diff --git a/VERSIONS b/VERSIONS
index 0cc4912b6..b723d70a9 100644
--- a/VERSIONS
+++ b/VERSIONS
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ChucK VERSIONS log
 ------------------
 
-1.5.4.4
+1.5.4.4 (January 2025)
 =======
 (added) basic @doc functionality for language-defined classes to add inline
     CKDoc documentation for class definitions and function defintions.
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ ChucK VERSIONS log
         }
     }
     --------
+=======
+(fixed) miniAudicle export and record functionalities; these resulted in
+    empty WAV file (in 1.5.4.2 and 1.5.4.3), due to updates to garbage collection
+    policy for UGens. exporting and recording should now work, once again
 
 
 1.5.4.3 (December 2024)
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ ChuGL v0.2.5 Release Notes
     GWindow.keysUp()
 (added) new RenderPass methods to set the output resolution, msaa sample 
     count,target scene and target camera for rendering
-(added) HUD pass to ChuGL's default rendergraph. Can now easily add 2d HUD
+garbage collection mechanism for all UGens(added) HUD pass to ChuGL's default rendergraph. Can now easily add 2d HUD
     overlay to 3D scenes by grucking ggens to GG.hud()
 (added) examples/basic/hud.ck
 (fixed) crash caused by ShaderDesc and other internal reference counting
diff --git a/src/core/chuck.cpp b/src/core/chuck.cpp
index f07455278..347cc2ec5 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck.cpp
@@ -1587,6 +1587,28 @@ void ChucK::poop()
 
 
 
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// name: bind()
+// desc: additional native chuck bindings/types (use with extra caution)
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+t_CKBOOL ChucK::bind( f_ck_query queryFunc, const std::string & name )
+{
+    // check if we have initialized a compiler
+    if( !compiler() )
+    {
+        // error message
+        EM_error2( 0, "cannot bind() -- ChucK/compiler is not initialized..." );
+        // done
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
+    // perform the bind
+    return compiler()->bind( queryFunc, name );
+}
+
+
+
+
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // name: setMainThreadHook()
 // desc: set a function pointer to call from the main thread loop
diff --git a/src/core/chuck_def.h b/src/core/chuck_def.h
index 31c7260a8..c973e8c79 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_def.h
+++ b/src/core/chuck_def.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 // 1.5.0.0 (ge) | moved to chuck.h for at-a-glance visibility
 // 1.5.2.0 (ge) | moved to chuck_def.h for chugins headers streamlining
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#define CHUCK_VERSION_STRING        "1.5.4.4-dev (chai)"
+#define CHUCK_VERSION_STRING        "1.5.4.5-dev (chai)"
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp b/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
index 6cf4264c3..6b95f0147 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
@@ -3071,6 +3071,8 @@ Chuck_VM_Shred * CK_DLL_CALL ck_shred_parent( Chuck_VM_Shred * shred )
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #if defined(__PLATFORM_WINDOWS__)
 #include <system_error> // std::system_category() | 1.5.1.5
+#include <algorithm> // std::replace() | 1.5.4.5
+
 extern "C"
 {
 
diff --git a/src/core/chuck_parse.cpp b/src/core/chuck_parse.cpp
index 6c821c305..fb2af22b9 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_parse.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck_parse.cpp
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ t_CKBOOL chuck_parse( Chuck_CompileTarget * target )
     }
     else
     {
-        CK_FPRINTF_STDERR( "[chuck](parser): (internal) code and FILE descriptor both NULL!\n" );
-        CK_FPRINTF_STDERR( "[chuck](parser):  |- bailing out...\n" );
+        CK_FPRINTF_STDERR( "[chuck](parser): nothing to parse (empty code / file)...\n" );
+        CK_FPRINTF_STDERR( "[chuck](parser):  |- no action taken\n" );
         return FALSE;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/makefile b/src/makefile
index 51c4fd40b..d4dddf324 100644
--- a/src/makefile
+++ b/src/makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ CK_HOST_DIR=host
 # where to find RtAudio
 RTAUDIO_DIR=RtAudio
 # chuck version
-CK_VERSION=1.5.4.4-dev
+CK_VERSION=1.5.4.5-dev
 
 
 ########################## DEFAULT MAKE TARGET ################################