diff --git a/mu/mu-cmd-find.cc b/mu/mu-cmd-find.cc
index 898244fa..5eee98f9 100644
--- a/mu/mu-cmd-find.cc
+++ b/mu/mu-cmd-find.cc
@@ -372,12 +372,10 @@ static bool
 output_sexp(const Option<Message>& msg, const OutputInfo& info, const MuConfig* opts, GError** err)
 {
 	if (msg) {
-
-		if (const auto sexp{msg->cached_sexp()}; !sexp.empty())
-			fputs(sexp.c_str(), stdout);
+		if (const auto sexp{msg->sexp()}; !sexp.empty())
+			fputs(sexp.to_string().c_str(), stdout);
 		else
-			fputs(msg->to_sexp().to_sexp_string().c_str(), stdout);
-
+			fputs(msg->sexp().to_string().c_str(), stdout);
 		fputs("\n", stdout);
 	}
 
@@ -401,7 +399,7 @@ output_json(const Option<Message>& msg, const OutputInfo& info, const MuConfig*
 		return true;
 
 	g_print("%s%s\n",
-		msg->to_sexp().to_json_string().c_str(),
+		msg->sexp().to_json_string().c_str(),
 		info.last ? "" : ",");
 
 	return true;
diff --git a/mu/mu-cmd-server.cc b/mu/mu-cmd-server.cc
index 779b9cb3..7028ee4e 100644
--- a/mu/mu-cmd-server.cc
+++ b/mu/mu-cmd-server.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include "mu-server.hh"
 
 #include "utils/mu-utils.hh"
-#include "utils/mu-command-parser.hh"
+#include "utils/mu-command-handler.hh"
 #include "utils/mu-readline.hh"
 
 using namespace Mu;
@@ -82,15 +82,15 @@ cookie(size_t n)
 }
 
 static void
-output_sexp_stdout(Sexp&& sexp, Server::OutputFlags flags)
+output_sexp_stdout(const Sexp& sexp, Server::OutputFlags flags)
 {
 	/* if requested, insert \n between list elements; note:
 	 * is _not_ inherited by children */
+	Sexp::Format fopts{};
 	if (any_of(flags & Server::OutputFlags::SplitList))
-		sexp.formatting_opts |= Sexp::FormattingOptions::SplitList;
-
-	const auto str{sexp.to_sexp_string()};
+		fopts |= Sexp::Format::SplitList;
 
+	const auto str{sexp.to_string(fopts)};
 	cookie(str.size() + 1);
 	if (G_UNLIKELY(::puts(str.c_str()) < 0)) {
 		g_critical("failed to write output '%s'", str.c_str());
@@ -104,12 +104,8 @@ output_sexp_stdout(Sexp&& sexp, Server::OutputFlags flags)
 static void
 report_error(const Mu::Error& err) noexcept
 {
-	Sexp::List e;
-
-	e.add_prop(":error", Sexp::make_number(static_cast<size_t>(err.code())));
-	e.add_prop(":message", Sexp::make_string(err.what()));
-
-	output_sexp_stdout(Sexp::make_list(std::move(e)),
+	output_sexp_stdout(Sexp(":error"_sym, static_cast<size_t>(err.code()),
+				":message"_sym, err.what()),
 			   Server::OutputFlags::Flush);
 }
 
diff --git a/mu/mu-cmd.cc b/mu/mu-cmd.cc
index a171389f..1b6bc36a 100644
--- a/mu/mu-cmd.cc
+++ b/mu/mu-cmd.cc
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ using namespace Mu;
 static Mu::Result<void>
 view_msg_sexp(const Message& message, const MuConfig* opts)
 {
-	::fputs(message.to_sexp().to_sexp_string().c_str(), stdout);
+	::fputs(message.sexp().to_string().c_str(), stdout);
 	::fputs("\n", stdout);
 
 	return Ok();