diff --git a/owl.js b/owl.js
index cc4c64fc..9bd02601 100644
--- a/owl.js
+++ b/owl.js
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@
     };
     // note that the space after typeof is relevant. It makes sure that the formatted
     // expression has a space after typeof
-    const OPERATORS = ".,===,==,+,!==,!=,!,||,&&,>=,>,<=,<,?,-,*,/,%,typeof ,=>".split(",");
+    const OPERATORS = "...,.,===,==,+,!==,!=,!,||,&&,>=,>,<=,<,?,-,*,/,%,typeof ,=>,=,;".split(",");
     let tokenizeString = function (expr) {
         let s = expr[0];
         let start = s;
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@
             this.currentKey = "";
             this.rootContext = this;
             this.templateName = name || "noname";
-            this.addLine("var h = this.h;");
+            this.addLine("let h = this.h;");
         }
         generateID() {
             return CompilationContext.nextID++;
@@ -1068,9 +1068,12 @@
          * Such a key is necessary when we need to associate an id to some element
          * generated by a template (for example, a component)
          */
-        generateTemplateKey() {
+        generateTemplateKey(prefix = "") {
             const id = this.generateID();
-            let locationExpr = `\`__${this.generateID()}__`;
+            if (this.loopNumber === 0 && !this.currentKey) {
+                return `'${prefix}__${id}__'`;
+            }
+            let locationExpr = `\`${prefix}__${id}__`;
             for (let i = 0; i < this.loopNumber - 1; i++) {
                 locationExpr += `\${i${i + 1}}__`;
             }
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@
         startProtectScope() {
             const protectID = this.generateID();
             this.rootContext.shouldDefineScope = true;
-            this.addLine(`const _origScope${protectID} = scope;`);
+            this.addLine(`let _origScope${protectID} = scope;`);
             this.addLine(`scope = Object.assign(Object.create(context), scope);`);
             return protectID;
         }
@@ -1251,12 +1254,9 @@
         if (typeof str === "number") {
             return String(str);
         }
-        return str
-            .replace(/&/g, "&amp;")
-            .replace(/</g, "&lt;")
-            .replace(/>/g, "&gt;")
-            .replace(/"/g, "&#x27;")
-            .replace(/`/g, "&#x60;");
+        const p = document.createElement("p");
+        p.textContent = str;
+        return p.innerHTML;
     }
     /**
      * Returns a function, that, as long as it continues to be invoked, will not
@@ -1352,7 +1352,13 @@
                     return vnode.text;
                 }
             })
-                .join();
+                .join("");
+        },
+        getComponent(obj) {
+            while (obj && !obj.hasOwnProperty("__owl__")) {
+                obj = obj.__proto__;
+            }
+            return obj;
         }
     };
     function parseXML(xml) {
@@ -1537,8 +1543,17 @@
                 return vnode.text;
             }
             const node = document.createElement(vnode.sel);
-            const result = patch(node, vnode);
-            return result.elm.outerHTML;
+            const elem = patch(node, vnode).elm;
+            function escapeTextNodes(node) {
+                if (node.nodeType === 3) {
+                    node.textContent = escape(node.textContent);
+                }
+                for (let n of node.childNodes) {
+                    escapeTextNodes(n);
+                }
+            }
+            escapeTextNodes(elem);
+            return elem.outerHTML;
         }
         /**
          * Force all widgets connected to this QWeb instance to rerender themselves.
@@ -1637,7 +1652,7 @@
                     // this is an unusual situation: this text node is the result of the
                     // template rendering.
                     let nodeID = ctx.generateID();
-                    ctx.addLine(`var vn${nodeID} = {text: \`${text}\`};`);
+                    ctx.addLine(`let vn${nodeID} = {text: \`${text}\`};`);
                     ctx.addLine(`result = vn${nodeID};`);
                     ctx.rootContext.rootNode = nodeID;
                     ctx.rootContext.parentTextNode = nodeID;
@@ -1822,7 +1837,7 @@
                         }
                     }
                     else {
-                        ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = '${value}';`);
+                        ctx.addLine(`let _${attID} = '${value}';`);
                         if (!name.match(/^[a-zA-Z]+$/)) {
                             // attribute contains 'non letters' => we want to quote it
                             name = '"' + name + '"';
@@ -1858,12 +1873,12 @@
                         const attValue = node.getAttribute(attName);
                         if (attValue) {
                             const attValueID = ctx.generateID();
-                            ctx.addLine(`var _${attValueID} = ${formattedValue};`);
+                            ctx.addLine(`let _${attValueID} = ${formattedValue};`);
                             formattedValue = `'${attValue}' + (_${attValueID} ? ' ' + _${attValueID} : '')`;
                             const attrIndex = attrs.findIndex(att => att.startsWith(attName + ":"));
                             attrs.splice(attrIndex, 1);
                         }
-                        ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = ${formattedValue};`);
+                        ctx.addLine(`let _${attID} = ${formattedValue};`);
                         attrs.push(`${attName}: _${attID}`);
                         handleBooleanProps(attName, attID);
                     }
@@ -1878,17 +1893,17 @@
                     const attID = ctx.generateID();
                     let staticVal = node.getAttribute(attName);
                     if (staticVal) {
-                        ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = '${staticVal} ' + ${formattedExpr};`);
+                        ctx.addLine(`let _${attID} = '${staticVal} ' + ${formattedExpr};`);
                     }
                     else {
-                        ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = ${formattedExpr};`);
+                        ctx.addLine(`let _${attID} = ${formattedExpr};`);
                     }
                     attrs.push(`${attName}: _${attID}`);
                 }
                 // t-att= attributes
                 if (name === "t-att") {
                     let id = ctx.generateID();
-                    ctx.addLine(`var _${id} = ${ctx.formatExpression(value)};`);
+                    ctx.addLine(`let _${id} = ${ctx.formatExpression(value)};`);
                     tattrs.push(id);
                 }
             }
@@ -1919,7 +1934,7 @@
                 ctx.addLine(`}`);
                 ctx.closeIf();
             }
-            ctx.addLine(`var vn${nodeID} = h('${node.nodeName}', p${nodeID}, c${nodeID});`);
+            ctx.addLine(`let vn${nodeID} = h('${node.nodeName}', p${nodeID}, c${nodeID});`);
             if (ctx.parentNode) {
                 ctx.addLine(`c${ctx.parentNode}.push(vn${nodeID});`);
             }
@@ -2009,12 +2024,12 @@
         let exprID;
         if (typeof value === "string") {
             exprID = `_${ctx.generateID()}`;
-            ctx.addLine(`var ${exprID} = ${ctx.formatExpression(value)};`);
+            ctx.addLine(`let ${exprID} = ${ctx.formatExpression(value)};`);
         }
         else {
             exprID = `scope.${value.id}`;
         }
-        ctx.addIf(`${exprID} || ${exprID} === 0`);
+        ctx.addIf(`${exprID} != null`);
         if (ctx.escaping) {
             let protectID;
             if (value.hasBody) {
@@ -2031,7 +2046,7 @@
                 let nodeID = ctx.generateID();
                 ctx.rootContext.rootNode = nodeID;
                 ctx.rootContext.parentTextNode = nodeID;
-                ctx.addLine(`var vn${nodeID} = {text: ${exprID}};`);
+                ctx.addLine(`let vn${nodeID} = {text: ${exprID}};`);
                 if (ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineResult) {
                     ctx.addLine(`result = vn${nodeID}`);
                 }
@@ -2103,7 +2118,7 @@
                 const tempParentNodeID = ctx.generateID();
                 const _parentNode = ctx.parentNode;
                 ctx.parentNode = tempParentNodeID;
-                ctx.addLine(`const c${tempParentNodeID} = new utils.VDomArray();`);
+                ctx.addLine(`let c${tempParentNodeID} = new utils.VDomArray();`);
                 const nodeCopy = node.cloneNode(true);
                 for (let attr of ["t-set", "t-value", "t-if", "t-else", "t-elif"]) {
                     nodeCopy.removeAttribute(attr);
@@ -2170,6 +2185,7 @@
             // Step 1: sanity checks
             // ------------------------------------------------
             ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineScope = true;
+            ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineUtils = true;
             if (node.nodeName !== "t") {
                 throw new Error("Invalid tag for t-call directive (should be 't')");
             }
@@ -2195,7 +2211,9 @@
                 ctx.indent();
                 protectID = ctx.startProtectScope();
                 const nodeCopy = node.cloneNode(true);
-                nodeCopy.removeAttribute("t-call");
+                for (let attr of ["t-if", "t-else", "t-elif", "t-call"]) {
+                    nodeCopy.removeAttribute(attr);
+                }
                 const parentNode = ctx.parentNode;
                 ctx.parentNode = "__0";
                 // this local scope is intended to trap c__0
@@ -2212,14 +2230,15 @@
             // Step 4: add the appropriate function call to current component
             // ------------------------------------------------
             const callingScope = hasBody ? "scope" : "Object.assign(Object.create(context), scope)";
+            const parentComponent = `utils.getComponent(context)`;
             if (ctx.parentNode) {
-                ctx.addLine(`this.subTemplates['${subTemplate}'].call(this, ${callingScope}, Object.assign({}, extra, {parentNode: c${ctx.parentNode}}));`);
+                ctx.addLine(`this.subTemplates['${subTemplate}'].call(this, ${callingScope}, Object.assign({}, extra, {parentNode: c${ctx.parentNode}, parent: ${parentComponent}}));`);
             }
             else {
                 // this is a t-call with no parentnode, we need to extract the result
                 ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineResult = true;
                 ctx.addLine(`result = []`);
-                ctx.addLine(`this.subTemplates['${subTemplate}'].call(this, ${callingScope}, Object.assign({}, extra, {parentNode: result}));`);
+                ctx.addLine(`this.subTemplates['${subTemplate}'].call(this, ${callingScope}, Object.assign({}, extra, {parentNode: result, parent: ${parentComponent}}));`);
                 ctx.addLine(`result = result[0]`);
             }
             // Step 5: restore previous scope
@@ -2245,16 +2264,16 @@
             const elems = node.getAttribute("t-foreach");
             const name = node.getAttribute("t-as");
             let arrayID = ctx.generateID();
-            ctx.addLine(`var _${arrayID} = ${ctx.formatExpression(elems)};`);
+            ctx.addLine(`let _${arrayID} = ${ctx.formatExpression(elems)};`);
             ctx.addLine(`if (!_${arrayID}) { throw new Error('QWeb error: Invalid loop expression')}`);
             let keysID = ctx.generateID();
             let valuesID = ctx.generateID();
-            ctx.addLine(`var _${keysID} = _${valuesID} = _${arrayID};`);
+            ctx.addLine(`let _${keysID} = _${valuesID} = _${arrayID};`);
             ctx.addIf(`!(_${arrayID} instanceof Array)`);
             ctx.addLine(`_${keysID} = Object.keys(_${arrayID});`);
             ctx.addLine(`_${valuesID} = Object.values(_${arrayID});`);
             ctx.closeIf();
-            ctx.addLine(`var _length${keysID} = _${keysID}.length;`);
+            ctx.addLine(`let _length${keysID} = _${keysID}.length;`);
             let varsID = ctx.startProtectScope();
             const loopVar = `i${ctx.loopNumber}`;
             ctx.addLine(`for (let ${loopVar} = 0; ${loopVar} < _length${keysID}; ${loopVar}++) {`);
@@ -2325,46 +2344,54 @@
         self: "if (e.target !== this.elm) {return}",
         stop: "e.stopPropagation();"
     };
+    const FNAMEREGEXP = /^[$A-Z_][0-9A-Z_$]*$/i;
+    function makeHandlerCode(ctx, fullName, value, putInCache, modcodes = MODS_CODE) {
+        const [event, ...mods] = fullName.slice(5).split(".");
+        if (!event) {
+            throw new Error("Missing event name with t-on directive");
+        }
+        let code;
+        // check if it is a method with no args, a method with args or an expression
+        let args = "";
+        const name = value.replace(/\(.*\)/, function (_args) {
+            args = _args.slice(1, -1);
+            return "";
+        });
+        const isMethodCall = name.match(FNAMEREGEXP);
+        // then generate code
+        if (isMethodCall) {
+            ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineUtils = true;
+            const comp = `utils.getComponent(context)`;
+            if (args) {
+                let argId = ctx.generateID();
+                ctx.addLine(`let args${argId} = [${ctx.formatExpression(args)}];`);
+                code = `${comp}['${name}'](...args${argId}, e);`;
+                putInCache = false;
+            }
+            else {
+                code = `${comp}['${name}'](e);`;
+            }
+        }
+        else {
+            // if we get here, then it is an expression
+            putInCache = false;
+            code = ctx.formatExpression(value);
+        }
+        const modCode = mods.map(mod => modcodes[mod]).join("");
+        let handler = `function (e) {if (!context.__owl__.isMounted){return}${modCode}${code}}`;
+        if (putInCache) {
+            const key = ctx.generateTemplateKey(event);
+            ctx.addLine(`extra.handlers[${key}] = extra.handlers[${key}] || ${handler};`);
+            handler = `extra.handlers[${key}]`;
+        }
+        return { event, handler };
+    }
     QWeb.addDirective({
         name: "on",
         priority: 90,
         atNodeCreation({ ctx, fullName, value, nodeID }) {
-            const [eventName, ...mods] = fullName.slice(5).split(".");
-            if (!eventName) {
-                throw new Error("Missing event name with t-on directive");
-            }
-            let extraArgs;
-            let handlerName = value.replace(/\(.*\)/, function (args) {
-                extraArgs = args.slice(1, -1);
-                return "";
-            });
-            let params = extraArgs ? `context, ${ctx.formatExpression(extraArgs)}` : "context";
-            let handler = `function (e) {if (!context.__owl__.isMounted){return}`;
-            handler += mods
-                .map(function (mod) {
-                return MODS_CODE[mod];
-            })
-                .join("");
-            if (handlerName) {
-                if (!extraArgs) {
-                    handler += `const fn = context['${handlerName}'];`;
-                    handler += `if (fn) { fn.call(${params}, e); } else { context.${handlerName}; }`;
-                    handler += `}`;
-                    ctx.addLine(`extra.handlers['${eventName}' + ${nodeID}] = extra.handlers['${eventName}' + ${nodeID}] || ${handler};`);
-                    ctx.addLine(`p${nodeID}.on['${eventName}'] = extra.handlers['${eventName}' + ${nodeID}];`);
-                }
-                else {
-                    const handlerKey = `handler${ctx.generateID()}`;
-                    ctx.addLine(`const ${handlerKey} = context['${handlerName}'] && context['${handlerName}'].bind(${params});`);
-                    handler += `if (${handlerKey}) { ${handlerKey}(e); } else { context.${value}; }`;
-                    handler += `}`;
-                    ctx.addLine(`p${nodeID}.on['${eventName}'] = ${handler};`);
-                }
-            }
-            else {
-                handler += "}";
-                ctx.addLine(`p${nodeID}.on['${eventName}'] = ${handler};`);
-            }
+            const { event, handler } = makeHandlerCode(ctx, fullName, value, true);
+            ctx.addLine(`p${nodeID}.on['${event}'] = ${handler};`);
         }
     });
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2781,7 +2808,7 @@
         extraNames: ["props"],
         priority: 100,
         atNodeEncounter({ ctx, value, node, qweb }) {
-            ctx.addLine("//COMPONENT");
+            ctx.addLine(`// Component '${value}'`);
             ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineQWeb = true;
             ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineParent = true;
             ctx.rootContext.shouldDefineUtils = true;
@@ -2796,13 +2823,7 @@
                 const name = attributes[i].name;
                 const value = attributes[i].textContent;
                 if (name.startsWith("t-on-")) {
-                    const [eventName, ...mods] = name.slice(5).split(".");
-                    let extraArgs;
-                    let handlerValue = value.replace(/\(.*\)/, function (args) {
-                        extraArgs = args.slice(1, -1);
-                        return "";
-                    });
-                    events.push([eventName, mods, handlerValue, extraArgs]);
+                    events.push([name, value]);
                 }
                 else if (name === "t-transition") {
                     transition = value;
@@ -2875,33 +2896,9 @@
                     }
                 }
                 let eventsCode = events
-                    .map(function ([eventName, mods, handlerValue, extraArgs]) {
-                    let params = "context";
-                    if (extraArgs) {
-                        if (ctx.loopNumber) {
-                            let argId = ctx.generateID();
-                            // we need to evaluate the arguments now, because the handler will
-                            // be set asynchronously later when the widget is ready, and the
-                            // context might be different.
-                            ctx.addLine(`let arg${argId} = ${ctx.formatExpression(extraArgs)};`);
-                            params = `context, arg${argId}`;
-                        }
-                        else {
-                            params = `context, ${ctx.formatExpression(extraArgs)}`;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    let handler = `function (e) {if(!context.__owl__.isMounted){return}`;
-                    handler += mods
-                        .map(function (mod) {
-                        return T_COMPONENT_MODS_CODE[mod];
-                    })
-                        .join("");
-                    if (handlerValue) {
-                        handler += `const fn = context['${handlerValue}'];`;
-                        handler += `if (fn) { fn.call(${params}, e); } else { context.${handlerValue}; }`;
-                    }
-                    handler += `}`;
-                    return `vn.elm.addEventListener('${eventName}', ${handler});`;
+                    .map(function ([name, value]) {
+                    const { event, handler } = makeHandlerCode(ctx, name, value, false, T_COMPONENT_MODS_CODE);
+                    return `vn.elm.addEventListener('${event}', ${handler});`;
                 })
                     .join("");
                 const styleExpr = tattStyle || (styleAttr ? `'${styleAttr}'` : false);
@@ -4356,6 +4353,9 @@
             },
             set(target, k, v) {
                 throw new Error("Store state should only be modified through actions");
+            },
+            has(target, k) {
+                return k in result;
             }
         });
     }
@@ -4864,9 +4864,9 @@
     exports.useState = useState$1;
     exports.utils = utils;
 
-    exports.__info__.version = '1.0.0-beta2';
-    exports.__info__.date = '2019-12-11T09:31:58.227Z';
-    exports.__info__.hash = '0762eeb';
+    exports.__info__.version = '1.0.0-beta3';
+    exports.__info__.date = '2019-12-16T08:57:32.773Z';
+    exports.__info__.hash = 'd9bf428';
     exports.__info__.url = 'https://github.com/odoo/owl';
 
 }(this.owl = this.owl || {}));
diff --git a/playground/samples.js b/playground/samples.js
index d02526d6..d01834ad 100644
--- a/playground/samples.js
+++ b/playground/samples.js
@@ -1101,7 +1101,7 @@ const RESPONSIVE_XML = `<templates>
         <t t-raw="maincontent"/>
       </div>
     </div>
-    <t t-else="1">
+    <t t-else="">
       <t t-raw="maincontent"/>
     </t>
   </div>
@@ -1438,7 +1438,7 @@ const FORM_XML = `<templates>
     <div>Text: <t t-esc="state.text"/></div>
     <div>Other Text: <t t-esc="state.othertext"/></div>
     <div>Number: <t t-esc="state.number"/></div>
-    <div>Boolean: <t t-if="state.bool">True</t><t t-else="1">False</t></div>
+    <div>Boolean: <t t-if="state.bool">True</t><t t-else="">False</t></div>
     <div>Color: <t t-esc="state.color"/></div>
   </div>
 </templates>