diff --git a/builtin/assign_osh.py b/builtin/assign_osh.py
index 04819f381..a8596b91c 100644
--- a/builtin/assign_osh.py
+++ b/builtin/assign_osh.py
@@ -321,7 +321,9 @@ def Run(self, cmd_val):
                 if arg.a:
                     rval = value.BashArray([])  # type: value_t
                 elif arg.A:
-                    rval = value.BashAssoc({})
+                    # mycpp limitation: NewDict() needs to be typed
+                    tmp = NewDict()  # type: Dict[str, str]
+                    rval = value.BashAssoc(tmp)
                 else:
                     rval = None
             else:
diff --git a/core/bash_impl.py b/core/bash_impl.py
index 316e11765..ac676c107 100644
--- a/core/bash_impl.py
+++ b/core/bash_impl.py
@@ -12,36 +12,31 @@
 
 def BigInt_Greater(a, b):
     # type: (mops.BigInt, mops.BigInt) -> bool
-
     return mops.Greater(a, b)
 
 
 def BigInt_Less(a, b):
     # type: (mops.BigInt, mops.BigInt) -> bool
-
     return mops.Greater(b, a)
 
 
 def BigInt_GreaterEq(a, b):
     # type: (mops.BigInt, mops.BigInt) -> bool
-
     return not mops.Greater(b, a)
 
 
 def BigInt_LessEq(a, b):
     # type: (mops.BigInt, mops.BigInt) -> bool
-
     return not mops.Greater(a, b)
 
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# All BashArray operations depending on the internal
-# representation of SparseArray come here.
+# All BashArray operations depending on the internal representation of
+# BashArray come here.
 
 
 def BashArray_IsEmpty(array_val):
     # type: (value.BashArray) -> bool
-
     return len(array_val.strs) == 0
 
 
@@ -58,13 +53,11 @@ def BashArray_Count(array_val):
 
 def BashArray_Length(array_val):
     # type: (value.BashArray) -> int
-
     return len(array_val.strs)
 
 
 def BashArray_GetKeys(array_val):
     # type: (value.BashArray) -> List[int]
-
     indices = []  # type: List[int]
     for i, s in enumerate(array_val.strs):
         if s is not None:
@@ -75,13 +68,11 @@ def BashArray_GetKeys(array_val):
 
 def BashArray_GetValues(array_val):
     # type: (value.BashArray) -> List[str]
-
     return array_val.strs
 
 
 def BashArray_AppendValues(array_val, strs):
     # type: (value.BashArray, List[str]) -> None
-
     array_val.strs.extend(strs)
 
 
@@ -104,7 +95,6 @@ def _BashArray_CanonicalizeIndex(array_val, index):
 
 def BashArray_HasElement(array_val, index):
     # type: (value.BashArray, int) -> Tuple[bool, error_code_t]
-
     index, n, error_code = _BashArray_CanonicalizeIndex(array_val, index)
     if error_code != error_code_e.OK:
         return False, error_code
@@ -140,7 +130,6 @@ def BashArray_GetElement(array_val, index):
 
 def BashArray_SetElement(array_val, index, s):
     # type: (value.BashArray, int, str) -> error_code_t
-
     strs = array_val.strs
 
     # a[-1]++ computes this twice; could we avoid it?
@@ -192,7 +181,6 @@ def BashArray_UnsetElement(array_val, index):
 
 def BashArray_Equals(lhs, rhs):
     # type: (value.BashArray, value.BashArray) -> bool
-
     len_lhs = len(lhs.strs)
     len_rhs = len(rhs.strs)
     if len_lhs != len_rhs:
@@ -217,7 +205,6 @@ def _BashArray_HasHoles(array_val):
 
 def BashArray_ToStrForShellPrint(array_val, name):
     # type: (value.BashArray, Optional[str]) -> str
-
     buff = []  # type: List[str]
     first = True
     if _BashArray_HasHoles(array_val):
@@ -266,8 +253,8 @@ def BashArray_ToStrForShellPrint(array_val, name):
 
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# All BashAssoc operations depending on the internal
-# representation of SparseArray come here.
+# All BashAssoc operations depending on the internal representation of
+# BashAssoc come here.
 
 
 def BashAssoc_IsEmpty(assoc_val):
@@ -282,56 +269,47 @@ def BashAssoc_Count(assoc_val):
 
 def BashAssoc_GetDict(assoc_val):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc) -> Dict[str, str]
-
     return assoc_val.d
 
 
 def BashAssoc_AppendDict(assoc_val, d):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, Dict[str, str]) -> None
-
     for key in d:
         assoc_val.d[key] = d[key]
 
 
 def BashAssoc_GetKeys(assoc_val):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc) -> List[str]
-
     return assoc_val.d.keys()
 
 
 def BashAssoc_GetValues(assoc_val):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc) -> List[str]
-
     return assoc_val.d.values()
 
 
 def BashAssoc_HasElement(assoc_val, s):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, str) -> bool
-
     return s in assoc_val.d
 
 
 def BashAssoc_GetElement(assoc_val, s):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, str) -> Optional[str]
-
     return assoc_val.d.get(s)
 
 
 def BashAssoc_SetElement(assoc_val, key, s):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, str, str) -> None
-
     assoc_val.d[key] = s
 
 
 def BashAssoc_UnsetElement(assoc_val, key):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, str) -> None
-
     mylib.dict_erase(assoc_val.d, key)
 
 
 def BashAssoc_Equals(lhs, rhs):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc, value.BashAssoc) -> bool
-
     if len(lhs.d) != len(rhs.d):
         return False
 
@@ -344,7 +322,6 @@ def BashAssoc_Equals(lhs, rhs):
 
 def BashAssoc_ToStrForShellPrint(assoc_val):
     # type: (value.BashAssoc) -> str
-
     buff = ["("]  # type: List[str]
     first = True
     for key in sorted(assoc_val.d):
@@ -363,8 +340,8 @@ def BashAssoc_ToStrForShellPrint(assoc_val):
 
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# All SparseArray operations depending on the internal
-# representation of SparseArray come here.
+# All SparseArray operations depending on the internal representation of
+# SparseArray come here.
 
 
 def SparseArray_IsEmpty(sparse_val):
@@ -379,13 +356,11 @@ def SparseArray_Count(sparse_val):
 
 def SparseArray_Length(sparse_val):
     # type: (value.SparseArray) -> mops.BigInt
-
     return mops.Add(sparse_val.max_index, mops.ONE)
 
 
 def SparseArray_GetKeys(sparse_val):
     # type: (value.SparseArray) -> List[mops.BigInt]
-
     keys = sparse_val.d.keys()
     mylib.BigIntSort(keys)
     return keys
@@ -431,7 +406,6 @@ def _SparseArray_CanonicalizeIndex(sparse_val, index):
 
 def SparseArray_HasElement(sparse_val, index):
     # type: (value.SparseArray, mops.BigInt) -> Tuple[bool, error_code_t]
-
     index, error_code = _SparseArray_CanonicalizeIndex(sparse_val, index)
     if error_code != error_code_e.OK:
         return False, error_code
@@ -440,7 +414,6 @@ def SparseArray_HasElement(sparse_val, index):
 
 def SparseArray_GetElement(sparse_val, index):
     # type: (value.SparseArray, mops.BigInt) -> Tuple[Optional[str], error_code_t]
-
     index, error_code = _SparseArray_CanonicalizeIndex(sparse_val, index)
     if error_code != error_code_e.OK:
         return None, error_code
@@ -449,7 +422,6 @@ def SparseArray_GetElement(sparse_val, index):
 
 def SparseArray_SetElement(sparse_val, index, s):
     # type: (value.SparseArray, mops.BigInt, str) -> error_code_t
-
     index, error_code = _SparseArray_CanonicalizeIndex(sparse_val, index)
     if error_code != error_code_e.OK:
         return error_code
@@ -461,7 +433,6 @@ def SparseArray_SetElement(sparse_val, index, s):
 
 def SparseArray_UnsetElement(sparse_val, index):
     # type: (value.SparseArray, mops.BigInt) -> error_code_t
-
     index, error_code = _SparseArray_CanonicalizeIndex(sparse_val, index)
     if error_code != error_code_e.OK:
         return error_code
@@ -478,7 +449,6 @@ def SparseArray_UnsetElement(sparse_val, index):
 
 def SparseArray_Equals(lhs, rhs):
     # type: (value.SparseArray, value.SparseArray) -> bool
-
     len_lhs = len(lhs.d)
     len_rhs = len(rhs.d)
     if len_lhs != len_rhs:
@@ -493,7 +463,6 @@ def SparseArray_Equals(lhs, rhs):
 
 def SparseArray_ToStrForShellPrint(sparse_val):
     # type: (value.SparseArray) -> str
-
     body = []  # type: List[str]
     for index in SparseArray_GetKeys(sparse_val):
         if len(body) > 0:
diff --git a/data_lang/j8.py b/data_lang/j8.py
index 6387e476e..ad436b0e9 100644
--- a/data_lang/j8.py
+++ b/data_lang/j8.py
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def _PrintBashPrefix(self, type_str, level):
         self._ItemIndent(level)
         self.buf.write('"type":')
         self._MaybeSpace()
-        self.buf.write(type_str)  # "BashArray",  or "BashAssoc",
+        self.buf.write(type_str)  # "BashArray", "SparseArray", or "BashAssoc",
 
         self._MaybeNewline()
 
diff --git a/osh/cmd_eval.py b/osh/cmd_eval.py
index b9dc2edf8..0e4b7ef5b 100644
--- a/osh/cmd_eval.py
+++ b/osh/cmd_eval.py
@@ -208,7 +208,8 @@ def PlusEquals(old_val, val):
                 str_to_append = cast(value.Str, UP_val)
                 val = value.Str(old_val.s + str_to_append.s)
 
-            elif tag in (value_e.BashArray, value_e.SparseArray, value_e.BashAssoc):
+            elif tag in (value_e.BashArray, value_e.SparseArray,
+                         value_e.BashAssoc):
                 e_die("Can't append array to string")
 
             else:
diff --git a/spec/ble-idioms.test.sh b/spec/ble-idioms.test.sh
index 9febaba74..82caa71f3 100644
--- a/spec/ble-idioms.test.sh
+++ b/spec/ble-idioms.test.sh
@@ -622,6 +622,7 @@ unset -v "a[-3]"
 case $SH in bash|zsh|mksh|ash) exit ;; esac
 
 a=({1..9})
+var a = _a2sp(a)
 unset -v 'a[-1]'
 a[-1]=x
 declare -p a
@@ -630,8 +631,8 @@ a[-1]=x
 declare -p a
 
 ## STDOUT:
-declare -a a=(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 x)
-declare -a a=(1 2 3 4 5 6 x)
+declare -a a=([0]=1 [1]=2 [2]=3 [3]=4 [4]=5 [5]=6 [6]=7 [7]=x)
+declare -a a=([0]=1 [1]=2 [2]=3 [3]=4 [4]=5 [5]=6 [6]=x)
 ## END
 
 ## N-I bash/zsh/mksh/ash STDOUT:
diff --git a/spec/var-op-bash.test.sh b/spec/var-op-bash.test.sh
index 62cee0ef6..c47ce8bb9 100644
--- a/spec/var-op-bash.test.sh
+++ b/spec/var-op-bash.test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ## compare_shells: bash
-## oils_failures_allowed: 8
+## oils_failures_allowed: 7
 
 #### Lower Case with , and ,,
 x='ABC DEF'
@@ -337,11 +337,6 @@ if test $? -ne 0; then echo fail; fi
 
 
 # END
-## OK osh STDOUT:
-fail
-'x y'
-a
-## END
 
 #### ${#var@X} is a parse error
 # note: "y z" causes a bug!