diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 3cb3562de..0a4a8a523 100755
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ all: startup.yss
 	@ENABLE_CUDD@ (cd packages/ProbLog/simplecudd; $(MAKE))
 	@ENABLE_CUDD@ (cd packages/ProbLog/simplecudd_lfi; $(MAKE))
 	@ENABLE_JPL@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/jpl; $(MAKE))
-	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/pyswip; $(MAKE))
+	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/python; $(MAKE))
 
 startup.yss: yap@EXEC_SUFFIX@ $(PL_SOURCES)
 	-rm -f startup.yss
@@ -797,8 +797,8 @@ install_unix: startup.yss libYap.a
 	@INSTALL_MATLAB@ (cd library/matlab; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_REAL@ (cd packages/real; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_JPL@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/jpl; $(MAKE) install)
-	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/pyswip; $(MAKE) install)
-	#@ENABLE_JPL@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/pyswip; $(MAKE) install)
+	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/python; $(MAKE) install)
+	#@ENABLE_JPL@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/python; $(MAKE) install)
 	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(INCLUDEDIR)
 	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(INCLUDEDIR)/src
 	$(INSTALL) $(HEADERS) $(DESTDIR)$(INCLUDEDIR)/src
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ install_win32: startup.yss @ENABLE_WINCONSOLE@ yap-win@EXEC_SUFFIX@
 	(cd packages/CLPBN ; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_CLPBN_BP@ (cd packages/CLPBN/horus; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_JPL@ (cd packages/jpl ; $(MAKE) install)
-	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ (cd packages/pyswip ; $(MAKE) install)
+	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ (cd packages/python ; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_MINISAT@ (cd packages/swi-minisat2/C; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_CPLINT@ (cd packages/cplint; $(MAKE) install)
 	@ENABLE_PRISM@ (cd packages/prism/src/c; $(MAKE) install)
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ clean: clean_docs
 	@ENABLE_CUDD@ (cd packages/ProbLog/simplecudd; $(MAKE) clean)
 	@ENABLE_CUDD@ (cd packages/ProbLog/simplecudd_lfi; $(MAKE) clean)
 	@ENABLE_JPL@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/jpl; $(MAKE) clean)
-	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/pyswip; $(MAKE) clean)
+	@ENABLE_PYTHON@ @INSTALL_DLLS@ (cd packages/python; $(MAKE) clean)
 
 
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ae8ae2b68..27a95ce8d 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6848,8 +6848,8 @@ fi
 if test "$yap_cv_python" = "no"; then
     PYTHON_TARGET="dummy"
     ENABLE_PYTHON="@# "
-elif test -e "$srcdir"/packages/pyswip/Makefile.in ; then
-   PYTHON_TARGET="pyswip"
+elif test -e "$srcdir"/packages/python/Makefile.in ; then
+   PYTHON_TARGET="pitf"
    ENABLE_PYTHON=""
    if test "$yap_cv_python" = "yes"
    then
@@ -6902,6 +6902,7 @@ test -n "$PYTHON" || PYTHON=""none""
    PYTHONHOME=`$PYTHON -c'import sys; print sys.prefix'`
    PYTHONVERSION=`"$PYTHON" -c "import sys; print sys.version[:3]"`
    PYTHON_LIBS="-L $PYTHONHOME/lib -lpython$PYTHONVERSION"
+   LIBS="$LIBS $PYTHON_LIBS"
    PYTHON_INCLUDES="-I $PYTHONHOME/include/python$PYTHONVERSION"
 else
     PYTHON_TARGET="dummy"
@@ -11354,7 +11355,7 @@ ac_config_files="$ac_config_files packages/jpl/Makefile packages/jpl/jpl_paths.y
 fi
 
 if test "$ENABLE_PYTHON" = ""; then
-ac_config_files="$ac_config_files packages/pyswip/Makefile"
+ac_config_files="$ac_config_files packages/python/Makefile"
 
 fi
 
@@ -12171,7 +12172,7 @@ do
     "packages/jpl/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/jpl/Makefile" ;;
     "packages/jpl/jpl_paths.yap") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/jpl/jpl_paths.yap" ;;
     "packages/jpl/src/java/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/jpl/src/java/Makefile" ;;
-    "packages/pyswip/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/pyswip/Makefile" ;;
+    "packages/python/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/python/Makefile" ;;
     "packages/pldoc/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/pldoc/Makefile" ;;
     "packages/pldoc/server/man_server.pl") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/pldoc/server/man_server.pl" ;;
     "packages/plunit/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES packages/plunit/Makefile" ;;
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 2c3de1502..4adc83a94 100755
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -849,8 +849,8 @@ fi
 if test "$yap_cv_python" = "no"; then
     PYTHON_TARGET="dummy"
     ENABLE_PYTHON="@# "
-elif test -e "$srcdir"/packages/pyswip/Makefile.in ; then
-   PYTHON_TARGET="pyswip"
+elif test -e "$srcdir"/packages/python/Makefile.in ; then
+   PYTHON_TARGET="pitf"
    ENABLE_PYTHON=""
    if test "$yap_cv_python" = "yes"
    then
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ elif test -e "$srcdir"/packages/pyswip/Makefile.in ; then
    PYTHONHOME=`$PYTHON -c'import sys; print sys.prefix'`
    PYTHONVERSION=`"$PYTHON" -c "import sys; print sys.version[[:3]]"`
    PYTHON_LIBS="-L $PYTHONHOME/lib -lpython$PYTHONVERSION"
+   LIBS="$LIBS $PYTHON_LIBS"
    PYTHON_INCLUDES="-I $PYTHONHOME/include/python$PYTHONVERSION"
 else
     PYTHON_TARGET="dummy"
@@ -2565,7 +2566,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([packages/jpl/Makefile packages/jpl/jpl_paths.yap packages/jpl/s
 fi
 
 if test "$ENABLE_PYTHON" = ""; then
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([ packages/pyswip/Makefile ])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([ packages/python/Makefile ])
 fi
 
 if test "$ENABLE_PLDOC" = ""; then
diff --git a/packages/pyswip/Makefile.in b/packages/python/Makefile.in
similarity index 94%
rename from packages/pyswip/Makefile.in
rename to packages/python/Makefile.in
index 5127992c3..29d2a1247 100644
--- a/packages/pyswip/Makefile.in
+++ b/packages/python/Makefile.in
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 # Copyright: Perl License
 ################################################################
 
-PACKAGE=pyswip
-DOC=pyswip
+PACKAGE=python
+DOC=python
 PKGCFLAGS=@PYTHON_INCLUDES@
 include ../Makefile.defs
 
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ LIBPL=		python.pl
 
 all:		@PYTHON_TARGET@
 
-pyswip:		$(SOLIBS)
+pitf:		$(SOLIBS)
 dummy::
 
 python.@SO@:	$(OBJS)
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ python.@SO@:	$(OBJS)
 
 install:	install-@PYTHON_TARGET@
 install-dummy::
-install-pyswip:	$(SOLIBS) $(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(LIBPL))
+install-pitf:	$(SOLIBS) $(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(LIBPL))
 		mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(SOLIBDIR)
 		rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(SOLIBDIR)/python.@SO@
 		$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $(SOLIBS) $(SOLIBDIR)
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@ install-pyswip:	$(SOLIBS) $(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(LIBPL))
 		$(MKINDEX)
 
 
-install-python:
-		(cd $(srcdir); python setup.py install)
-
 ln-install::
 		$(MAKE) INSTALL_DATA="../ln-install" INSTALL_PROGRAM="../ln-install" install
 
diff --git a/packages/pyswip/pl2py_examples/multiply.py b/packages/python/examples/multiply.py
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/pyswip/pl2py_examples/multiply.py
rename to packages/python/examples/multiply.py
diff --git a/packages/pyswip/pl2py_examples/nltk.pl b/packages/python/examples/nltk.pl
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/pyswip/pl2py_examples/nltk.pl
rename to packages/python/examples/nltk.pl
diff --git a/packages/pyswip/python.c b/packages/python/python.c
similarity index 82%
rename from packages/pyswip/python.c
rename to packages/python/python.c
index 204738ee1..2b36f33e8 100644
--- a/packages/pyswip/python.c
+++ b/packages/python/python.c
@@ -189,16 +189,40 @@ term_to_python(term_t t)
 	  return NULL;
 	return PyNumber_Divide(lhs, rhs);
       } else if (fun == FUNCTOR_hat2) {
-	term_t targ = PL_new_term_ref();
+	term_t targ = PL_new_term_ref(), trhs = PL_new_term_ref();
 	PyObject *lhs, *rhs;
 
-	if (! PL_get_arg(1, t, targ) )
+	if (! PL_get_arg(1, t, targ))
 	  return NULL;
 	lhs = term_to_python(targ);
-	if (! PL_get_arg(2, t, targ) )
+	if (! PL_get_arg(2, t, targ)  || !PL_is_list(targ) || !PL_get_list(targ, trhs, targ)  )
 	  return NULL;
-	rhs = term_to_python(targ);
+	rhs = term_to_python(trhs);
 	return PyObject_GetItem(lhs, rhs);
+      } else {
+	atom_t name;
+	int len;
+
+	if (! PL_get_name_arity( t, &name, &len) ) {
+	  return NULL;
+	}
+	if (name == ATOM_t) {
+	  term_t targ = PL_new_term_ref();
+	  PyObject *out;
+	  int i;
+
+	  out = PyTuple_New(len);
+	  if (!out)
+	    return NULL;
+	  for (i=0; i< len; i++) {
+	    if (!PL_get_arg(i+1, t, targ)) {
+	      return NULL;
+	    }
+	    if (PyTuple_SetItem(out, i, term_to_python(targ)) < 0)
+	      return NULL;
+	  }
+	  return out;
+	}
       }
     }
     return NULL;
@@ -206,6 +230,99 @@ term_to_python(term_t t)
   return NULL;
 }
 
+static int
+assign_python(PyObject *root, term_t t, PyObject *e)
+{
+  // Yap_DebugPlWrite(YAP_GetFromSlot(t));        fprintf(stderr, " here I am\n");
+  switch (PL_term_type(t)) {
+  case PL_VARIABLE:
+    return -1;
+  case PL_ATOM:
+    {
+      char *s;
+      
+      if (!PL_get_atom_chars(t, &s)) {
+	wchar_t *w;
+	atom_t at;
+	size_t len;
+	PyObject *wo;
+
+	if (!PL_get_atom(t, &at))
+	  return -1;
+	if (!(w = PL_atom_wchars(at, &len)))
+	  return -1;
+	wo = PyUnicode_FromWideChar(w, wcslen(w) );
+        return PyObject_SetAttr(root, wo, e); 
+      }
+      if (proper_ascii_string(s)) {
+        return PyObject_SetAttrString(root, s, e); 
+      } else {
+	PyObject *wo=  PyUnicode_DecodeLatin1(s, strlen(s), NULL);
+        return PyObject_SetAttr(root, wo, e); 
+      }
+    }
+  case PL_INTEGER:
+  case PL_STRING:
+  case PL_FLOAT:
+    return -1;
+  case PL_TERM:
+    if (PL_is_list(t)) {
+      return -1;
+    } else {
+      functor_t fun;
+
+      if (!PL_get_functor(t, &fun))
+	return -1;
+      if (fun == FUNCTOR_dollar1) {
+	char *s;
+
+	
+	if (! PL_get_arg(1, t, t) )
+	  return -1;
+	if (!PL_get_atom_chars(t, &s)) {
+	  wchar_t *w;
+	  atom_t at;
+	  size_t len;
+	  PyObject *attr;
+
+	  if (!PL_get_atom(t, &at)) {
+	    return -1;
+	  }
+	  if (!(w = PL_atom_wchars(at, &len)))
+	    return -1;
+	  attr = PyUnicode_FromWideChar(w, wcslen(w) );
+	  if (!attr)
+	    return -1;
+	  return PyObject_SetAttr(py_Main, attr, e);
+	}
+	if (proper_ascii_string(s)) {
+	  return PyObject_SetAttrString(py_Main, s, e);
+	} else {
+	  PyObject *attr=  PyUnicode_DecodeLatin1(s, strlen(s), NULL);
+	  if (!attr)
+	    return -1;
+	  return PyObject_SetAttr(py_Main, attr, e);
+	}
+      } else if (fun == FUNCTOR_pointer1) {
+	return -1;
+      } else if (fun == FUNCTOR_hat2) {
+	term_t targ = PL_new_term_ref(), trhs = PL_new_term_ref();
+	PyObject *lhs, *rhs;
+
+	if (! PL_get_arg(1, t, targ) )
+	  return -1;
+	lhs = term_to_python(targ);
+	if (! PL_get_arg(2, t, targ) || !PL_is_list(targ) || !PL_get_list(targ, trhs, targ ) )
+	  return -1;
+	rhs = term_to_python(trhs);
+	return PyObject_SetItem(lhs, rhs, e);
+      }
+    }
+    return -1;
+  }
+  return -1;
+}
+
 static foreign_t
 python_to_term(PyObject *pVal, term_t t)
 {
@@ -339,25 +456,6 @@ python_o(term_t tmod, term_t fname, term_t tf)
   return python_to_term(pO, tf);
 }
 
-static foreign_t
-python_set_item(term_t tobj, term_t tpos, term_t titem)
-{ 
-  PyObject *obj, *item, *pos;
-
-  obj = term_to_python(tobj);
-  if (obj == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
-  item = term_to_python(titem);
-  if (item == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
-  pos = term_to_python(tpos);
-  if (pos == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
-  if (PyObject_SetItem(obj, pos,  item) < 0)
-    return FALSE;
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
 static foreign_t
 python_len(term_t tobj, term_t tf)
 { 
@@ -441,13 +539,10 @@ static foreign_t
 python_assign(term_t name, term_t exp)
 {
   PyObject *e = term_to_python(exp);
-  char *s;
 
   if (e == NULL)
     return FALSE;
-  if (!PL_get_atom_chars(name, &s))
-    return FALSE;
-  return PyObject_SetAttrString(py_Main, s, e) >= 0;  
+  return assign_python(py_Main, name, e) >= 0;
 }
 
 static foreign_t
@@ -561,7 +656,6 @@ install_python(void)
   PL_register_foreign("python_apply",	  3, python_apply,       0);
   PL_register_foreign("python_access",	  3, python_access,       0);
   PL_register_foreign("python_assign",	  2, python_assign,       0);
-  PL_register_foreign("python_set_item",  3, python_set_item,       0);
   PL_register_foreign("python_run_command",	  1, python_run_command,       0);
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/pyswip/python.pl b/packages/python/python.pl
similarity index 95%
rename from packages/pyswip/python.pl
rename to packages/python/python.pl
index f9bf3a35b..54a3524b6 100644
--- a/packages/pyswip/python.pl
+++ b/packages/python/python.pl
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ Data types are
 := F :- python(F,_).
 
 V := F :- var(V), !, python(F,V).
-'$'(V) := F :- atom(V), !, python(F,F1), python_assign(V, F1).
-A^Key := F :- python(F,F1), python_set_item(A, Key, F1).
+A := F :- python(F, F1), python_assign(A, F1).
 
 python_import(Module) :-
 	python_do_import(Module, _).
@@ -140,7 +139,8 @@ start_python :-
 add_cwd_to_python :-
 	unix(getcwd(Dir)),
 	atom_concat(['sys.path.append(\"',Dir,'\")'], Command),
-	python_command(Command).
+	python_command(Command),
+	python_command("sys.argv = [\"yap\"]").
 	% done	
 
 python_assign(Name, Exp, '$'(Name)) :-