diff --git a/apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash b/apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash
index eaf4175a..9625fd88 100644
--- a/apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash
+++ b/apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 // Next steps: normalize `loop(cond){ body }` into carrier-based LoopForm.
 
 static box MacroBoxSpec {
-  static function name() { return "LoopNormalize" }
+  name() { return "LoopNormalize" }
 
-  static function expand(json, ctx) {
+  expand(json, ctx) {
     // MVP normalizer: detect Loop nodes with canonical key order
     // "kind":"Loop","condition":<json>,"body":[ ... ] and rewrite them
     // into a normalized form using JsonBuilder (keys ordered as condition/body).
@@ -17,21 +17,27 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
     local out = ""
     local i = 0
 
-    // parse a JSON string starting at i (supports objects, arrays, strings, numbers, true/false/null)
+    // parse a JSON value starting at i and return "<end_index>#<json>"
     function parse_value(s, i) {
       local n = s.length()
-      if i >= n { return ["", i] }
+      if i >= n { return ("" + i) + "#" + "" }
       local ch = s.substring(i, i+1)
       // string
       if ch == "\"" {
         local j = i + 1
         loop(j < n) {
           local c = s.substring(j, j+1)
-          if c == "\\" { j = j + 2; continue }
-          if c == "\"" { j = j + 1; break }
+          if c == "\\" {
+            j = j + 2
+            continue
+          }
+          if c == "\"" {
+            j = j + 1
+            break
+          }
           j = j + 1
         }
-        return [s.substring(i, j), j]
+        return ("" + j) + "#" + s.substring(i, j)
       }
       // object
       if ch == "{" {
@@ -45,17 +51,17 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
             local k = j - 1
             local esc = false
             if k >= 0 && s.substring(k, k+1) == "\\" { esc = true }
-            if !esc { in_str = !in_str }
+            if not esc { in_str = not in_str }
             j = j + 1
             continue
           }
-          if !in_str {
+          if not in_str {
             if c == "{" { depth = depth + 1 }
-            else if c == "}" { depth = depth - 1 }
+            if c == "}" { depth = depth - 1 }
           }
           j = j + 1
         }
-        return [s.substring(i, j), j]
+        return ("" + j) + "#" + s.substring(i, j)
       }
       // array
       if ch == "[" {
@@ -68,17 +74,17 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
             local k = j - 1
             local esc = false
             if k >= 0 && s.substring(k, k+1) == "\\" { esc = true }
-            if !esc { in_str = !in_str }
+            if not esc { in_str = not in_str }
             j = j + 1
             continue
           }
-          if !in_str {
+          if not in_str {
             if c == "[" { depth = depth + 1 }
-            else if c == "]" { depth = depth - 1 }
+            if c == "]" { depth = depth - 1 }
           }
           j = j + 1
         }
-        return [s.substring(i, j), j]
+        return ("" + j) + "#" + s.substring(i, j)
       }
       // number/true/false/null: read until delimiter
       local j = i
@@ -87,7 +93,71 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
         if c == "," || c == "]" || c == "}" || c == "\n" || c == "\r" || c == "\t" || c == " " { break }
         j = j + 1
       }
-      return [s.substring(i, j), j]
+      return ("" + j) + "#" + s.substring(i, j)
+    }
+
+    function pair_idx(pair) {
+      // parse decimal at start until '#'
+      local i = 0
+      local n = pair.length()
+      local val = 0
+      loop(i < n) {
+        local ch = pair.substring(i, i+1)
+        if ch == "#" { break }
+        local d = 0
+        if ch == "0" { d = 0 }
+        if ch == "1" { d = 1 }
+        if ch == "2" { d = 2 }
+        if ch == "3" { d = 3 }
+        if ch == "4" { d = 4 }
+        if ch == "5" { d = 5 }
+        if ch == "6" { d = 6 }
+        if ch == "7" { d = 7 }
+        if ch == "8" { d = 8 }
+        if ch == "9" { d = 9 }
+        val = val * 10 + d
+        i = i + 1
+      }
+      return val
+    }
+
+    function pair_json(pair) {
+      // substring after first '#'
+      local i = 0
+      local n = pair.length()
+      loop(i < n) {
+        if pair.substring(i, i+1) == "#" { return pair.substring(i+1, n) }
+        i = i + 1
+      }
+      return ""
+    }
+
+    // Extract assignment target variable name from an Assignment JSON object string.
+    // Returns "" if not found.
+    function extract_assign_target_var(e2) {
+      // pattern: "target":{"kind":"Variable","name":"<NAME>"}
+      local pat = "\"target\":{\"kind\":\"Variable\",\"name\":\""
+      local pos = -1
+      local j = 0
+      loop(j + pat.length() <= e2.length()) {
+        if e2.substring(j, j + pat.length()) == pat { pos = j + pat.length(); break }
+        j = j + 1
+      }
+      if pos < 0 { return "" }
+      // read until next unescaped quote
+      local name = ""
+      local k = pos
+      loop(k < e2.length()) {
+        local c = e2.substring(k, k+1)
+        if c == "\\" {
+          // skip escape and next char
+          if k + 1 < e2.length() { name = name + e2.substring(k, k+2); k = k + 2; continue }
+        }
+        if c == "\"" { break }
+        name = name + c
+        k = k + 1
+      }
+      return name
     }
 
     // pattern tokens
@@ -100,17 +170,18 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
       if i + 6 < s.length() && s.substring(i, i+1) == "{" {
         // look ahead inside this object to see if it begins with kind:Loop
         local val = parse_value(s, i)
-        local obj = val.get(0)
-        local endi = val.get(1)
+        local endi = pair_idx(val)
+        local obj = pair_json(val)
 
-        // quick check: contains kind:"Loop"
-        local pos_kind = obj.indexOf(t_kind_loop)  // assume Nyash has indexOf? If not, manual scan fallback below
-        if pos_kind == null {
-          // Fallback manual contains
+        // quick check: contains kind:"Loop" (manual scan)
+        {
           local found = 0
           local k = 0
           loop(k + t_kind_loop.length() <= obj.length()) {
-            if obj.substring(k, k + t_kind_loop.length()) == t_kind_loop { found = 1; break }
+            if obj.substring(k, k + t_kind_loop.length()) == t_kind_loop {
+              found = 1
+              break
+            }
             k = k + 1
           }
           if found == 0 {
@@ -125,73 +196,184 @@ static box MacroBoxSpec {
         local oj = 0
         local pos_c = -1
         loop(oj + t_cond.length() <= obj.length()) {
-          if obj.substring(oj, oj + t_cond.length()) == t_cond { pos_c = oj + t_cond.length(); break }
+          if obj.substring(oj, oj + t_cond.length()) == t_cond {
+            pos_c = oj + t_cond.length()
+            break
+          }
           oj = oj + 1
         }
         local pos_b = -1
         local kk = 0
         loop(kk + t_body.length() <= obj.length()) {
-          if obj.substring(kk, kk + t_body.length()) == t_body { pos_b = kk + t_body.length(); break }
+          if obj.substring(kk, kk + t_body.length()) == t_body {
+            pos_b = kk + t_body.length()
+            break
+          }
           kk = kk + 1
         }
         if pos_c >= 0 && pos_b >= 0 {
           // extract values
           local cond_pair = parse_value(obj, pos_c)
-          local cond_json = cond_pair.get(0)
+          local cond_json = pair_json(cond_pair)
           // move after condition to find body array
           // ensure we re-scan from pos_b to robustly pick body
           local body_pair = parse_value(obj, pos_b)
-          local body_json = body_pair.get(0)
+          local body_json = pair_json(body_pair)
           // if body_json is not array, keep identity
           if body_json.substring(0,1) == "[" {
-            // decompose body array into elements
-            local elems = []
-            // strip [ ... ]
+            // Reorder body: move Assignment nodes to the tail (carrier-like normalization)
             local inner = body_json.substring(1, body_json.length()-1)
-            // split top-level JSON elements (respect nesting)
-            local p = 0
-            local n = inner.length()
-            local in_str = false
-            local depth_obj = 0
-            local depth_arr = 0
-            local start = 0
-            loop(p < n) {
-              local c = inner.substring(p, p+1)
-              if c == "\"" {
-                // toggle string unless escaped
-                local k2 = p - 1
+            local elems = []
+            local p2 = 0
+            local n2 = inner.length()
+            local in_str2 = false
+            local depth_obj2 = 0
+            local depth_arr2 = 0
+            local start2 = 0
+            loop(p2 < n2) {
+              local c2 = inner.substring(p2, p2+1)
+              if c2 == "\"" {
+                local k2 = p2 - 1
                 local esc2 = false
                 if k2 >= 0 && inner.substring(k2, k2+1) == "\\" { esc2 = true }
-                if !esc2 { in_str = !in_str }
-              } else if !in_str {
-                if c == "{" { depth_obj = depth_obj + 1 }
-                else if c == "}" { depth_obj = depth_obj - 1 }
-                else if c == "[" { depth_arr = depth_arr + 1 }
-                else if c == "]" { depth_arr = depth_arr - 1 }
-                else if c == "," && depth_obj == 0 && depth_arr == 0 {
-                  elems.push(inner.substring(start, p))
-                  start = p + 1
+                if not esc2 { in_str2 = not in_str2 }
+              } else if not in_str2 {
+                if c2 == "{" { depth_obj2 = depth_obj2 + 1 }
+                if c2 == "}" { depth_obj2 = depth_obj2 - 1 }
+                if c2 == "[" { depth_arr2 = depth_arr2 + 1 }
+                if c2 == "]" { depth_arr2 = depth_arr2 - 1 }
+                if c2 == "," && depth_obj2 == 0 && depth_arr2 == 0 {
+                  elems.push(inner.substring(start2, p2))
+                  start2 = p2 + 1
                 }
               }
-              p = p + 1
+              p2 = p2 + 1
             }
-            if start < n { elems.push(inner.substring(start, n)) }
+            if start2 < n2 { elems.push(inner.substring(start2, n2)) }
 
-            // trim spaces of elements (simple)
+            // Classify with original indices
+            local assigns = []    // list of [idx,json]
+            local others = []     // list of [idx,json]
+            local tagA = "\"kind\":\"Assignment\""
             local t = 0
             loop(t < elems.length()) {
-              local e = elems.get(t)
-              // naive trim
+              local e2 = elems.get(t)
+              // trim
               local a = 0
-              local b = e.length()
-              loop(a < b && (e.substring(a,a+1)==" " || e.substring(a,a+1)=="\n" || e.substring(a,a+1)=="\t" || e.substring(a,a+1)=="\r")) { a = a + 1 }
-              loop(b > a && (e.substring(b-1,b)==" " || e.substring(b-1,b)=="\n" || e.substring(b-1,b)=="\t" || e.substring(b-1,b)=="\r")) { b = b - 1 }
-              elems.set(t, e.substring(a,b))
+              local b = e2.length()
+              loop(a < b && (e2.substring(a,a+1)==" " || e2.substring(a,a+1)=="\n" || e2.substring(a,a+1)=="\t" || e2.substring(a,a+1)=="\r")) { a = a + 1 }
+              loop(b > a && (e2.substring(b-1,b)==" " || e2.substring(b-1,b)=="\n" || e2.substring(b-1,b)=="\t" || e2.substring(b-1,b)=="\r")) { b = b - 1 }
+              e2 = e2.substring(a,b)
+              // contains tagA?
+              local found = 0
+              local q = 0
+              loop(q + tagA.length() <= e2.length()) {
+                if e2.substring(q, q + tagA.length()) == tagA {
+                  found = 1
+                  break
+                }
+                q = q + 1
+              }
+              if found == 1 { assigns.push([t, e2]) } else { others.push([t, e2]) }
               t = t + 1
             }
 
-            // rebuild Loop via JsonBuilder (canonical key order)
-            local loop_norm = JB.loop_(cond_json, elems)
+            // Only reorder when all others appear before all assigns in the original order
+            local ok = 1
+            if assigns.length() > 0 && others.length() > 0 {
+              // max index of others, min index of assigns
+              local max_o = others.get(0).get(0)
+              local i2 = 1
+              loop(i2 < others.length()) { if others.get(i2).get(0) > max_o { max_o = others.get(i2).get(0) } i2 = i2 + 1 }
+              local min_a = assigns.get(0).get(0)
+              i2 = 1
+              loop(i2 < assigns.length()) { if assigns.get(i2).get(0) < min_a { min_a = assigns.get(i2).get(0) } i2 = i2 + 1 }
+              if not (max_o <= min_a) { ok = 0 }
+            }
+
+            // MVP-2 gate: skip when Break/Continue exists (conservative)
+            if ok == 1 {
+              local has_ctrl = 0
+              local tagBr = "\"kind\":\"Break\""
+              local tagCt = "\"kind\":\"Continue\""
+              t = 0
+              loop(t < elems.length()) {
+                local e3 = elems.get(t)
+                // cheap contains
+                local p = 0
+                loop(p + tagBr.length() <= e3.length()) {
+                  if e3.substring(p, p + tagBr.length()) == tagBr { has_ctrl = 1; break }
+                  p = p + 1
+                }
+                if has_ctrl == 0 {
+                  p = 0
+                  loop(p + tagCt.length() <= e3.length()) {
+                    if e3.substring(p, p + tagCt.length()) == tagCt { has_ctrl = 1; break }
+                    p = p + 1
+                  }
+                }
+                if has_ctrl == 1 { break }
+                t = t + 1
+              }
+              if has_ctrl == 1 { ok = 0 }
+            }
+
+            // MVP-2 gate: allow up to 2 unique assignment targets; else keep original
+            if ok == 1 {
+              local uniq = []
+              t = 0
+              local too_many = 0
+              loop(t < assigns.length()) {
+                local aj = assigns.get(t).get(1)
+                local nm = extract_assign_target_var(aj)
+                if nm == "" {
+                  // unknown structure → conservative: abort reorder
+                  too_many = 1
+                  break
+                }
+                // check if nm already recorded
+                local seen = 0
+                local u = 0
+                loop(u < uniq.length()) {
+                  if uniq.get(u) == nm { seen = 1; break }
+                  u = u + 1
+                }
+                if seen == 0 { uniq.push(nm) }
+                if uniq.length() > 2 { too_many = 1; break }
+                t = t + 1
+              }
+              if too_many == 1 { ok = 0 }
+            }
+
+            // Rebuild body (others then assigns) only when ok; otherwise keep original
+            local body_new = "["
+            local first = 1
+            t = 0
+            if ok == 1 {
+              loop(t < others.length()) {
+                if first == 1 { first = 0 } else { body_new = body_new + "," }
+                body_new = body_new + others.get(t).get(1)
+                t = t + 1
+              }
+              t = 0
+              loop(t < assigns.length()) {
+                if first == 1 { first = 0 } else { body_new = body_new + "," }
+                body_new = body_new + assigns.get(t).get(1)
+                t = t + 1
+              }
+            } else {
+              // keep original order
+              local back = 0
+              loop(back < elems.length()) {
+                if first == 1 { first = 0 } else { body_new = body_new + "," }
+                body_new = body_new + elems.get(back)
+                back = back + 1
+              }
+            }
+            body_new = body_new + "]"
+
+            // rebuild Loop string directly (canonical key order: condition, body)
+            local loop_norm = "{\"kind\":\"Loop\",\"condition\":" + cond_json + ",\"body\":" + body_new + "}"
             out = out + loop_norm
             i = endi
             continue
diff --git a/apps/tests/macro_golden_loop_two_vars.nyash b/apps/tests/macro_golden_loop_two_vars.nyash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c533317
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/tests/macro_golden_loop_two_vars.nyash
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+local i = 0
+local sum = 0
+loop(i < 3) {
+  print(i)
+  sum = sum + i
+  i = i + 1
+}
+
diff --git a/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars.expanded.json b/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars.expanded.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89c08a50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars.expanded.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{"kind":"Program","statements":[
+  {"kind":"Local","variables":["i"],"inits":[{"kind":"Literal","value":{"type":"int","value":0}}]},
+  {"kind":"Local","variables":["sum"],"inits":[{"kind":"Literal","value":{"type":"int","value":0}}]},
+  {"kind":"Loop","condition":{"kind":"BinaryOp","op":"<","left":{"kind":"Variable","name":"i"},"right":{"kind":"Literal","value":{"type":"int","value":3}}},"body":[
+    {"kind":"Print","expression":{"kind":"Variable","name":"i"}},
+    {"kind":"Assignment","target":{"kind":"Variable","name":"sum"},"value":{"kind":"BinaryOp","op":"+","left":{"kind":"Variable","name":"sum"},"right":{"kind":"Variable","name":"i"}}},
+    {"kind":"Assignment","target":{"kind":"Variable","name":"i"},"value":{"kind":"BinaryOp","op":"+","left":{"kind":"Variable","name":"i"},"right":{"kind":"Literal","value":{"type":"int","value":1}}}}
+  ]}
+]}
+
diff --git a/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars_user_macro_golden.sh b/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars_user_macro_golden.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8abe0105
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars_user_macro_golden.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+root=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")"/../../../.. && pwd)
+bin="$root/target/release/nyash"
+src="apps/tests/macro_golden_loop_two_vars.nyash"
+golden="$root/tools/test/golden/macro/loop_two_vars.expanded.json"
+
+if [ ! -x "$bin" ]; then
+  echo "nyash binary not found at $bin; build first (cargo build --release)" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+export NYASH_MACRO_ENABLE=1
+export NYASH_MACRO_PATHS="apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash"
+
+normalize_json() {
+  python3 -c 'import sys,json; print(json.dumps(json.loads(sys.stdin.read()), sort_keys=True, separators=(",",":")))'
+}
+
+out_raw=$("$bin" --dump-expanded-ast-json "$src")
+out_norm=$(printf '%s' "$out_raw" | normalize_json)
+gold_norm=$(normalize_json < "$golden")
+
+if [ "$out_norm" != "$gold_norm" ]; then
+  echo "Golden mismatch (loop two vars normalization)" >&2
+  diff -u <(echo "$out_norm") <(echo "$gold_norm") || true
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+echo "[OK] golden loop two vars normalization matched"
diff --git a/tools/test/smoke/macro/selfhost_preexpand_loop_two_vars_auto.sh b/tools/test/smoke/macro/selfhost_preexpand_loop_two_vars_auto.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b4dcc99d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test/smoke/macro/selfhost_preexpand_loop_two_vars_auto.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+root=$(cd "$(dirname \"$0\")"/../../../.. && pwd)
+bin="$root/target/release/nyash"
+src="apps/tests/macro_golden_loop_two_vars.nyash"
+
+if [ ! -x "$bin" ]; then
+  echo "nyash binary not found at $bin; build first (cargo build --release)" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Enable user macro (loop normalize) and macro engine
+export NYASH_MACRO_ENABLE=1
+export NYASH_MACRO_PATHS="apps/macros/examples/loop_normalize_macro.nyash"
+
+# Selfhost pre-expand: default auto (no explicit env); requires PyVM
+export NYASH_USE_NY_COMPILER=1
+export NYASH_VM_USE_PY=1
+
+# Verbose to assert pre-expand path engagement
+export NYASH_CLI_VERBOSE=1
+
+out=$("$bin" --backend vm "$src" 2>&1 || true)
+
+echo "$out" | rg -q "selfhost macro pre-expand: engaging" && echo "[OK] selfhost pre-expand (loop two vars, auto) engaged" && exit 0
+
+echo "[WARN] selfhost pre-expand auto did not engage; printing logs:" >&2
+echo "$out" >&2
+exit 2
+