diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 7097dba..e4cceb4 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name = "CTParser"
 uuid = "32681960-a1b1-40db-9bff-a1ca817385d1"
-version = "0.8.9-beta"
+version = "0.8.10-beta"
 authors = ["Jean-Baptiste Caillau <jean-baptiste.caillau@univ-cotedazur.fr>"]
 
 [deps]
diff --git a/src/initial_guess.jl b/src/initial_guess.jl
index cb5647c..de71c13 100644
--- a/src/initial_guess.jl
+++ b/src/initial_guess.jl
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ or a time grid, based on whether `arg` matches `time_name(ocp)`.
 
 - `pref::Symbol`: backend module prefix (e.g. `:CTModels`).
 - `ocp`: symbolic OCP variable passed from the macro.
-- `arg::Symbol`: argument symbol used in the specification (e.g. `:t`, `:s`, `:T`).
+- `arg`: argument used in the specification (e.g. `:t`, `:s`, or a literal array after alias expansion).
 - `rhs`: right-hand side expression.
 - `arg_in_rhs::Bool`: whether `arg` appears in `rhs` (computed at parse-time via `has`).
 
@@ -119,14 +119,25 @@ or a time grid, based on whether `arg` matches `time_name(ocp)`.
 
 # Notes
 
-When `arg_in_rhs` is `true`, the specification is definitely a time-dependent
-function, so we validate that `arg == Symbol(time_name(ocp))` and throw an
-error if not. When `arg_in_rhs` is `false`, we generate a runtime conditional
+When `arg` is not a Symbol (e.g., a literal array after alias expansion like
+`[0.0, 0.5, 1.0]`), it is always treated as a time grid specification.
+
+When `arg` is a Symbol and `arg_in_rhs` is `true`, the specification is definitely
+a time-dependent function, so we validate that `arg == Symbol(time_name(ocp))` and
+throw an error if not. When `arg_in_rhs` is `false`, we generate a runtime conditional
 that checks whether `arg` matches the time name to decide between a constant
 function or a time grid.
 """
 function __gen_temporal_value(pref, ocp, arg, rhs, arg_in_rhs)
     val_sym = __symgen(:init_val)
+    
+    # Early return: if arg is not a Symbol (e.g., literal array after alias expansion),
+    # it's always a grid specification
+    if !(arg isa Symbol)
+        code = :($val_sym = ($arg, $rhs))
+        return val_sym, code
+    end
+    
     arg_quoted = QuoteNode(arg)
 
     if arg_in_rhs
@@ -232,7 +243,15 @@ function __log_spec(key, spec)
             rhs
         end
         rhs_str = sprint(Base.show_unquoted, rhs_clean)
-        return string(key, " = ", arg, " -> ", rhs_str)
+        
+        # If arg is not a Symbol (e.g., literal array after alias expansion),
+        # format as grid specification
+        if arg isa Symbol
+            return string(key, " = ", arg, " -> ", rhs_str)
+        else
+            arg_str = sprint(Base.show_unquoted, arg)
+            return string(key, " = (", arg_str, ", ", rhs_str, ")")
+        end
     else
         return string(key, " = ???")
     end
@@ -245,17 +264,21 @@ Internal helper that parses the body of an `@init` block.
 
 The function walks through the expression `ex` and splits it into
 
-- *alias statements*, which are left as ordinary Julia assignments and
-  executed verbatim inside the generated block;
+- *alias statements* of the form `lhs = rhs`, which are stored in a dictionary
+  and substituted into subsequent statements at parse-time using `subs`;
 - *initialisation specifications* of the form `lhs := rhs` or
   `lhs(arg) := rhs`, which are converted into structured specification
-  tuples.
+  tuples after alias expansion.
 
 For expressions of the form `lhs(arg) := rhs`, this function uses `has(rhs, arg)`
 to determine whether `arg` appears in the right-hand side. This information
 is stored in the specification tuple and used later to generate appropriate
 runtime code that distinguishes time-dependent functions from time grids.
 
+Alias substitution happens before each statement is matched, enabling
+time-dependent aliases like `phi = 2π * t` and accumulated aliases like
+`a = t; s = a`.
+
 # Arguments
 
 - `ex::Any`: expression or block coming from the body of `@init`.
@@ -264,8 +287,6 @@ runtime code that distinguishes time-dependent functions from time grids.
 
 # Returns
 
-- `alias_stmts::Vector{Expr}`: ordinary statements to execute before
-  building the initial guess.
 - `keys::Vector{Symbol}`: names of the components being initialised
   (e.g. `:q`, `:v`, `:u`, `:tf`).
 - `specs::Vector{Tuple}`: specification tuples, either `(:constant, rhs)`
@@ -273,7 +294,7 @@ runtime code that distinguishes time-dependent functions from time grids.
   specifications where `arg_in_rhs` indicates whether `arg` appears in `rhs`.
 """
 function _collect_init_specs(ex, lnum::Int, line_str::String)
-    alias_stmts = Expr[]           # statements of the form a = ... or other Julia statements
+    aliases = OrderedCollections.OrderedDict{Union{Symbol,Expr}, Any}()
     keys = Symbol[]                # keys of the NamedTuple (q, v, x, u, tf, ...)
     specs = Tuple[]                # specification tuples
 
@@ -286,20 +307,27 @@ function _collect_init_specs(ex, lnum::Int, line_str::String)
     for st in stmts
         st isa LineNumberNode && continue
 
+        # Substitute all known aliases before matching
+        for a in Base.keys(aliases)
+            st = subs(st, a, aliases[a])
+        end
+
         @match st begin
-            # Alias / ordinary Julia assignments left as-is
+            # Alias: store for future substitution
             :($lhs = $rhs) => begin
-                push!(alias_stmts, st)
+                lhs isa Symbol || error("Unsupported alias left-hand side in @init: $lhs (only Symbol allowed)")
+                aliases[lhs] = rhs
             end
 
             # Forms q(arg) := rhs
-            # Use has(rhs, arg) to determine if arg appears in rhs
+            # After alias expansion, arg may be a Symbol or an Expr (literal grid)
             :($lhs($arg) := $rhs) => begin
                 lhs isa Symbol || error("Unsupported left-hand side in @init: $lhs")
-                arg isa Symbol || error("Unsupported argument in @init: $arg must be a symbol")
                 
                 # Check if arg appears in rhs using has() from utils.jl
-                arg_in_rhs = has(rhs, arg)
+                # Note: if arg is not a Symbol (e.g., after alias expansion to a literal array),
+                # has() will return false, which is correct for grid specifications
+                arg_in_rhs = (arg isa Symbol) && has(rhs, arg)
                 
                 push!(keys, lhs)
                 push!(specs, (:temporal, arg, rhs, arg_in_rhs))
@@ -312,14 +340,14 @@ function _collect_init_specs(ex, lnum::Int, line_str::String)
                 push!(specs, (:constant, rhs))
             end
 
-            # Fallback: any other line is treated as an ordinary Julia statement
+            # Fallback: strict mode - reject unrecognized statements
             _ => begin
-                push!(alias_stmts, st)
+                error("Unrecognized statement in @init block: $st. Only alias assignments (a = expr) and specifications (lhs := rhs or lhs(arg) := rhs) are allowed.")
             end
         end
     end
 
-    return alias_stmts, keys, specs
+    return keys, specs
 end
 
 """
@@ -352,24 +380,20 @@ macro level.
   initial guess when executed.
 """
 function init_fun(ocp, e, lnum::Int, line_str::String)
-    alias_stmts, keys, specs = _collect_init_specs(e, lnum, line_str)
+    keys, specs = _collect_init_specs(e, lnum, line_str)
     pref = init_prefix()
 
     # If there is no init specification, delegate to build_initial_guess/validate_initial_guess
     if isempty(keys)
-        body_stmts = Any[]
-        append!(body_stmts, alias_stmts)
         build_call = :($pref.build_initial_guess($ocp, ()))
         validate_call = :($pref.validate_initial_guess($ocp, $build_call))
-        push!(body_stmts, validate_call)
-        code_expr = Expr(:block, body_stmts...)
+        code_expr = validate_call
         log_str = "()"
         return log_str, code_expr
     end
 
     # Generate runtime code for each specification
     body_stmts = Any[]
-    append!(body_stmts, alias_stmts)
 
     val_syms = Symbol[]
     for spec in specs
diff --git a/test/test_initial_guess.jl b/test/test_initial_guess.jl
index 2425fe8..42e142b 100644
--- a/test/test_initial_guess.jl
+++ b/test/test_initial_guess.jl
@@ -692,4 +692,155 @@ function test_initial_guess() # debug
         @test occursin("\"s\"", err_msg)
         @test occursin(":s", err_msg)
     end
+
+    @testset "time-dependent alias (phi = 2pi * t)" begin
+        ocp_circle = @def begin
+            t ∈ [0, 1], time
+            x ∈ R², state
+            u ∈ R², control
+            x(0) == [0, 0]
+            x(1) == [1, 1]
+            ẋ(t) == u(t)
+            ∫(u(t)' * u(t)) → min
+        end
+
+        ig = @init ocp_circle begin
+            phi = 2π * t  # Alias depending on time variable
+            u(t) := [cos(phi), sin(phi)]
+        end
+
+        @test ig isa CTModels.AbstractInitialGuess
+        CTModels.validate_initial_guess(ocp_circle, ig)
+
+        ufun = CTModels.control(ig)
+        u0 = ufun(0.0)
+        u1 = ufun(0.5)
+
+        @test u0[1] ≈ cos(0.0)
+        @test u0[2] ≈ sin(0.0)
+        @test u1[1] ≈ cos(π)
+        @test u1[2] ≈ sin(π) atol=1e-10
+    end
+
+    @testset "time variable substitution (s = t)" begin
+        ocp_circle = @def begin
+            t ∈ [0, 1], time
+            x ∈ R², state
+            u ∈ R², control
+            x(0) == [0, 0]
+            x(1) == [1, 1]
+            ẋ(t) == u(t)
+            ∫(u(t)' * u(t)) → min
+        end
+
+        ig = @init ocp_circle begin
+            s = t  # Alias for time variable
+            u(s) := [cos(s), sin(s)]
+        end
+
+        @test ig isa CTModels.AbstractInitialGuess
+        CTModels.validate_initial_guess(ocp_circle, ig)
+
+        ufun = CTModels.control(ig)
+        u0 = ufun(0.0)
+        u1 = ufun(0.5)
+
+        @test u0[1] ≈ cos(0.0)
+        @test u0[2] ≈ sin(0.0)
+        @test u1[1] ≈ cos(0.5)
+        @test u1[2] ≈ sin(0.5)
+    end
+
+    @testset "grid aliases (T, X, U as local variables)" begin
+        ig = @init ocp_fixed begin
+            T = [0.0, 0.5, 1.0]
+            X = [[-1.0, 0.0], [0.0, 0.5], [0.0, 0.0]]
+            U = [0.0, 0.0, 1.0]
+            x(T) := X
+            u(T) := U
+        end
+
+        @test ig isa CTModels.AbstractInitialGuess
+        CTModels.validate_initial_guess(ocp_fixed, ig)
+
+        xfun = CTModels.state(ig)
+        ufun = CTModels.control(ig)
+
+        x0 = xfun(0.0)
+        x1 = xfun(1.0)
+        u0 = ufun(0.0)
+        u1 = ufun(1.0)
+
+        @test x0[1] ≈ -1.0
+        @test x0[2] ≈ 0.0
+        @test x1[1] ≈ 0.0
+        @test x1[2] ≈ 0.0
+        @test u0 ≈ 0.0
+        @test u1 ≈ 1.0
+    end
+
+    @testset "accumulated aliases (a = t, s = a)" begin
+        ocp_circle = @def begin
+            t ∈ [0, 1], time
+            x ∈ R², state
+            u ∈ R², control
+            x(0) == [0, 0]
+            x(1) == [1, 1]
+            ẋ(t) == u(t)
+            ∫(u(t)' * u(t)) → min
+        end
+
+        ig = @init ocp_circle begin
+            a = t
+            s = a
+            u(s) := [cos(s), sin(s)]
+        end
+
+        @test ig isa CTModels.AbstractInitialGuess
+        CTModels.validate_initial_guess(ocp_circle, ig)
+
+        ufun = CTModels.control(ig)
+        u0 = ufun(0.0)
+        u1 = ufun(0.5)
+
+        @test u0[1] ≈ cos(0.0)
+        @test u0[2] ≈ sin(0.0)
+        @test u1[1] ≈ cos(0.5)
+        @test u1[2] ≈ sin(0.5)
+    end
+
+    @testset "grid aliases with literal arrays" begin
+        ig = @init ocp_fixed begin
+            X = [[-1.0, 0.0], [0.0, 0.5], [0.0, 0.0]]
+            U = [0.0, 0.0, 1.0]
+            x([0.0, 0.5, 1.0]) := X
+            u([0.0, 0.5, 1.0]) := U
+        end
+
+        @test ig isa CTModels.AbstractInitialGuess
+        CTModels.validate_initial_guess(ocp_fixed, ig)
+
+        xfun = CTModels.state(ig)
+        ufun = CTModels.control(ig)
+
+        x0 = xfun(0.0)
+        x1 = xfun(1.0)
+        u0 = ufun(0.0)
+        u1 = ufun(1.0)
+
+        @test x0[1] ≈ -1.0
+        @test x0[2] ≈ 0.0
+        @test x1[1] ≈ 0.0
+        @test x1[2] ≈ 0.0
+        @test u0 ≈ 0.0
+        @test u1 ≈ 1.0
+    end
+
+    @testset "strict mode: unrecognized statement error" begin
+        @test_throws CTBase.ParsingError Base.redirect_stdout(Base.devnull) do
+            @init ocp_fixed begin
+                println("This should fail")
+            end
+        end
+    end
 end