diff --git a/quad/quadwriter/core.rkt b/quad/quadwriter/core.rkt
index 31f0dd46..f07d2236 100644
--- a/quad/quadwriter/core.rkt
+++ b/quad/quadwriter/core.rkt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
          "attrs.rkt"
          "param.rkt"
          "font.rkt")
-(provide hrbr lbr pbr run)
+(provide hrbr lbr pbr render-pdf)
 
 (define-quad string-quad quad ())
  
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 (define (make-size-promise q [str-arg #f])
   (delay
-    (define doc (current-doc))
+    (define pdf (current-pdf))
     (define str
       (cond
         [str-arg]
@@ -61,16 +61,16 @@
     (define string-size
       (cond
         [str
-         (font-size doc (quad-ref q 'font-size default-font-size))
-         (font doc (path->string (quad-ref q font-path-key default-font-face)))
-         (+ (string-width doc str
+         (font-size pdf (quad-ref q 'font-size default-font-size))
+         (font pdf (path->string (quad-ref q font-path-key default-font-face)))
+         (+ (string-width pdf str
                           #:tracking (quad-ref q 'character-tracking 0))
             ;; add one more dose because `string-width` only adds it intercharacter,
             ;; and this quad will be adjacent to another
             ;; (so we need to account for the "inter-quad" space
             (quad-ref q 'character-tracking 0))]
         [else 0]))
-    (list string-size (quad-ref q 'line-height (current-line-height doc)))))
+    (list string-size (quad-ref q 'line-height (current-line-height pdf)))))
 
 (define (->string-quad q)
   (cond
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@
                                            #:attrs (quad-attrs next-q)
                                            #:size (pt indent-val 0)) qs-out)])))
                  
-(define (run xs pdf-path)
+(define (render-pdf xs pdf-path)
   (define pdf (time-name make-pdf (make-pdf #:compress #t
                                             #:auto-first-page #f
                                             #:output-path pdf-path
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@
                                             #:height (if zoom-mode? 400 792))))
   (define line-width (- (pdf-width pdf) (* 2 side-margin)))
   (define vertical-height (- (pdf-height pdf) top-margin bottom-margin))
-  (parameterize ([current-doc pdf]
+  (parameterize ([current-pdf pdf]
                  [verbose-quad-printing? #false])
     (setup-font-path-table! pdf-path)
     (let* ([x (time-name parse-qexpr
diff --git a/quad/quadwriter/markdown.rkt b/quad/quadwriter/markdown.rkt
index 3ea2ca3e..56c4787d 100644
--- a/quad/quadwriter/markdown.rkt
+++ b/quad/quadwriter/markdown.rkt
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
          quadwriter/core
          "tags.rkt"
          "font.rkt"
-         "reader-helper.rkt")
+         "reader-helper.rkt"
+         "param.rkt")
 (provide (except-out (all-defined-out) mb)
          (rename-out [mb #%module-begin])
          #%app #%datum #%top-interaction
@@ -19,17 +20,22 @@
 (define ndash "–")
 (define mdash "—")
 
-(define-syntax-rule (mb PATH-STRING . STRS)
-  (#%module-begin
-   ;; stick an nbsp in the strings so we have one printing char
-   (define strs (match (list . STRS)
-                  [(? null?) '(" ")]
-                  [strs strs]))
-   (define qx (root null (add-between strs (list pbr)
-                                      #:before-first (list pbr)
-                                      #:after-last (list pbr)
-                                      #:splice? #true)))
-   (run qx (path-string->pdf-path 'PATH-STRING))))
+(define-syntax (mb stx)
+  (syntax-case stx ()
+    [(_ PATH-STRING . STRS)
+     (with-syntax ([DOC (datum->syntax #'PATH-STRING 'doc)])
+       #'(#%module-begin
+          ;; stick an nbsp in the strings so we have one printing char
+          (define strs (match (list . STRS)
+                         [(? null?) '(" ")]
+                         [strs strs]))
+          (define DOC (root null (add-between strs (list pbr)
+                                              #:before-first (list pbr)
+                                              #:after-last (list pbr)
+                                              #:splice? #true)))
+          (provide DOC)
+          (module+ main
+            (render-pdf DOC (path-string->pdf-path 'PATH-STRING)))))]))
 
 (module reader racket/base
   (require syntax/strip-context
diff --git a/quad/quadwriter/param.rkt b/quad/quadwriter/param.rkt
index 3714f6fa..70d626bc 100644
--- a/quad/quadwriter/param.rkt
+++ b/quad/quadwriter/param.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #lang debug racket/base
 (provide (all-defined-out))
 (define current-doc (make-parameter #f))
+(define current-pdf (make-parameter #f))
 
 (define draw-debug? (make-parameter #f))
 (define draw-debug-line? (make-parameter #t))