diff --git a/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor b/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
index d303cc597f..e3ad8e6074 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ compiler.cfg arrays locals byte-arrays kernel.private math
 slots.private vectors sbufs strings math.partial-dispatch
 hashtables assocs combinators.short-circuit
 strings.private accessors compiler.cfg.instructions ;
+FROM: alien.c-types => int ;
 IN: compiler.cfg.builder.tests
 
 ! Just ensure that various CFGs build correctly.
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ IN: compiler.cfg.builder.tests
     [ [ t ] loop ]
     [ [ dup ] loop ]
     [ [ 2 ] [ 3 throw ] if 4 ]
-    [ "int" f "malloc" { "int" } alien-invoke ]
+    [ int f "malloc" { int } alien-invoke ]
     [ "int" { "int" } "cdecl" alien-indirect ]
     [ "int" { "int" } "cdecl" [ ] alien-callback ]
     [ swap - + * ]
@@ -213,4 +214,4 @@ IN: compiler.cfg.builder.tests
 ] when
 
 ! Regression. Make sure everything is inlined correctly
-[ f ] [ M\ hashtable set-at [ { [ ##call? ] [ word>> \ set-slot eq? ] } 1&& ] contains-insn? ] unit-test
\ No newline at end of file
+[ f ] [ M\ hashtable set-at [ { [ ##call? ] [ word>> \ set-slot eq? ] } 1&& ] contains-insn? ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tests/alien.factor b/basis/compiler/tests/alien.factor
index 1bf7a00c75..cc835a8a8f 100755
--- a/basis/compiler/tests/alien.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tests/alien.factor
@@ -122,13 +122,13 @@ unit-test
 [ "stdcall" ] [ "f-stdcall" library abi>> ] unit-test
 
 : ffi_test_18 ( w x y z -- int )
-    "int" "f-stdcall" "ffi_test_18" { "int" "int" "int" "int" }
+    int "f-stdcall" "ffi_test_18" { int int int int }
     alien-invoke gc ;
 
 [ 25 ] [ 2 3 4 5 ffi_test_18 ] unit-test
 
 : ffi_test_19 ( x y z -- BAR )
-    "BAR" "f-stdcall" "ffi_test_19" { "long" "long" "long" }
+    BAR "f-stdcall" "ffi_test_19" { long long long }
     alien-invoke gc ;
 
 [ 11 6 -7 ] [
@@ -157,17 +157,17 @@ FUNCTION: void ffi_test_20 double x1, double x2, double x3,
 ! Make sure XT doesn't get clobbered in stack frame
 
 : ffi_test_31 ( a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a -- result y )
-    "int"
+    int
     "f-cdecl" "ffi_test_31"
-    { "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" "int" }
+    { int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int int }
     alien-invoke gc 3 ;
 
 [ 861 3 ] [ 42 [ ] each ffi_test_31 ] unit-test
 
 : ffi_test_31_point_5 ( a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a -- result )
-    "float"
+    float
     "f-cdecl" "ffi_test_31_point_5"
-    { "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" "float" }
+    { float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float float }
     alien-invoke ;
 
 [ 861.0 ] [ 42 [ >float ] each ffi_test_31_point_5 ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tests/codegen.factor b/basis/compiler/tests/codegen.factor
index 141fc24309..18f3a618f6 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tests/codegen.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tests/codegen.factor
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ TUPLE: id obj ;
     { float } declare dup 0 =
     [ drop 1 ] [
         dup 0 >=
-        [ 2 "double" "libm" "pow" { "double" "double" } alien-invoke ]
-        [ -0.5 "double" "libm" "pow" { "double" "double" } alien-invoke ]
+        [ 2 double "libm" "pow" { double double } alien-invoke ]
+        [ -0.5 double "libm" "pow" { double double } alien-invoke ]
         if
     ] if ;
 
@@ -475,4 +475,4 @@ TUPLE: myseq { underlying1 byte-array read-only } { underlying2 byte-array read-
 [ 2 0 ] [
     1 1
     [ [ HEX: f bitand ] bi@ [ shift ] [ drop -3 shift ] 2bi ] compile-call
-] unit-test
\ No newline at end of file
+] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/db/sqlite/ffi/ffi.factor b/basis/db/sqlite/ffi/ffi.factor
index 61394391a0..2f7bec1b54 100644
--- a/basis/db/sqlite/ffi/ffi.factor
+++ b/basis/db/sqlite/ffi/ffi.factor
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ FUNCTION: int sqlite3_bind_int ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int index, int n ) ;
 FUNCTION: int sqlite3_bind_int64 ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int index, sqlite3_int64 n ) ;
 ! Bind the same function as above, but for unsigned 64bit integers
 : sqlite3-bind-uint64 ( pStmt index in64 -- int )
-    "int" "sqlite" "sqlite3_bind_int64"
-    { "sqlite3_stmt*" "int" "sqlite3_uint64" } alien-invoke ;
+    int "sqlite" "sqlite3_bind_int64"
+    { sqlite3_stmt* int sqlite3_uint64 } alien-invoke ;
 FUNCTION: int sqlite3_bind_null ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int n ) ;
 FUNCTION: int sqlite3_bind_text ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int index, char* text, int len, int destructor ) ;
 FUNCTION: int sqlite3_bind_parameter_index ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, char* name ) ;
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ FUNCTION: int sqlite3_column_int ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int col ) ;
 FUNCTION: sqlite3_int64 sqlite3_column_int64 ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int col ) ;
 ! Bind the same function as above, but for unsigned 64bit integers
 : sqlite3-column-uint64 ( pStmt col -- uint64 )
-    "sqlite3_uint64" "sqlite" "sqlite3_column_int64"
-    { "sqlite3_stmt*" "int" } alien-invoke ;
+    sqlite3_uint64 "sqlite" "sqlite3_column_int64"
+    { sqlite3_stmt* int } alien-invoke ;
 FUNCTION: double sqlite3_column_double ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int col ) ;
 FUNCTION: char* sqlite3_column_name ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int col ) ;
 FUNCTION: char* sqlite3_column_text ( sqlite3_stmt* pStmt, int col ) ;
diff --git a/basis/system-info/linux/linux.factor b/basis/system-info/linux/linux.factor
index 5f83eb268b..0c21597a2f 100644
--- a/basis/system-info/linux/linux.factor
+++ b/basis/system-info/linux/linux.factor
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ SPECIALIZED-ARRAY: char
 IN: system-info.linux
 
 : (uname) ( buf -- int )
-    "int" f "uname" { "char*" } alien-invoke ;
+    int f "uname" { char* } alien-invoke ;
 
 : uname ( -- seq )
     65536 <char-array> [ (uname) io-error ] keep