diff --git a/includes/exec/expander.h b/includes/exec/expander.h
index ce6ffe4..2496210 100644
--- a/includes/exec/expander.h
+++ b/includes/exec/expander.h
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ int		get_new_len(t_ast_n *node, int j);
 int		valid_expand(t_ast_n *node, int j, int k);
 char	*create_new(t_ast_n *node, int j, int *len);
 void	handle_copy(t_ast_n *node, int j, char **new);
-void	cat_exit(t_ast_n *node, char **new, int i, int *k);
+void	cat_exit(t_ast_n *node, char **new, int *i, int *k);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/srcs/execution/exec.c b/srcs/execution/exec.c
index b30bf5f..9eccfae 100644
--- a/srcs/execution/exec.c
+++ b/srcs/execution/exec.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: lderidde <lderidde@student.s19.be>        +#+  +:+       +#+         */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/01/27 11:22:33 by lderidde          #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/11 12:30:00 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/12 11:14:14 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 int	execute_command(t_ast_n *node)
 {
+	if (!node->cmd)
+		return (0);
 	if (node->state == _CMD)
 		handle_redir(node);
 	if (node->state == _CMD)
diff --git a/srcs/execution/exec_cmd.c b/srcs/execution/exec_cmd.c
index 8440839..5201dd3 100644
--- a/srcs/execution/exec_cmd.c
+++ b/srcs/execution/exec_cmd.c
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ int	exec_scmd(t_ast_n *node)
 	pid_t	pid;
 	int		status;
 
-	if (is_builtin(node->cmd))
+	if (!node->cmd)
+		return (0);
+	else if (is_builtin(node->cmd))
 		return (exec_builtin(node));
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/srcs/expander/expand_var.c b/srcs/expander/expand_var.c
index 35506cd..2432303 100644
--- a/srcs/expander/expand_var.c
+++ b/srcs/expander/expand_var.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: lderidde <lderidde@student.s19.be>        +#+  +:+       +#+         */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/02/07 12:58:25 by lderidde          #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/12 09:06:11 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/12 11:02:35 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ static char	*extract_env(char *str, char **envp)
 
 int	get_new_len(t_ast_n *node, int j)
 {
-	int	i;
-	int	len;
+	int		i;
+	int		len;
+	char	*itoa;
 
 	i = 0;
 	len = ft_strlen(node->args[j]);
@@ -57,7 +58,9 @@ int	get_new_len(t_ast_n *node, int j)
 			&& node->args[j][i + 1] == '?')
 			&& !in_squote(node->args[j], &node->args[j][i]))
 		{
-			len -= 1;
+			itoa = ft_itoa(node->msh->ex_code);
+			len += ft_strlen(itoa) - 2;
+			free(itoa);
 		}
 		else if (node->args[j][i] == '$' &&
 			!in_squote(node->args[j], &node->args[j][i]))
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ void	expander_var(t_ast_n *nd, int j)
 		if (nd->args[j][k] != '$' || in_squote(nd->args[j], &nd->args[j][k]))
 			new[i] = nd->args[j][k++];
 		else if (expand_exit(nd, j, k))
-			cat_exit(nd, &new, i, &k);
+			cat_exit(nd, &new, &i, &k);
 		else if (valid_expand(nd, j, k))
 		{
 			ft_strlcat(new, extract_env(&nd->args[j][k], nd->msh->env), -1);
diff --git a/srcs/expander/expander_var_utils.c b/srcs/expander/expander_var_utils.c
index 30efd6e..408612c 100644
--- a/srcs/expander/expander_var_utils.c
+++ b/srcs/expander/expander_var_utils.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: lderidde <lderidde@student.s19.be>        +#+  +:+       +#+         */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/02/12 09:17:28 by lderidde          #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/12 09:17:28 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/12 11:01:55 by lderidde         ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -48,8 +48,13 @@ void	handle_copy(t_ast_n *node, int j, char **new)
 	node->args[j] = *new;
 }
 
-void	cat_exit(t_ast_n *node, char **new, int i, int *k)
+void	cat_exit(t_ast_n *node, char **new, int *i, int *k)
 {
-	(*new)[i] = node->msh->ex_code + '0';
+	char	*itoa;
+
+	itoa = ft_itoa(node->msh->ex_code);
+	ft_strlcat(*new, itoa, -1);
+	*i = ft_strlen(*new) - 1;
 	*k += 2;
+	free(itoa);
 }