diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.cpp b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.cpp
index 844dcdef7d..8ec8e742f0 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.cpp
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.cpp
@@ -11,10 +11,14 @@
 
 #define FILENAME "jinja-vm"
 
-bool g_jinja_debug = true;
+bool g_jinja_debug = false;
 
 namespace jinja {
 
+void enable_debug(bool enable) {
+    g_jinja_debug = enable;
+}
+
 // func_args method implementations
 
 value func_args::get_kwarg(const std::string & key) const  {
@@ -273,6 +277,17 @@ value filter_expression::execute_impl(context & ctx) {
     }
 }
 
+value filter_statement::execute_impl(context & ctx) {
+    // eval body as string, then apply filter
+    auto body_val = exec_statements(body, ctx);
+    value_string parts = mk_val<value_string>();
+    gather_string_parts_recursive(body_val, parts);
+
+    JJ_DEBUG("FilterStatement: applying filter to body string of length %zu", parts->val_str.length());
+    filter_expression filter_expr(std::move(parts), std::move(filter));
+    return filter_expr.execute(ctx);
+}
+
 value test_expression::execute_impl(context & ctx) {
     // NOTE: "value is something" translates to function call "test_is_something(value)"
     const auto & builtins = global_builtins();
diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
index 5172969a9d..d67bc2d5c1 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ const T * cast_stmt(const statement_ptr & ptr) {
 }
 // End Helpers
 
+
+// not thread-safe
+void enable_debug(bool enable);
+
 struct context {
     std::map<std::string, value> var;
     std::string source; // for debugging
@@ -260,7 +264,7 @@ struct integer_literal : public expression {
     explicit integer_literal(int64_t val) : val(val) {}
     std::string type() const override { return "IntegerLiteral"; }
     value execute_impl(context &) override {
-        return std::make_unique<value_int_t>(val);
+        return mk_val<value_int>(val);
     }
 };
 
@@ -269,7 +273,7 @@ struct float_literal : public expression {
     explicit float_literal(double val) : val(val) {}
     std::string type() const override { return "FloatLiteral"; }
     value execute_impl(context &) override {
-        return std::make_unique<value_float_t>(val);
+        return mk_val<value_float>(val);
     }
 };
 
@@ -278,7 +282,7 @@ struct string_literal : public expression {
     explicit string_literal(const std::string & val) : val(val) {}
     std::string type() const override { return "StringLiteral"; }
     value execute_impl(context &) override {
-        return std::make_unique<value_string_t>(val);
+        return mk_val<value_string>(val);
     }
 };
 
@@ -341,7 +345,10 @@ struct binary_expression : public expression {
  * Operator precedence: https://github.com/pallets/jinja/issues/379#issuecomment-168076202
  */
 struct filter_expression : public expression {
+    // either an expression or a value is allowed
     statement_ptr operand;
+    value_string val; // will be set by filter_statement
+
     statement_ptr filter;
 
     filter_expression(statement_ptr && operand, statement_ptr && filter)
@@ -349,6 +356,12 @@ struct filter_expression : public expression {
         chk_type<expression>(this->operand);
         chk_type<identifier, call_expression>(this->filter);
     }
+
+    filter_expression(value_string && val, statement_ptr && filter)
+        : val(std::move(val)), filter(std::move(filter)) {
+        chk_type<identifier, call_expression>(this->filter);
+    }
+
     std::string type() const override { return "FilterExpression"; }
     value execute_impl(context & ctx) override;
 };
@@ -362,6 +375,7 @@ struct filter_statement : public statement {
         chk_type<identifier, call_expression>(this->filter);
     }
     std::string type() const override { return "FilterStatement"; }
+    value execute_impl(context & ctx) override;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -505,6 +519,26 @@ struct raised_exception : public std::exception {
 
 //////////////////////
 
+static void gather_string_parts_recursive(const value & val, value_string & parts) {
+    if (is_val<value_string>(val)) {
+        const auto & str_val = cast_val<value_string>(val)->val_str;
+        parts->val_str.append(str_val);
+    } else if (is_val<value_array>(val)) {
+        auto items = cast_val<value_array>(val)->as_array();
+        for (const auto & item : items) {
+            gather_string_parts_recursive(item, parts);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static std::string render_string_parts(const value_string & parts) {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    for (const auto & part : parts->val_str.parts) {
+        oss << part.val;
+    }
+    return oss.str();
+}
+
 struct vm {
     context & ctx;
     explicit vm(context & ctx) : ctx(ctx) {}
@@ -518,25 +552,11 @@ struct vm {
         return results;
     }
 
-    std::vector<jinja::string_part> gather_string_parts(const value & val) {
-        std::vector<jinja::string_part> parts;
+    value_string gather_string_parts(const value & val) {
+        value_string parts = mk_val<value_string>();
         gather_string_parts_recursive(val, parts);
         return parts;
     }
-
-    void gather_string_parts_recursive(const value & val, std::vector<jinja::string_part> & parts) {
-        if (is_val<value_string>(val)) {
-            const auto & str_val = cast_val<value_string>(val)->val_str;
-            for (const auto & part : str_val.parts) {
-                parts.push_back(part);
-            }
-        } else if (is_val<value_array>(val)) {
-            auto items = cast_val<value_array>(val)->as_array();
-            for (const auto & item : items) {
-                gather_string_parts_recursive(item, parts);
-            }
-        }
-    }
 };
 
 } // namespace jinja
diff --git a/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp b/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
index 64777a3495..1f9dedb1e4 100644
--- a/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
+++ b/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int main(void) {
 
 
 void run(std::string contents) {
-    std::cout << "=== INPUT ===\n" << contents << "\n\n";
+    // jinja::enable_debug(true);
 
     jinja::lexer lexer;
     jinja::preprocess_options options;
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ void run(std::string contents) {
     options.lstrip_blocks = false;
     auto lexer_res = lexer.tokenize(contents, options);
     for (const auto & tok : lexer_res.tokens) {
-        std::cout << "token: type=" << static_cast<int>(tok.t) << " text='" << tok.value << "' pos=" << tok.pos << "\n";
+        //std::cout << "token: type=" << static_cast<int>(tok.t) << " text='" << tok.value << "' pos=" << tok.pos << "\n";
     }
 
     std::cout << "\n=== AST ===\n";
     jinja::program ast = jinja::parse_from_tokens(lexer_res.tokens);
     for (const auto & stmt : ast.body) {
-        std::cout << "stmt type: " << stmt->type() << "\n";
+        //std::cout << "stmt type: " << stmt->type() << "\n";
     }
 
     std::cout << "\n=== RUN ===\n";
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void run(std::string contents) {
     auto parts = vm.gather_string_parts(results);
 
     std::cout << "\n=== RESULTS ===\n";
-    for (const auto & part : parts) {
+    for (const auto & part : parts.get()->val_str.parts) {
         std::cout << (part.is_input ? "DATA" : "TMPL") << ": " << part.val << "\n";
     }
 }