ns))))
         (janet/setdyn :out old-out)
         (respond {"status" ["done"]}))
diff --git a/test/integration/nrepl-test.janet b/test/integration/nrepl-test.janet
index 2b18f3e..fba05b8 100644
--- a/test/integration/nrepl-test.janet
+++ b/test/integration/nrepl-test.janet
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@
 (check "ns field reported"
   "(some #(get % \"ns\") (jolt.nrepl/client-eval c \"(+ 1 1)\" s))" "user")
 
+# in-ns switches the session ns, and it persists to the next eval
+(check "in-ns switches ns"
+  "(some #(get % \"ns\") (jolt.nrepl/client-eval c \"(in-ns (quote foo.bar))\" s))" "foo.bar")
+(check "ns persists across evals"
+  "(some #(get % \"ns\") (jolt.nrepl/client-eval c \"(+ 2 2)\" s))" "foo.bar")
+# explicit :ns on the message overrides
+(ev "(jolt.nrepl/request c {\"op\" \"eval\" \"code\" \"(+ 1 1)\" \"session\" s \"ns\" \"user\"})")
+
 # eval error -> eval-error status, and the connection keeps working afterward
 (check "eval error status"
   "(boolean (some #(let [st (get % \"status\")] (and (sequential? st) (some (fn [x] (= \"eval-error\" x)) st))) (jolt.nrepl/client-eval c \"(/ 1 :z)\" s)))"
diff --git a/test/spec/strings-spec.janet b/test/spec/strings-spec.janet
index e3739e1..e57b6e6 100644
--- a/test/spec/strings-spec.janet
+++ b/test/spec/strings-spec.janet
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@
   ["string? true"       "true"       "(string? \"x\")"]
   ["pr-str vector"      "\"[1 2 3]\"" "(pr-str [1 2 3])"]
   ["pr-str quotes str"  "\"\\\"hi\\\"\"" "(pr-str \"hi\")"]
+  # a var's :meta/:ns refs are cyclic — pr-str/str render it as #'ns/name
+  # rather than recursing into (and looping on) the var's fields.
+  ["pr-str of a var"    "\"#'user/vv\"" "(pr-str (def vv 1))"]
+  ["str of a var"       "\"#'user/ww\"" "(str (def ww 2))"]
+  ["pr-str of a defn"   "\"#'user/gg\"" "(pr-str (defn gg [x] x))"]
   ["seq of string"      "[\\a \\b]"  "(seq \"ab\")"])
 
 (defspec "clojure.string"