diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
index 2af0224e32..f1fd749666 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
@@ -216,27 +216,8 @@ M: object pprint* pprint-object ;
 M: vector pprint* pprint-object ;
 M: byte-vector pprint* pprint-object ;
 M: hashtable pprint* pprint-object ;
-
-GENERIC: valid-callable? ( obj -- ? )
-
-M: object valid-callable? drop f ;
-
-M: quotation valid-callable? drop t ;
-
-M: curry valid-callable? quot>> valid-callable? ;
-
-M: compose valid-callable?
-    [ first>> ] [ second>> ] bi [ valid-callable? ] both? ;
-
-M: curry pprint*
-    dup valid-callable? [ pprint-object ] [
-        "( invalid curry )" swap present-text
-    ] if ;
-
-M: compose pprint*
-    dup valid-callable? [ pprint-object ] [
-        "( invalid compose )" swap present-text
-    ] if ;
+M: curry pprint* pprint-object ;
+M: compose pprint* pprint-object ;
 
 M: wrapper pprint*
     dup wrapped>> word? [
diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor b/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
index 7fa3c5a1a3..96698fc18f 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
@@ -323,10 +323,6 @@ M: class-see-layout class-see-layout ;
     [ 2 break 2 \ + (step-into-execute) . ] (remove-breakpoints)
 ] unit-test
 
-[ ] [ 1 \ + curry unparse drop ] unit-test
-
-[ ] [ 1 \ + compose unparse drop ] unit-test
-
 GENERIC: generic-see-test-with-f ( obj -- obj )
 
 M: f generic-see-test-with-f ;
@@ -365,8 +361,3 @@ M: started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' ; inline
 [ "USING: prettyprint.tests ;\nM: started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' ; inline\n" ] [
     [ { started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' } see ] with-string-writer
 ] unit-test
-
-[ "( invalid curry )" ] [ 1 2 curry unparse ] unit-test
-[ "( invalid curry )" ] [ 1 2 3 curry curry unparse ] unit-test
-[ "( invalid compose )" ] [ 1 2 compose unparse ] unit-test
-[ "( invalid compose )" ] [ [ 1 ] 2 3 curry compose unparse ] unit-test
diff --git a/core/classes/tuple/tuple.factor b/core/classes/tuple/tuple.factor
index a56a4df029..70b189852f 100644
--- a/core/classes/tuple/tuple.factor
+++ b/core/classes/tuple/tuple.factor
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ ERROR: bad-superclass class ;
     [
         \ dup ,
         [ "predicate" word-prop % ]
-        [ [ bad-slot-value ] curry , ] bi
+        [ [ literalize , \ bad-slot-value , ] [ ] make , ] bi
         \ unless ,
     ] [ ] make ;