diff --git a/crates/zapcode-core/src/compiler/mod.rs b/crates/zapcode-core/src/compiler/mod.rs
index 9d2284e..59b80e7 100644
--- a/crates/zapcode-core/src/compiler/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/zapcode-core/src/compiler/mod.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ struct Compiler {
 struct LoopInfo {
     break_patches: Vec<usize>,
     continue_patches: Vec<usize>,
+    // A `switch` participates in `break` targeting (break exits the switch) but
+    // NOT `continue` — a `continue` inside a switch targets the enclosing loop.
+    is_switch: bool,
 }
 
 impl Compiler {
@@ -222,6 +225,7 @@ impl Compiler {
                 self.loop_stack.push(LoopInfo {
                     break_patches: Vec::new(),
                     continue_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    is_switch: false,
                 });
 
                 self.compile_expr(test)?;
@@ -248,6 +252,7 @@ impl Compiler {
                 self.loop_stack.push(LoopInfo {
                     break_patches: Vec::new(),
                     continue_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    is_switch: false,
                 });
 
                 for s in body {
@@ -282,6 +287,7 @@ impl Compiler {
                 self.loop_stack.push(LoopInfo {
                     break_patches: Vec::new(),
                     continue_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    is_switch: false,
                 });
 
                 let exit_jump = if let Some(test) = test {
@@ -329,6 +335,7 @@ impl Compiler {
                 self.loop_stack.push(LoopInfo {
                     break_patches: Vec::new(),
                     continue_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    is_switch: false,
                 });
 
                 self.emit(Instruction::Dup);
@@ -413,15 +420,28 @@ impl Compiler {
                 }
             }
             Statement::Break { .. } => {
+                // `break` exits the nearest loop OR switch.
                 let idx = self.emit(Instruction::Jump(0));
-                if let Some(loop_info) = self.loop_stack.last_mut() {
-                    loop_info.break_patches.push(idx);
+                match self.loop_stack.last_mut() {
+                    Some(loop_info) => loop_info.break_patches.push(idx),
+                    None => {
+                        return Err(ZapcodeError::CompileError(
+                            "illegal break statement (not inside a loop or switch)".to_string(),
+                        ))
+                    }
                 }
             }
             Statement::Continue { .. } => {
+                // `continue` targets the nearest enclosing *loop*, skipping any
+                // switch frames in between (a switch is break-only).
                 let idx = self.emit(Instruction::Jump(0));
-                if let Some(loop_info) = self.loop_stack.last_mut() {
-                    loop_info.continue_patches.push(idx);
+                match self.loop_stack.iter_mut().rev().find(|l| !l.is_switch) {
+                    Some(loop_info) => loop_info.continue_patches.push(idx),
+                    None => {
+                        return Err(ZapcodeError::CompileError(
+                            "illegal continue statement (not inside a loop)".to_string(),
+                        ))
+                    }
                 }
             }
             Statement::FunctionDecl { func_index, .. } => {
@@ -487,6 +507,14 @@ impl Compiler {
 
                 let jump_end = self.emit(Instruction::Jump(0));
 
+                // A `break` inside a case must exit the switch. Register a
+                // switch frame so `break` jumps here (and `continue` skips it).
+                self.loop_stack.push(LoopInfo {
+                    break_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    continue_patches: Vec::new(),
+                    is_switch: true,
+                });
+
                 // Compile case bodies
                 let mut body_starts = Vec::new();
                 for case in cases {
@@ -499,6 +527,12 @@ impl Compiler {
                 let end = self.current_offset();
                 self.emit(Instruction::Pop); // pop discriminant
 
+                // `break` targets the Pop, so it also cleans up the discriminant.
+                let switch_frame = self.loop_stack.pop().expect("switch frame present");
+                for patch in switch_frame.break_patches {
+                    self.patch_jump(patch, end);
+                }
+
                 // Patch jumps
                 for (i, &jump) in case_jumps.iter().enumerate() {
                     if jump != 0 {
diff --git a/crates/zapcode-core/tests/control_flow.rs b/crates/zapcode-core/tests/control_flow.rs
index 3de06d8..859250a 100644
--- a/crates/zapcode-core/tests/control_flow.rs
+++ b/crates/zapcode-core/tests/control_flow.rs
@@ -75,3 +75,39 @@ fn test_nullish_coalescing_defined() {
     let result = eval_ts("0 ?? 42").unwrap();
     assert_eq!(result, Value::Int(0));
 }
+
+// ── switch (regression: bare `break` looped forever → allocation blowup) ─────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_switch_basic_match_and_break() {
+    let r = eval_ts(
+        "let r = 'none'; switch (2) { case 1: r = 'one'; break; case 2: r = 'two'; break; } r",
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r, Value::String("two".into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_switch_default() {
+    let r = eval_ts("let r = 'x'; switch (9) { case 1: r = 'one'; break; default: r = 'def'; } r")
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r, Value::String("def".into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_switch_fallthrough() {
+    let r = eval_ts(
+        "let r = 0; switch (1) { case 1: r += 1; case 2: r += 10; break; case 3: r += 100; } r",
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r, Value::Int(11));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_switch_break_inside_loop_breaks_switch_only() {
+    // break exits the switch (not the loop): n=1 adds 1, n=2 hits default (+100);
+    // the loop still runs both iterations and the trailing `t += 1000` each time.
+    let src = "let t = 0; for (const n of [1, 2]) { switch (n) { case 1: t += 1; break; default: t += 100; } t += 1000; } t";
+    let r = eval_ts(src).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r, Value::Int(2101));
+}