diff --git a/cmd/tools/vtest-parser.v b/cmd/tools/vtest-parser.v
index 9569866790..c6e5bf353c 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vtest-parser.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vtest-parser.v
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ mut:
 	// parser context in the worker processes:
 	table      table.Table
 	scope      ast.Scope
-	pref       pref.Preferences
+	pref       &pref.Preferences
 	period_ms  int  // print periodic progress
 	stop_print bool // stop printing the periodic progress
 }
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ fn main() {
 }
 
 fn process_cli_args() &Context {
-	mut context := &Context{}
+	mut context := &Context{
+		pref: 0
+	}
 	context.myself = os.executable()
 	mut fp := flag.new_flag_parser(os.args_after('test-parser'))
 	fp.application(os.file_name(context.myself))
diff --git a/vlib/v/doc/doc.v b/vlib/v/doc/doc.v
index 6ab9546d6c..c137bdcf7e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/doc/doc.v
+++ b/vlib/v/doc/doc.v
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ pub fn new(input_path string) Doc {
 		time_generated: time.now()
 	}
 	d.fmt = fmt.Fmt{
+		pref: 0
 		indent: 0
 		is_debug: false
 		table: d.table
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
index c8d1ad3e69..3b130ccc73 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ const (
 	error_missing_vexe = 1
 	error_failed_tests = 2
 	b2v_keep_path      = os.join_path('vlib', 'v', 'fmt', 'tests', 'bin2v_keep.vv')
+	fpref              = &pref.Preferences{
+		is_fmt: true
+	}
 )
 
 fn test_fmt() {
@@ -49,13 +52,10 @@ fn test_fmt() {
 			continue
 		}
 		table := table.new_table()
-		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, &pref.Preferences{
-			is_fmt: true
-			ccompiler: 'gcc'
-		}, &ast.Scope{
+		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, fpref, &ast.Scope{
 			parent: 0
 		})
-		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, false)
+		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, fpref, false)
 		if expected_ocontent != result_ocontent {
 			fmt_bench.fail()
 			eprintln(fmt_bench.step_message_fail('file $vrelpath after formatting, does not look as expected.'))
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_test.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_test.v
index 1bd7e66274..a4a620c4e2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_test.v
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import v.util
 const (
 	error_missing_vexe = 1
 	error_failed_tests = 2
+	fpref              = &pref.Preferences{
+		is_fmt: true
+	}
 )
 
 fn test_fmt() {
@@ -44,12 +47,10 @@ fn test_fmt() {
 			continue
 		}
 		table := table.new_table()
-		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, &pref.Preferences{
-			is_fmt: true
-		}, &ast.Scope{
+		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, fpref, &ast.Scope{
 			parent: 0
 		})
-		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, false)
+		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, fpref, false)
 		if expected_ocontent != result_ocontent {
 			fmt_bench.fail()
 			eprintln(fmt_bench.step_message_fail('file $ipath after formatting, does not look as expected.'))
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_vlib_test.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_vlib_test.v
index 257bf6f054..8e004db10c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_vlib_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_vlib_test.v
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import v.util
 const (
 	error_missing_vexe = 1
 	error_failed_tests = 2
+	fpref              = &pref.Preferences{
+		is_fmt: true
+	}
 )
 
 fn test_vlib_fmt() {
@@ -42,12 +45,10 @@ fn test_vlib_fmt() {
 			continue
 		}
 		table := table.new_table()
-		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, &pref.Preferences{
-			is_fmt: true
-		}, &ast.Scope{
+		file_ast := parser.parse_file(ipath, table, .parse_comments, fpref, &ast.Scope{
 			parent: 0
 		})
-		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, false)
+		result_ocontent := fmt.fmt(file_ast, table, fpref, false)
 		if expected_ocontent != result_ocontent {
 			fmt_bench.fail()
 			eprintln(fmt_bench.step_message_fail('file $ipath after formatting, does not look as expected.'))