diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
index dc57fc52..81bf0309 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ XP Compiler ChangeLog
 
 ## ?.?.? / ????-??-??
 
+* Merged PR #114: Implements first-class callable syntax: `strlen(...)`
+  now returns a closure which if invoked with a string argument, returns
+  its length. Includes support for static and instance methods as well as
+  indirect references like `$closure(...)` and `self::{$expression}(...)`,
+  see https://wiki.php.net/rfc/first_class_callable_syntax
+
 ## 6.6.0 / 2021-07-10
 
 * Emit null-coalesce operator as `$a ?? $a= expression` instead of as
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index eada459d..73d49ba9 100755
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   "keywords": ["module", "xp"],
   "require" : {
     "xp-framework/core": "^10.0 | ^9.0 | ^8.0 | ^7.0",
-    "xp-framework/ast": "^7.3",
+    "xp-framework/ast": "^7.4",
     "php" : ">=7.0.0"
   },
   "require-dev" : {
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/CallablesAsClosures.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/CallablesAsClosures.class.php
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..4ac1c2b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/CallablesAsClosures.class.php
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+<?php namespace lang\ast\emit;
+
+use lang\ast\Node;
+use lang\ast\nodes\{InstanceExpression, ScopeExpression, Literal};
+
+/**
+ * Rewrites callable expressions to `Callable::fromClosure()`
+ *
+ * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc/first_class_callable_syntax
+ */
+trait CallablesAsClosures {
+
+  protected function emitCallable($result, $callable) {
+    $result->out->write('\Closure::fromCallable(');
+    if ($callable->expression instanceof Literal) {
+
+      // Rewrite f() => "f"
+      $result->out->write('"'.trim($callable->expression->expression, '"\'').'"');
+    } else if ($callable->expression instanceof InstanceExpression) {
+
+      // Rewrite $this->f => [$this, "f"]
+      $result->out->write('[');
+      $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->expression);
+      if ($callable->expression->member instanceof Literal) {
+        $result->out->write(',"'.trim($callable->expression->member, '"\'').'"');
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write(',');
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->member);
+      }
+      $result->out->write(']');
+    } else if ($callable->expression instanceof ScopeExpression) {
+
+      // Rewrite self::f => ["self", "f"]
+      $result->out->write('[');
+      if ($callable->expression->type instanceof Node) {
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->type);
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write('"'.$callable->expression->type.'"');
+      }
+      if ($callable->expression->member instanceof Literal) {
+        $result->out->write(',"'.trim($callable->expression->member, '"\'').'"');
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write(',');
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->member);
+      }
+      $result->out->write(']');
+    } else {
+
+      // Emit other expressions as-is
+      $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression);
+    }
+    $result->out->write(')');
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP.class.php
index e9056ebf..e20775b0 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP.class.php
@@ -527,10 +527,9 @@ protected function emitTrait($result, $trait) {
       $this->emitOne($result, $member);
       $result->out->write("\n");
     }
+    $result->out->write('}');
 
-    $result->out->write('static function __init() {');
     $this->emitMeta($result, $trait->name, $trait->annotations, $trait->comment);
-    $result->out->write('}} '.$trait->name.'::__init();');
   }
 
   protected function emitUse($result, $use) {
@@ -946,6 +945,11 @@ protected function emitNewClass($result, $new) {
     array_shift($result->type);
   }
 
+  protected function emitCallable($result, $callable) {
+    $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression);
+    $result->out->write('(...)');
+  }
+
   protected function emitInvoke($result, $invoke) {
     $this->emitOne($result, $invoke->expression);
     $result->out->write('(');
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP70.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP70.class.php
index abeb39cf..68d190d3 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP70.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP70.class.php
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <?php namespace lang\ast\emit;
 
+use lang\ast\Node;
+use lang\ast\nodes\{InstanceExpression, ScopeExpression, Literal};
 use lang\ast\types\{IsUnion, IsFunction, IsArray, IsMap, IsNullable, IsValue, IsLiteral};
 
 /**
@@ -26,4 +28,51 @@ public function __construct() {
       },
     ];
   }
+
+  protected function emitCallable($result, $callable) {
+    $t= $result->temp();
+    $result->out->write('(is_callable('.$t.'=');
+    if ($callable->expression instanceof Literal) {
+
+      // Rewrite f() => "f"
+      $result->out->write('"'.trim($callable->expression->expression, '"\'').'"');
+    } else if ($callable->expression instanceof InstanceExpression) {
+
+      // Rewrite $this->f => [$this, "f"]
+      $result->out->write('[');
+      $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->expression);
+      if ($callable->expression->member instanceof Literal) {
+        $result->out->write(',"'.trim($callable->expression->member, '"\'').'"');
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write(',');
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->member);
+      }
+      $result->out->write(']');
+    } else if ($callable->expression instanceof ScopeExpression) {
+
+      // Rewrite self::f => [self::class, "f"]
+      $result->out->write('[');
+      if ($callable->expression->type instanceof Node) {
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->type);
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write($callable->expression->type.'::class');
+      }
+      if ($callable->expression->member instanceof Literal) {
+        $result->out->write(',"'.trim($callable->expression->member, '"\'').'"');
+      } else {
+        $result->out->write(',');
+        $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression->member);
+      }
+      $result->out->write(']');
+    } else {
+
+      // Emit other expressions as-is
+      $this->emitOne($result, $callable->expression);
+    }
+
+    // Emit equivalent of Closure::fromCallable() which doesn't exist until PHP 7.1
+    $a= $result->temp();
+    $result->out->write(')?function(...'.$a.') use('.$t.') { return '.$t.'(...'.$a.'); }:');
+    $result->out->write('(function() { throw new \Error("Given argument is not callable"); })())');
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP71.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP71.class.php
index 52446c1e..7331a97f 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP71.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP71.class.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc#php_71
  */
 class PHP71 extends PHP {
-  use OmitPropertyTypes;
+  use OmitPropertyTypes, CallablesAsClosures;
   use RewriteNullCoalesceAssignment, RewriteLambdaExpressions, RewriteClassOnObjects, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums;
 
   /** Sets up type => literal mappings */
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP72.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP72.class.php
index 0a264943..8e33fe69 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP72.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP72.class.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc#php_72
  */
 class PHP72 extends PHP {
-  use OmitPropertyTypes;
+  use OmitPropertyTypes, CallablesAsClosures;
   use RewriteNullCoalesceAssignment, RewriteLambdaExpressions, RewriteClassOnObjects, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums;
 
   /** Sets up type => literal mappings */
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP74.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP74.class.php
index 1a252e4d..04f51259 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP74.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP74.class.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc#php_74
  */
 class PHP74 extends PHP {
-  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions, RewriteClassOnObjects, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums;
+  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions, RewriteClassOnObjects, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums, CallablesAsClosures;
 
   /** Sets up type => literal mappings */
   public function __construct() {
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP80.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP80.class.php
index f114218c..6c88ec1e 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP80.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP80.class.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc#php_80
  */
 class PHP80 extends PHP {
-  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums;
+  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions, RewriteExplicitOctals, RewriteEnums, CallablesAsClosures;
 
   /** Sets up type => literal mappings */
   public function __construct() {
diff --git a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP81.class.php b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP81.class.php
index fd95d873..0b287fc2 100755
--- a/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP81.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/lang/ast/emit/PHP81.class.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  * @see  https://wiki.php.net/rfc#php_81
  */
 class PHP81 extends PHP {
-  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions;
+  use RewriteBlockLambdaExpressions, CallablesAsClosures;
 
   /** Sets up type => literal mappings */
   public function __construct() {
diff --git a/src/test/php/lang/ast/unittest/emit/CallableSyntaxTest.class.php b/src/test/php/lang/ast/unittest/emit/CallableSyntaxTest.class.php
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..39961358
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/php/lang/ast/unittest/emit/CallableSyntaxTest.class.php
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+<?php namespace lang\ast\unittest\emit;
+
+use lang\Error;
+use unittest\{Assert, Expect, Test, Values};
+
+/**
+ * Tests for first-class callable syntax
+ *
+ * @see   https://wiki.php.net/rfc/first_class_callable_syntax#proposal
+ */
+class CallableSyntaxTest extends EmittingTest {
+
+  /**
+   * Verification helper
+   *
+   * @param  string $code
+   * @return void
+   * @throws unittest.AssertionFailedError
+   */
+  private function verify($code) {
+    Assert::equals(4, $this->run($code)('Test'));
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function native_function() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function run() { return strlen(...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function instance_method() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() { return $this->length(...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function class_method() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public static function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() { return self::length(...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function private_method() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      private function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() { return $this->length(...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function string_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function run() {
+        $func= "strlen";
+        return $func(...);
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function fn_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function run() {
+        $func= fn($arg) => strlen($arg);
+        return $func(...);
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function instance_property_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      private $func= "strlen";
+      public function run() {
+        return ($this->func)(...);
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test, Values(['$this->$func(...)', '$this->{$func}(...)'])]
+  public function variable_instance_method($expr) {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      private function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() {
+        $func= "length";
+        return '.$expr.';
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test, Values(['self::$func(...)', 'self::{$func}(...)'])]
+  public function variable_class_method($expr) {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      private static function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() {
+        $func= "length";
+        return '.$expr.';
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function variable_class_method_with_variable_class() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      private static function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() {
+        $func= "length";
+        $class= __CLASS__;
+        return $class::$func(...);
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function string_function_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function run() { return "strlen"(...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function array_instance_method_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() { return [$this, "length"](...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function array_class_method_reference() {
+    $this->verify('class <T> {
+      public static function length($arg) { return strlen($arg); }
+      public function run() { return [self::class, "length"](...); }
+    }');
+  }
+
+  #[Test, Expect(Error::class), Values(['nonexistant', '$this->nonexistant', 'self::nonexistant', '$nonexistant', '$null'])]
+  public function non_existant($expr) {
+    $this->run('class <T> {
+      public function run() {
+        $null= null;
+        $nonexistant= "nonexistant";
+        return '.$expr.'(...);
+      }
+    }');
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file