diff --git a/src/Lib/Elab.newt b/src/Lib/Elab.newt
index 904f89e..df1d98e 100644
--- a/src/Lib/Elab.newt
+++ b/src/Lib/Elab.newt
@@ -455,6 +455,12 @@ unify env mode t u = do
       xb' <- b' $$ fresh
       _<+>_ <$> unify env mode a a' <*> unify (fresh :: env) mode xb xb'
 
+    -- TODO adds about 2kb, maybe add one more func for unifyPi?
+    -- or rearrange to split on first arg and then case on second (might be a good experiment)
+    unifyRest (VLit fc l) (VLit _ k) = if l == k
+      then pure neutral
+      else error fc "unify failed \{show l} =?= \{show k}"
+
     unifyRest (VU _) (VU _) = pure neutral
     -- REVIEW I'd like to quote this back, but we have l that aren't in the environment.
     unifyRest t' u' = error (getFC t') "unify failed \{show t'} =?= \{show u'} \n  env is \{show env}"
diff --git a/src/Lib/Types.newt b/src/Lib/Types.newt
index 06fcf42..bfb14cb 100644
--- a/src/Lib/Types.newt
+++ b/src/Lib/Types.newt
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ Tm : U
 data Literal = LString String | LInt Int | LChar Char
 
 instance Show Literal where
-  show (LString str) = show str
+  show (LString str) = quoteString str
   show (LInt i) = show i
-  show (LChar c) = show c
+  show (LChar c) = "'\{show c}'" -- FIXME single quote
 
 data CaseAlt : U where
   CaseDefault : Tm -> CaseAlt
diff --git a/tests/UnifyLit.newt b/tests/UnifyLit.newt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15a0a88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/UnifyLit.newt
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+module UnifyLit
+
+import Prelude
+
+test : 'x' ≡ 'x'
+test = Refl
+
+test2 : "foo" ≡ "foo"
+test2 = Refl
+
+test3 : 1 ≡ 1
+test3 = Refl