diff --git a/analysis/src/macro_expansion.rs b/analysis/src/macro_expansion.rs
index f6ac089c8..a1f724871 100644
--- a/analysis/src/macro_expansion.rs
+++ b/analysis/src/macro_expansion.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use ast::parsed::{
     asm::{ASMProgram, Instruction, InstructionBody, Machine, MachineStatement},
     folder::Folder,
     visitor::ExpressionVisitable,
-    Expression, FunctionDefinition, PilStatement,
+    Expression, FunctionCall, FunctionDefinition, PilStatement,
 };
 use number::FieldElement;
 
@@ -105,19 +105,25 @@ where
             }
         }
 
-        statement.post_visit_expressions_mut(&mut |e| self.process_expression(e));
-
         match &mut statement {
-            PilStatement::FunctionCall(_start, name, arguments) => {
-                if !self.macros.contains_key(name) {
-                    panic!(
-                        "Macro {name} not found - only macros allowed at this point, no fixed columns."
-                    );
+            PilStatement::Expression(_start, e) => match e {
+                Expression::FunctionCall(FunctionCall { id, arguments }) => {
+                    if !self.macros.contains_key(id) {
+                        panic!("Macro {id} not found - only macros allowed at this point, no fixed columns.");
+                    }
+                    let arguments = std::mem::take(arguments)
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .map(|mut a| {
+                            self.process_expression(&mut a);
+                            a
+                        })
+                        .collect();
+                    if self.expand_macro(id, arguments).is_some() {
+                        panic!("Invoked a macro in statement context with non-empty expression.");
+                    }
                 }
-                if self.expand_macro(name, std::mem::take(arguments)).is_some() {
-                    panic!("Invoked a macro in statement context with non-empty expression.");
-                }
-            }
+                _ => panic!("Only function calls or identities allowed at PIL statement level."),
+            },
             PilStatement::MacroDefinition(_start, name, parameters, statements, expression) => {
                 // We expand lazily. Is that a mistake?
                 let is_new = self
@@ -133,7 +139,10 @@ where
                     .is_none();
                 assert!(is_new);
             }
-            _ => self.statements.push(statement),
+            _ => {
+                statement.post_visit_expressions_mut(&mut |e| self.process_expression(e));
+                self.statements.push(statement);
+            }
         };
 
         if added_locals {
@@ -176,9 +185,10 @@ where
                 *e = self.arguments[self.parameter_names[&poly.name]].clone()
             }
         } else if let Expression::FunctionCall(call) = e {
-            if self.macros.contains_key(call.id.as_str()) {
+            let name = call.id.as_str();
+            if !self.shadowing_locals.contains(name) && self.macros.contains_key(name) {
                 *e = self
-                    .expand_macro(call.id.as_str(), std::mem::take(&mut call.arguments))
+                    .expand_macro(name, std::mem::take(&mut call.arguments))
                     .expect("Invoked a macro in expression context with empty expression.")
             }
         }
diff --git a/ast/src/parsed/display.rs b/ast/src/parsed/display.rs
index 095d8a358..eb4a8b20b 100644
--- a/ast/src/parsed/display.rs
+++ b/ast/src/parsed/display.rs
@@ -392,8 +392,8 @@ impl<T: Display> Display for PilStatement<T> {
                 };
                 write!(f, "macro {name}({}) {{{body}}};", params.join(", "))
             }
-            PilStatement::FunctionCall(_, name, args) => {
-                write!(f, "{name}({});", format_expressions(args))
+            PilStatement::Expression(_, e) => {
+                write!(f, "{e};")
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/ast/src/parsed/mod.rs b/ast/src/parsed/mod.rs
index 06461d0aa..6baf06b5e 100644
--- a/ast/src/parsed/mod.rs
+++ b/ast/src/parsed/mod.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ pub enum PilStatement<T> {
         Vec<PilStatement<T>>,
         Option<Expression<T>>,
     ),
-    FunctionCall(usize, String, Vec<Expression<T>>),
+    Expression(usize, Expression<T>),
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Clone)]
diff --git a/ast/src/parsed/visitor.rs b/ast/src/parsed/visitor.rs
index 43a9555f7..c6071e800 100644
--- a/ast/src/parsed/visitor.rs
+++ b/ast/src/parsed/visitor.rs
@@ -189,9 +189,7 @@ impl<T> ExpressionVisitable<Expression<T, NamespacedPolynomialReference>> for Pi
         F: FnMut(&mut Expression<T, NamespacedPolynomialReference>) -> ControlFlow<B>,
     {
         match self {
-            PilStatement::FunctionCall(_, _, arguments) => arguments
-                .iter_mut()
-                .try_for_each(|e| e.visit_expressions_mut(f, o)),
+            PilStatement::Expression(_, e) => e.visit_expressions_mut(f, o),
             PilStatement::PlookupIdentity(_, left, right)
             | PilStatement::PermutationIdentity(_, left, right) => [left, right]
                 .into_iter()
@@ -229,9 +227,7 @@ impl<T> ExpressionVisitable<Expression<T, NamespacedPolynomialReference>> for Pi
         F: FnMut(&Expression<T>) -> ControlFlow<B>,
     {
         match self {
-            PilStatement::FunctionCall(_, _, arguments) => {
-                arguments.iter().try_for_each(|e| e.visit_expressions(f, o))
-            }
+            PilStatement::Expression(_, e) => e.visit_expressions(f, o),
             PilStatement::PlookupIdentity(_, left, right)
             | PilStatement::PermutationIdentity(_, left, right) => [left, right]
                 .into_iter()
diff --git a/parser/src/powdr.lalrpop b/parser/src/powdr.lalrpop
index 23de7922f..dde3e7160 100644
--- a/parser/src/powdr.lalrpop
+++ b/parser/src/powdr.lalrpop
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pub PilStatement = {
     PermutationIdentity,
     ConnectIdentity,
     MacroDefinition,
-    FunctionCallStatement,
+    ExpressionStatement,
 };
 
 Include: PilStatement<T> = {
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ MacroDefinition: PilStatement<T> = {
         => PilStatement::MacroDefinition(<>)
 }
 
-FunctionCallStatement: PilStatement<T> = {
-    <@L> <Identifier> "(" <ExpressionList> ")" => PilStatement::FunctionCall(<>)
+ExpressionStatement: PilStatement<T> = {
+    <@L> <Expression> => PilStatement::Expression(<>)
 }
 
 PolCol = {
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ InstructionBodyElement: PilStatement<T> = {
     PolynomialIdentity,
     PlookupIdentity,
     PermutationIdentity,
-    // We could use FunctionCallStatement here, but it makes lalrpop fail to build
-    <@L> <Identifier> "(" <ExpressionList> ")" => PilStatement::FunctionCall(<>)
+    ExpressionStatement,
 }
 
 Params: Params = {