diff --git a/src/mako/api/lib/mbuild.mako b/src/mako/api/lib/mbuild.mako
index 7cfcd0fede..baa9a89e41 100644
--- a/src/mako/api/lib/mbuild.mako
+++ b/src/mako/api/lib/mbuild.mako
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ ${self._setter_fn(resource, method, m, p, part_prop, ThisType, c)}\
     rvfrt = lambda spn, sp, sn=None: rnd_arg_val_for_type(trv(spn, sp, sn))
 
     rb_name = 'req'   # name of request binding
-    required_args = request_value and ['&' + rb_name] or []
+    required_args = request_value and [rb_name] or []
     for p in required_props:
         # could also just skip the first element, but ... let's be safe
         if request_value and request_value.id == p.get(TREF):
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ match result {
         // You can also just use its `Debug`, `Display` or `Error` traits
          Error::HttpError(_)
         |Error::MissingAPIKey
-        |Error::MissingToken
+        |Error::MissingToken(_)
         |Error::Cancelled
         |Error::UploadSizeLimitExceeded(_, _)
         |Error::Failure(_)
diff --git a/src/mako/api/lib/rbuild.mako b/src/mako/api/lib/rbuild.mako
index 9bc42bdcf1..85b1b02469 100644
--- a/src/mako/api/lib/rbuild.mako
+++ b/src/mako/api/lib/rbuild.mako
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
                       rb_type, singular, hub_type, mangle_ident, mb_type, method_params, property,
                       to_fqan, indent_all_but_first_by, 
                       activity_input_type, TREF, IO_REQUEST, schema_to_required_property, 
-                      rust_copy_value_s, is_required_property, organize_params, REQUEST_VALUE_PROPERTY_NAME,
+                      rust_copy_value_s, organize_params, REQUEST_VALUE_PROPERTY_NAME,
                       build_all_params, rb_type_params_s, hub_type_params_s, mb_type_params_s, mb_additional_type_params, 
                       struct_type_bounds_s, METHODS_RESOURCE, SPACES_PER_TAB, prefix_all_but_first_with,
                       METHODS_BUILDER_MARKER_TRAIT, remove_empty_lines, method_default_scope)
diff --git a/src/mako/cli/lib/docopt.mako b/src/mako/cli/lib/docopt.mako
index 4cb0685224..9c7aec7958 100644
--- a/src/mako/cli/lib/docopt.mako
+++ b/src/mako/cli/lib/docopt.mako
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Usage:
     # end upload handling
 
     if mc.optional_props or parameters is not UNDEFINED:
-        args.append('[-%s %s]...' % (PARAM_FLAG, '<%s>' % VALUE_ARG))
+        args.append('[-%s %s...]' % (PARAM_FLAG, '<%s>' % VALUE_ARG))
         param_used = True
     # end paramters
     
diff --git a/src/mako/cli/lib/engine.mako b/src/mako/cli/lib/engine.mako
index d4510b3609..2b4c2d4bdb 100644
--- a/src/mako/cli/lib/engine.mako
+++ b/src/mako/cli/lib/engine.mako
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <%!
     from util import (hub_type, mangle_ident, indent_all_but_first_by, activity_rust_type, setter_fn_name, ADD_PARAM_FN,
                       upload_action_fn, is_schema_with_optionals, schema_markers, indent_by, method_default_scope,
-                      ADD_SCOPE_FN)
+                      ADD_SCOPE_FN, TREF)
     from cli import (mangle_subcommand, new_method_context, PARAM_FLAG, STRUCT_FLAG, UPLOAD_FLAG, OUTPUT_FLAG, VALUE_ARG,
                      CONFIG_DIR, SCOPE_FLAG, is_request_value_property, FIELD_SEP, docopt_mode, FILE_ARG, MIME_ARG, OUT_ARG, 
                      cmd_ident, call_method_ident, arg_ident, POD_TYPES, flag_ident, ident, JSON_TYPE_VALUE_MAP,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     def borrow_prefix(p):
         ptype = p.get('type', None)
         borrow = ''
-        if ptype not in POD_TYPES or ptype in ('string', None) or p.get('repeated', False):
+        if (ptype not in POD_TYPES or ptype in ('string', None) or p.get('repeated', False)) and ptype is not None:
             borrow = '&'
         return borrow
 
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ if opt.flag_${flag_name} {
 %>\
     % if is_request_value_property(mc, p):
 <% request_prop_type = prop_type %>\
-let mut ${prop_name} = api::${prop_type}::default();
+let ${prop_name} = api::${prop_type}::default();
     % elif p.type != 'string':
     % if p.get('repeated', False): 
 let ${prop_name}: Vec<${prop_type} = Vec::new();
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ if dry_run {
     init_fn_map = dict()
     flatten_schema_fields(request_cli_schema, schema_fields, init_fn_map)
 %>\
+let mut request = api::${request_prop_type}::default();
 let mut field_name = FieldCursor::default();
 for kvarg in ${SOPT + arg_ident(KEY_VALUE_ARG)}.iter() {
     let (key, value) = parse_kv_arg(&*kvarg, err, false);
@@ -445,4 +446,5 @@ ${opt_suffix}\
         }
     }
 }
+call = call.request(request);
 </%def>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mako/lib/util.py b/src/mako/lib/util.py
index 9e14cd3cb7..af294aa8af 100644
--- a/src/mako/lib/util.py
+++ b/src/mako/lib/util.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def activity_input_type(schemas, p):
     if n == 'String':
         n = 'str'
     # pods are copied anyway
-    elif is_pod_property(p):
+    elif is_pod_property(p) or p.get(TREF):
         return n
     return '&%s' % n
 
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ def rust_copy_value_s(n, tn, p):
     nc = n + '.clone()'
     if tn == '&str':
         nc = n + '.to_string()'
-    elif is_pod_property(p):
+    elif is_pod_property(p) or p.get(TREF):
         nc = n
     return nc