diff --git a/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_vrt.c b/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_vrt.c
index bd856193c09..a4f81d0a795 100644
--- a/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_vrt.c
+++ b/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_vrt.c
@@ -634,6 +634,32 @@ VRT_SetHdr(VRT_CTX, VCL_HEADER hs, const char *pfx, VCL_STRANDS s)
 	http_SetHeader(hp, b);
 }
 
+VCL_VOID
+VRT_SetHeader(VRT_CTX, VCL_HEADER hs, const char *hdr)
+{
+	VCL_HTTP hp;
+	unsigned wl, hl;
+
+	CHECK_OBJ_NOTNULL(ctx, VRT_CTX_MAGIC);
+	AN(hs);
+	AN(hs->what);
+	AN(hdr);
+
+	hl = strlen(hdr);
+	wl = hs->what[0];
+	assert(hl > wl);
+	AZ(strncasecmp(hs->what + 1, hdr, wl));
+	hp = VRT_selecthttp(ctx, hs->where);
+	CHECK_OBJ_NOTNULL(hp, HTTP_MAGIC);
+
+	if (FEATURE(FEATURE_VALIDATE_HEADERS) && !validhdr(hdr + wl)) {
+		VRT_fail(ctx, "Bad static header %s", hdr);
+		return;
+	}
+	http_Unset(hp, hs->what);
+	http_SetHeader(hp, hdr);
+}
+
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 VCL_VOID
diff --git a/bin/varnishtest/tests/b00040.vtc b/bin/varnishtest/tests/b00040.vtc
index 7edce650947..f73bc891111 100644
--- a/bin/varnishtest/tests/b00040.vtc
+++ b/bin/varnishtest/tests/b00040.vtc
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ logexpect l1 -v v1 -g raw {
 	expect * 1012 BogoHeader {Header has ctrl char 0x0d}
 	expect * 1014 BogoHeader {Header has ctrl char 0x0d}
 	expect * 1016 BogoHeader {Missing header name:.*}
-	expect * 1018 VCL_Error  {Bad header foo:}
+	expect * 1018 VCL_Error  {Bad static header foo:}
 } -start
 
 client c1 {
diff --git a/include/vrt.h b/include/vrt.h
index 25fbabfb693..e00fa14bfa9 100644
--- a/include/vrt.h
+++ b/include/vrt.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
  *	BODY can either be a BLOB or a STRANDS, but only a STRANDS
  *	can take a non-NULL const char * prefix. The changes to BODY
  *	assignments doesn't break the ABI or the API.
+ *	VRT_SetHeader() added
  *
  * 14.0 (2021-09-15)
  *	VIN_n_Arg() no directly returns the directory name.
@@ -646,6 +647,7 @@ VCL_VOID VRT_hit_for_pass(VRT_CTX, VCL_DURATION);
 VCL_BOOL VRT_ValidHdr(VRT_CTX, VCL_STRANDS);
 VCL_VOID VRT_UnsetHdr(VRT_CTX, VCL_HEADER);
 VCL_VOID VRT_SetHdr(VRT_CTX, VCL_HEADER, const char *pfx, VCL_STRANDS);
+VCL_VOID VRT_SetHeader(VRT_CTX, VCL_HEADER, const char *);
 VCL_VOID VRT_handling(VRT_CTX, unsigned hand);
 unsigned VRT_handled(VRT_CTX);
 VCL_VOID VRT_fail(VRT_CTX, const char *fmt, ...) v_printflike_(2,3);
diff --git a/lib/libvcc/vcc_action.c b/lib/libvcc/vcc_action.c
index f7c2ce29fbb..5072f363a18 100644
--- a/lib/libvcc/vcc_action.c
+++ b/lib/libvcc/vcc_action.c
@@ -91,35 +91,38 @@ vcc_act_call(struct vcc *tl, struct token *t, struct symbol *sym)
 	Fb(tl, 1, "}\n");
 }
 
-/*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * We borrow the edit string syntax from vcc_expr.c and use the \v2
+ * sequence to refer to the symbol as itself on the RHS.
+ */
 
 static const struct assign {
 	vcc_type_t		type;
 	unsigned		oper;
 	vcc_type_t		want;
-	const char		*expr;
+	const char		*edit;
 } assign[] = {
-	{ INT,		T_INCR,		INT, "\v + " },
-	{ INT,		T_DECR,		INT, "\v - " },
-	{ INT,		T_MUL,		INT, "\v * " },
-	{ INT,		T_DIV,		INT, "\v / " },
+	{ INT,		T_INCR,		INT, "\v2 + " },
+	{ INT,		T_DECR,		INT, "\v2 - " },
+	{ INT,		T_MUL,		INT, "\v2 * " },
+	{ INT,		T_DIV,		INT, "\v2 / " },
 	{ INT,		'=',		INT },
 	{ INT,		0,		INT },
-	{ TIME,		T_INCR,		DURATION, "\v + " },
-	{ TIME,		T_DECR,		DURATION, "\v - " },
-	{ TIME,		T_MUL,		REAL, "\v * " },
-	{ TIME,		T_DIV,		REAL, "\v / " },
+	{ TIME,		T_INCR,		DURATION, "\v2 + " },
+	{ TIME,		T_DECR,		DURATION, "\v2 - " },
+	{ TIME,		T_MUL,		REAL, "\v2 * " },
+	{ TIME,		T_DIV,		REAL, "\v2 / " },
 	{ TIME,		'=',		TIME },
 	{ TIME,		0,		TIME },
-	{ DURATION,	T_INCR,		DURATION, "\v + " },
-	{ DURATION,	T_DECR,		DURATION, "\v - " },
-	{ DURATION,	T_MUL,		REAL, "\v * " },
-	{ DURATION,	T_DIV,		REAL, "\v / " },
+	{ DURATION,	T_INCR,		DURATION, "\v2 + " },
+	{ DURATION,	T_DECR,		DURATION, "\v2 - " },
+	{ DURATION,	T_MUL,		REAL, "\v2 * " },
+	{ DURATION,	T_DIV,		REAL, "\v2 / " },
 	{ DURATION,	'=',		DURATION },
 	{ DURATION,	0,		DURATION },
-	{ STRING,	T_INCR,		STRANDS, "\v,\n" },
+	{ STRING,	T_INCR,		STRANDS, "\v2,\n" },
 	{ STRING,	'=',		STRANDS, "0,\n" },
-	{ HEADER,	T_INCR,		STRANDS, "VRT_GetHdr(ctx, \v),\n" },
+	{ HEADER,	T_INCR,		STRANDS, "VRT_GetHdr(ctx, \v2),\n" },
 	{ HEADER,	'=',		STRANDS, "0,\n" },
 	{ BODY,		'=',		BODY, "LBODY_SET_" },
 	{ BODY,		T_INCR,		BODY, "LBODY_ADD_" },
@@ -127,23 +130,20 @@ static const struct assign {
 };
 
 static void
-vcc_assign_expr(struct vcc *tl, struct symbol *sym, const struct assign *ap)
+vcc_assign_edit(struct vsb *vsb, struct symbol *sym, const struct assign *ap)
 {
 	const char *e;
-	unsigned indent = 1;
 
-	e = ap->expr;
-	if (e == NULL)
-		return;
-
-	while (*e != '\0') {
-		if (*e == '\v')
-			Fb(tl, indent, "%s", sym->rname);
-		else
-			Fb(tl, indent, "%c", *e);
-		indent = 0;
-		e++;
+	VSB_printf(vsb, "%s\n\v+", sym->lname);
+	for (e = ap->edit; e != NULL && *e != '\0'; e++) {
+		if (*e == '\v' && e[1] == '2') {
+			VSB_cat(vsb, sym->rname);
+			e++;
+			continue;
+		}
+		VSB_putc(vsb, *e);
 	}
+	VSB_cat(vsb, "\v1\v-);\n");
 }
 
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ vcc_assign_expr(struct vcc *tl, struct symbol *sym, const struct assign *ap)
 static void v_matchproto_(sym_act_f)
 vcc_act_set(struct vcc *tl, struct token *t, struct symbol *sym)
 {
+	const char *const_assign = NULL;
 	const struct assign *ap;
+	struct vsb *vsb;
 	vcc_type_t type;
 
 	(void)t;
@@ -176,13 +178,16 @@ vcc_act_set(struct vcc *tl, struct token *t, struct symbol *sym)
 	if (ap->type == VOID)
 		SkipToken(tl, ap->oper);
 
-	Fb(tl, 1, "%s\n", sym->lname);
-	tl->indent += INDENT;
-	vcc_assign_expr(tl, sym, ap);
-	vcc_Expr(tl, type);
-	ERRCHK(tl);
-	tl->indent -= INDENT;
-	Fb(tl, 1, ");\n");
+	vsb = VSB_new_auto();
+	AN(vsb);
+	vcc_assign_edit(vsb, sym, ap);
+	AZ(VSB_finish(vsb));
+
+	if (ap->oper == '=')
+		const_assign = sym->const_assign;
+
+	vcc_ExprEdit(tl, type, VSB_data(vsb), const_assign);
+	VSB_destroy(&vsb);
 	SkipToken(tl, ';');
 }
 
@@ -218,14 +223,9 @@ vcc_act_ban(struct vcc *tl, struct token *t, struct symbol *sym)
 	(void)sym;
 
 	SkipToken(tl, '(');
-
-	Fb(tl, 1, "(void) VRT_ban_string(ctx, \n");
-	tl->indent += INDENT;
-	vcc_Expr(tl, STRING);
-	tl->indent -= INDENT;
+	vcc_ExprEdit(tl, STRING,
+	    "(void) VRT_ban_string(ctx,\v+\n\v1\v-);\n", NULL);
 	ERRCHK(tl);
-	Fb(tl, 1, ");\n");
-
 	SkipToken(tl, ')');
 	SkipToken(tl, ';');
 }
diff --git a/lib/libvcc/vcc_compile.h b/lib/libvcc/vcc_compile.h
index 76b2cab734d..2d143639f64 100644
--- a/lib/libvcc/vcc_compile.h
+++ b/lib/libvcc/vcc_compile.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ struct type {
 	vcc_type_t		multype;
 	int			stringform;
 	int			bodyform;
-	int			noindent;
 };
 
 #define VCC_TYPE(UC, lc)	extern const struct type UC[1];
@@ -201,6 +200,7 @@ struct symbol {
 	unsigned			w_methods;
 	const char			*uname;
 	unsigned			u_methods;
+	const char			*const_assign;
 };
 
 VTAILQ_HEAD(tokenhead, token);
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ char *TlDup(struct vcc *tl, const char *s);
 
 /* vcc_expr.c */
 void vcc_Expr(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t typ);
+void vcc_ExprEdit(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t typ, const char *, const char *);
 sym_act_f vcc_Act_Call;
 sym_act_f vcc_Act_Obj;
 void vcc_Expr_Init(struct vcc *tl);
diff --git a/lib/libvcc/vcc_expr.c b/lib/libvcc/vcc_expr.c
index 1b5926499c8..b7b79390c73 100644
--- a/lib/libvcc/vcc_expr.c
+++ b/lib/libvcc/vcc_expr.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct expr {
 	vcc_type_t	fmt;
 	struct vsb	*vsb;
 	uint8_t		constant;
+	struct expr	*constant_expr;
 #define EXPR_VAR	(1<<0)
 #define EXPR_CONST	(1<<1)
 #define EXPR_STR_CONST	(1<<2)		// Last string elem is "..."
@@ -95,7 +96,6 @@ vcc_new_expr(vcc_type_t fmt)
 	AN(e);
 	e->vsb = VSB_new_auto();
 	e->fmt = fmt;
-	e->constant = EXPR_VAR;
 	return (e);
 }
 
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ vcc_mk_expr(vcc_type_t fmt, const char *str, ...)
 	struct expr *e;
 
 	e = vcc_new_expr(fmt);
+	e->constant = EXPR_VAR;
 	va_start(ap, str);
 	VSB_vprintf(e->vsb, str, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ vcc_delete_expr(struct expr *e)
 	if (e == NULL)
 		return;
 	CHECK_OBJ(e, EXPR_MAGIC);
+	vcc_delete_expr(e->constant_expr);
 	VSB_destroy(&e->vsb);
 	FREE_OBJ(e);
 }
@@ -149,9 +151,10 @@ vcc_delete_expr(struct expr *e)
  */
 
 static void
-vcc_strands_edit(const struct expr *e1, const struct expr *e2)
+vcc_strands_edit(struct expr *e1, const struct expr *e2)
 {
 
+	e1->constant = EXPR_VAR;
 	if (e2->nstr == 1) {
 		VSB_printf(e1->vsb, "TOSTRAND(%s)", VSB_data(e2->vsb));
 		return;
@@ -172,6 +175,15 @@ vcc_expr_edit(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t fmt, const char *p, struct expr *e1,
 
 	AN(e1);
 	e = vcc_new_expr(fmt);
+
+	/* NB: An expression with two operands is enough to be considered
+	 * variable, even if both operands are constant.
+	 */
+	if ((e1->constant & EXPR_VAR) || e2 != NULL)
+		e->constant = EXPR_VAR;
+	else
+		e->constant = e1->constant;
+
 	while (*p != '\0') {
 		if (*p != '\v') {
 			if (*p != '\n' || !nl)
@@ -222,7 +234,10 @@ vcc_expr_edit(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t fmt, const char *p, struct expr *e1,
 	e->t2 = e1->t2;
 	if (e2 != NULL)
 		e->t2 = e2->t2;
-	vcc_delete_expr(e1);
+	if (!(e1->constant & EXPR_VAR) && e2 == NULL)
+		e->constant_expr = e1;
+	else
+		vcc_delete_expr(e1);
 	vcc_delete_expr(e2);
 	return (e);
 }
@@ -237,10 +252,8 @@ vcc_expr_fmt(struct vsb *d, int ind, const struct expr *e1)
 	char *p;
 	int i;
 
-	if (!e1->fmt->noindent) {
-		for (i = 0; i < ind; i++)
-			VSB_putc(d, ' ');
-	}
+	for (i = 0; i < ind; i++)
+		VSB_putc(d, ' ');
 	p = VSB_data(e1->vsb);
 	while (*p != '\0') {
 		if (*p == '\n') {
@@ -271,6 +284,7 @@ vcc_expr_tobool(struct vcc *tl, struct expr **e)
 
 	if ((*e)->fmt == BOOL)
 		return;
+	(*e)->constant = EXPR_VAR;
 	if ((*e)->fmt == BACKEND || (*e)->fmt == INT)
 		*e = vcc_expr_edit(tl, BOOL, "(\v1 != 0)", *e, NULL);
 	else if ((*e)->fmt == DURATION)
@@ -948,6 +962,11 @@ vcc_expr4(struct vcc *tl, struct expr **e, vcc_type_t fmt)
 			return;
 		}
 
+		/* NB: we have no idea what method calls do, at this point all
+		 * bets are off.
+		 */
+		(*e)->constant = EXPR_VAR;
+
 		AN(sym->eval);
 		sym->eval(tl, e, tl->t, sym, sym->type);
 		ERRCHK(tl);
@@ -1489,13 +1508,42 @@ vcc_expr_typecheck(struct vcc *tl, struct expr **e, vcc_type_t fmt,
 void
 vcc_Expr(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t fmt)
 {
-	struct expr *e = NULL;
+
+	vcc_ExprEdit(tl, fmt, NULL, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+vcc_ExprEdit(struct vcc *tl, vcc_type_t fmt, const char *var_edit,
+    const char *const_edit)
+{
+	struct expr *e = NULL, *e1 = NULL;
+	const char *edit = NULL;
 
 	assert(fmt != VOID);
 	assert(fmt != STRINGS);
 	vcc_expr0(tl, &e, fmt);
 	ERRCHK(tl);
 	assert(e->fmt == fmt);
+	if (const_edit != NULL)
+		AN(var_edit);
+
+	if (e->constant & EXPR_VAR) {
+		if (e->constant_expr != NULL) {
+			edit = const_edit;
+			e1 = e->constant_expr;
+		}
+	} else {
+		edit = const_edit;
+		e1 = e;
+	}
+
+	if (edit == NULL) {
+		edit = var_edit;
+		e1 = e;
+	}
+
+	if (edit != NULL)
+		e = vcc_expr_edit(tl, e1->fmt, edit, e1, NULL);
 
 	vcc_expr_fmt(tl->fb, tl->indent, e);
 	VSB_cat(tl->fb, "\n");
diff --git a/lib/libvcc/vcc_types.c b/lib/libvcc/vcc_types.c
index cfa6714b39f..da7bbc57883 100644
--- a/lib/libvcc/vcc_types.c
+++ b/lib/libvcc/vcc_types.c
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ const struct type BLOB[1] = {{
 const struct type BODY[1] = {{
 	.magic =		TYPE_MAGIC,
 	.name =			"BODY",
-	.noindent =		1,
 }};
 
 const struct type BOOL[1] = {{
diff --git a/lib/libvcc/vcc_var.c b/lib/libvcc/vcc_var.c
index 286949e49e8..2f39643d265 100644
--- a/lib/libvcc/vcc_var.c
+++ b/lib/libvcc/vcc_var.c
@@ -96,5 +96,10 @@ vcc_Var_Wildcard(struct vcc *tl, struct symbol *parent, struct symbol *sym)
 	VSB_printf(vsb, "VRT_UnsetHdr(ctx, %s)", sym->rname);
 	AZ(VSB_finish(vsb));
 	sym->uname = TlDup(tl, VSB_data(vsb));
+	VSB_clear(vsb);
+	VSB_printf(vsb, "VRT_SetHeader(ctx, %s, \"%s: \" \v1);",
+	    sym->rname, sym->name);
+	AZ(VSB_finish(vsb));
+	sym->const_assign = TlDup(tl, VSB_data(vsb));
 	VSB_destroy(&vsb);
 }