diff --git a/core/alien/strings/strings.factor b/core/alien/strings/strings.factor
index ff20b8b033..e96b13478e 100644
--- a/core/alien/strings/strings.factor
+++ b/core/alien/strings/strings.factor
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ M: string string>alien
     [ stream>> >byte-array ]
     tri ;
 
+M: tuple string>alien drop underlying>> ;
+
 HOOK: alien>native-string os ( alien -- string )
 
 M: windows alien>native-string utf16n alien>string ;