C:\test>perl -d:Trace -E" { my $x; sub f{ eval '$x'; } } f()" >> [0] -e : 1: { my $x; sub f{ eval '$x'; } } f() >> [0] -e : 1: { my $x; sub f{ eval '$x'; } } f() >> [0] -e : 1: { my $x; sub f{ eval '$x'; } } f() >> [0] -e : 1: { my $x; sub f{ eval '$x'; } } f() >> [0] (eval 2)[-e:1] : 1: $x