diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index be51e0fc..a101497f 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -709,32 +709,40 @@ proc spaces {n {indent 4}} {
 # complex number operators
 # a + b
 proc cadd {a b} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
-  lassign $b rb ib
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $b rb ib
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
+  foreach {rb ib} $b break
   set c [list [expr {$ra + $rb}] [expr {$ia + $ib}]]
   return $c
 }
 
 # a - b
 proc csub {a b} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
-  lassign $b rb ib
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $b rb ib
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
+  foreach {rb ib} $b break
   set c [list [expr {$ra - $rb}] [expr {$ia - $ib}]]
   return $c
 }
 
 # a * b
 proc cmul {a b} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
-  lassign $b rb ib
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $b rb ib
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
+  foreach {rb ib} $b break
   set c [list [expr {$ra * $rb - $ia * $ib}] [expr {$ra * $ib + $rb * $ia}]]
   return $c
 }
 
 # a / b
 proc cdiv {a b} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
-  lassign $b rb ib
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $b rb ib
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
+  foreach {rb ib} $b break
   set ra [expr {double($ra)}]
   set ia [expr {double($ia)}]
   set rb [expr {double($rb)}]
@@ -747,7 +755,8 @@ proc cdiv {a b} {
 # 1/b
 proc cinv {b} {
 
-  lassign $b rb ib
+  # lassign $b rb ib
+  foreach {rb ib} $b break
   set rb [expr {double($rb)}]
   set ib [expr {double($ib)}]
   set m [expr {$rb * $rb + $ib * $ib}]
@@ -757,13 +766,15 @@ proc cinv {b} {
 
 # return real component
 proc creal {a} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
   return $ra
 }
 
 # return imaginary component
 proc cimag {a} {
-  lassign $a ra ia
+  # lassign $a ra ia
+  foreach {ra ia} $a break
   return $ia
 }
 
@@ -4928,7 +4939,8 @@ proc insert_symbol_update_dirs {} {
   set insert_symbol(dirs) {}
   
   foreach f $files {
-    lassign $f ff fff
+    # lassign $f ff fff
+    foreach {ff fff} $f break ;# pre-tcl8.5
     lappend insert_symbol(dirtails) $ff
     lappend insert_symbol(dirs) $fff
   } 
@@ -4983,7 +4995,8 @@ proc insert_symbol_filelist {} {
   set filelist {}
   set insert_symbol(fullpathlist) {}
   foreach f $files {
-    lassign $f ff fff
+    # lassign $f ff fff
+    foreach {ff fff} $f break ;# pre-tcl8.5
     lappend filelist $ff
     lappend insert_symbol(fullpathlist) $fff
   }
@@ -5313,10 +5326,15 @@ proc schpins_to_sympins {} {
         set texty0 [expr {$y0-4}]
         set textflip [expr {$flip}]
       }
-      lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex1 $liney1 $rot $flip] linex1 liney1
-      lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex2 $liney2 $rot $flip] linex2 liney2
-      lassign [order $linex1 $liney1 $linex2 $liney2] linex1 liney1 linex2 liney2
-      lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $textx0 $texty0 $rot $flip] textx0 texty0
+      ## lassign not available pre-tck8.5
+      # lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex1 $liney1 $rot $flip] linex1 liney1
+      foreach {linex1 liney1} [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex1 $liney1 $rot $flip] break
+      # lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex2 $liney2 $rot $flip] linex2 liney2
+      foreach {linex2 liney2} [rotation $x0 $y0 $linex2 $liney2 $rot $flip] break
+      # lassign [order $linex1 $liney1 $linex2 $liney2] linex1 liney1 linex2 liney2
+      foreach {linex1 liney1 linex2 liney2} [order $linex1 $liney1 $linex2 $liney2] break
+      # lassign [rotation $x0 $y0 $textx0 $texty0 $rot $flip] textx0 texty0
+      foreach {textx0 texty0} [rotation $x0 $y0 $textx0 $texty0 $rot $flip] break
       puts $fd "B 5 $pinx1 $piny1 $pinx2 $piny2 \{name=$lab dir=$dir\}"
       puts $fd "L 4 $linex1 $liney1 $linex2 $liney2 \{\}"
       puts $fd "T \{$lab\} $textx0 $texty0 $rot $textflip 0.2 0.2 \{\}"