diff --git a/core/parser/parser.factor b/core/parser/parser.factor
index f6e351a42e..08f4275e49 100755
--- a/core/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/parser/parser.factor
@@ -366,6 +366,10 @@ ERROR: bad-number ;
 
 : (M:) CREATE-METHOD parse-definition ;
 
+: scan-object ( -- object )
+    scan-word dup parsing?
+    [ V{ } clone swap execute first ] when ;
+
 GENERIC: expected>string ( obj -- str )
 
 M: f expected>string drop "end of input" ;
diff --git a/core/syntax/syntax.factor b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
index 9190b9676d..5da2d5e4e2 100755
--- a/core/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -171,9 +171,7 @@ IN: bootstrap.syntax
     ] define-syntax
 
     "FORGET:" [
-        scan-word
-        dup parsing? [ V{ } clone swap execute first ] when
-        forget
+        scan-object forget
     ] define-syntax
 
     "(" [
diff --git a/extra/help/syntax/syntax.factor b/extra/help/syntax/syntax.factor
index e006a9816b..9450f87215 100755
--- a/extra/help/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/extra/help/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -16,6 +16,4 @@ IN: help.syntax
     over add-article >link r> remember-definition ; parsing
 
 : ABOUT:
-    scan-word dup parsing? [
-        V{ } clone swap execute first
-    ] when in get vocab set-vocab-help ; parsing
+    scan-object in get vocab set-vocab-help ; parsing
diff --git a/extra/tuple-syntax/tuple-syntax.factor b/extra/tuple-syntax/tuple-syntax.factor
index f06bb55899..2419b8febb 100755
--- a/extra/tuple-syntax/tuple-syntax.factor
+++ b/extra/tuple-syntax/tuple-syntax.factor
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ IN: tuple-syntax
 ! TUPLE: foo bar baz ;
 ! TUPLE{ foo bar: 1 baz: 2 }
 
-: parse-object ( -- object )
-    scan-word dup parsing? [ V{ } clone swap execute first ] when ;
-
 : parse-slot-writer ( tuple -- slot# )
     scan dup "}" = [ 2drop f ] [
         1 head* swap object-slots slot-named slot-spec-offset
@@ -15,7 +12,7 @@ IN: tuple-syntax
 
 : parse-slots ( accum tuple -- accum tuple )
     dup parse-slot-writer
-    [ parse-object pick rot set-slot parse-slots ] when* ;
+    [ scan-object pick rot set-slot parse-slots ] when* ;
 
 : TUPLE{
     scan-word construct-empty parse-slots parsed ; parsing