diff --git a/examples/technical_report/Isabelle_DOF-Manual/04_RefMan.thy b/examples/technical_report/Isabelle_DOF-Manual/04_RefMan.thy
index 1b5d30f..8064e1c 100644
--- a/examples/technical_report/Isabelle_DOF-Manual/04_RefMan.thy
+++ b/examples/technical_report/Isabelle_DOF-Manual/04_RefMan.thy
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ is currently only available in the SML API's of the kernel.
 \<^item> \<open>annotated_text_element\<close> :
 \<^rail>\<open> 
     (  @@{command "text*"} '[' meta_args ']' '\<open>' formal_text '\<close>'
-        | @@{command "ML*"}   ('[' meta_args ']')? '\<open>' SML_code '\<close>'
+        | @@{command "ML*"}   '[' meta_args ']' '\<open>' SML_code '\<close>'
         | @@{command "term*"} ('[' meta_args ']')? '\<open>' HOL_term  '\<close>'
         | (@@{command "value*"} 
           | @@{command "assert*"}) \<newline> ('[' meta_args ']')? ('[' evaluator ']')? '\<open>' HOL_term '\<close>'
diff --git a/src/DOF/Isa_DOF.thy b/src/DOF/Isa_DOF.thy
index 8f008e0..dba42d8 100644
--- a/src/DOF/Isa_DOF.thy
+++ b/src/DOF/Isa_DOF.thy
@@ -1301,6 +1301,8 @@ type meta_args_t = (((string * Position.T) *
                      (string * Position.T) option)
                     * ((string * Position.T) * string) list)
 
+val empty_meta_args = ((("", Position.none), NONE), [])
+
 val is_improper = not o (Token.is_proper orf Token.is_begin_ignore orf Token.is_end_ignore);
 val improper = Scan.many is_improper; (* parses white-space and comments *)
 
@@ -1334,7 +1336,9 @@ val attributes =
      |-- (reference -- 
          (Scan.optional(Parse.$$$ "," -- improper |-- (Parse.enum "," (improper |-- attribute)))) []))
      --| Parse.$$$ "]"
-     --| improper)  : meta_args_t parser 
+     --| improper)  : meta_args_t parser
+
+val opt_attributes = Scan.optional attributes empty_meta_args
 
 val attributes_upd =  
     ((Parse.$$$ "[" 
@@ -1781,9 +1785,12 @@ fun create_and_check_docitem is_monitor {is_inline=is_inline} oid pos cid_pos do
 
 end (* structure Docitem_Parser *)
 
-fun meta_args_exec NONE thy = thy
-   |meta_args_exec (SOME ((((oid,pos),cid_pos), doc_attrs) : ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.meta_args_t)) thy = 
-         thy |> (Docitem_Parser.create_and_check_docitem 
+val empty_meta_args = ((("", Position.none), NONE), [])
+
+fun meta_args_exec (meta_args as (((oid,pos),cid_pos), doc_attrs) : ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.meta_args_t) thy = 
+         thy |> (if meta_args = empty_meta_args
+                 then (K thy)
+                 else Docitem_Parser.create_and_check_docitem 
                                     {is_monitor = false} {is_inline = false} 
                                     oid pos (I cid_pos) (I doc_attrs))
 
@@ -1824,8 +1831,6 @@ val opt_evaluator =
   value_cmd, so we pass the Toplevel.transition
 *)
 
-val opt_attributes = Scan.option ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.attributes
-
 fun pass_trans_to_value_cmd meta_args_opt ((name, modes), t)  =
 let val pos = Position.none
 in
@@ -1869,7 +1874,7 @@ fun print_item string_of (modes, arg) state =
 fun print_term meta_args_opt (string_list, string) trans =
 let
   val pos = Toplevel.pos_of trans
-  fun prin state str = string_of_term string pos (Toplevel.context_of state) 
+  fun prin state _ = string_of_term string pos (Toplevel.context_of state) 
 in
   Toplevel.theory(fn thy =>
                      (print_item prin (string_list, string) (Toplevel.theory_toplevel thy); 
@@ -1885,17 +1890,17 @@ val _ = Toplevel.theory_toplevel
 (* setup ontology aware commands *)
 val _ =
   Outer_Syntax.command \<^command_keyword>\<open>term*\<close> "read and print term"
-    (opt_attributes -- (opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
+    (ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.opt_attributes -- (opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
      >> (fn (meta_args_opt, eval_args ) => print_term meta_args_opt eval_args));
 
 val _ =
   Outer_Syntax.command \<^command_keyword>\<open>value*\<close> "evaluate and print term"
-    (opt_attributes -- (opt_evaluator -- opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
+    (ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.opt_attributes -- (opt_evaluator -- opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
      >> (fn (meta_args_opt, eval_args ) => pass_trans_to_value_cmd meta_args_opt eval_args));
 
 val _ =
   Outer_Syntax.command \<^command_keyword>\<open>assert*\<close> "evaluate and assert term"
-    (opt_attributes -- (opt_evaluator -- opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
+    (ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.opt_attributes -- (opt_evaluator -- opt_modes -- Parse.term) 
      >> (fn (meta_args_opt, eval_args ) => pass_trans_to_assert_value_cmd meta_args_opt eval_args));
 
 
@@ -2281,25 +2286,25 @@ ML\<open>
 structure ML_star_Command =
 struct
 
-fun meta_args_exec NONE  = I:generic_theory -> generic_theory
-   |meta_args_exec (SOME ((((oid,pos),cid_pos), doc_attrs) : ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.meta_args_t))  = 
-          Context.map_theory (Value_Command.Docitem_Parser.create_and_check_docitem 
+fun meta_args_exec (meta_args as (((oid,pos),cid_pos), doc_attrs) : ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.meta_args_t) thy = 
+         thy |> (if meta_args = Value_Command.empty_meta_args
+                 then (K thy)
+                 else Context.map_theory (Value_Command.Docitem_Parser.create_and_check_docitem 
                                     {is_monitor = false} {is_inline = false} 
                                     oid pos (I cid_pos) (I doc_attrs))
+)
 
 val attributes_opt = Scan.option ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.attributes
 
 val _ =
   Outer_Syntax.command ("ML*", \<^here>) "ODL annotated ML text within theory or local theory"
-    ((attributes_opt -- Parse.ML_source) 
+    ((ODL_Meta_Args_Parser.attributes -- Parse.ML_source) 
      >> (fn (meta_args_opt, source) =>
-            (*Toplevel.theory (meta_args_exec meta_args_opt)
-            #>*)
             Toplevel.generic_theory
-              ((ML_Context.exec (fn () =>  
+              ((meta_args_exec meta_args_opt)
+               #> (ML_Context.exec (fn () =>  
                      (ML_Context.eval_source (ML_Compiler.verbose true ML_Compiler.flags) source)) 
-              #> (meta_args_exec meta_args_opt) 
-              #> Local_Theory.propagate_ml_env))));
+               #> Local_Theory.propagate_ml_env))));
 
 end
 \<close>
diff --git a/src/tests/Evaluation.thy b/src/tests/Evaluation.thy
index 186705f..96059b3 100644
--- a/src/tests/Evaluation.thy
+++ b/src/tests/Evaluation.thy
@@ -11,10 +11,9 @@ begin
 
 section\<open>\<^theory_text>\<open>ML*\<close>-Annotated SML-commands\<close>
 ML*[the_function::B,x=\<open>\<open>dfg\<close>\<close>]\<open>fun fac x = if x = 0 then 1 else x * fac(x-1);
-                               val t = @{const_name "List.Nil"}\<close>
+                               val t = \<^value_>\<open>x @{B \<open>the_function\<close>}\<close>\<close>
 ML\<open>fac 5; t\<close> \<comment> \<open>this is a test that ML* is actually evaluated and the 
                  resulting toplevel state is preserved.\<close>
-ML*\<open>3+4\<close>     \<comment> \<open>meta-args are optional\<close> 
 
 text-macro*[the::C]\<open> @{B [display] "the_function"} \<close>
 
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ text\<open>... and here we reference @{A [display] \<open>assertionA\<close>}.\<
 
 assert*\<open>evidence @{result \<open>resultProof\<close>} = evidence @{result \<open>resultProof2\<close>}\<close>
 
-text\<open>The optional evaluator of \<open>value*\<close> and \<open>assert*\<close> must be specified before the meta arguments:\<close>
+text\<open>The optional evaluator of \<open>value*\<close> and \<open>assert*\<close> must be specified after the meta arguments:\<close>
 value* [optional_test_A::A, x=6] [nbe] \<open>filter (\<lambda>\<sigma>. A.x \<sigma> > 5) @{A-instances}\<close>
 assert* [resultProof3::result, evidence = "proof", property="[@{thm \<open>HOL.sym\<close>}]"] [nbe]
         \<open>evidence @{result \<open>resultProof3\<close>} = evidence @{result \<open>resultProof2\<close>}\<close>