diff --git a/vm/factor.cpp b/vm/factor.cpp
index c83e9cdb6b..525b2fa43e 100755
--- a/vm/factor.cpp
+++ b/vm/factor.cpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ void factor_vm::start_factor(vm_parameters *p)
 void factor_vm::stop_factor()
 {
 	nest_stacks(NULL);
-	c_to_factor_toplevel(userenv[SHUTDOWN_ENV]);
+	c_to_factor_toplevel(special_objects[OBJ_SHUTDOWN]);
 	unnest_stacks();
 }
 
diff --git a/vm/objects.hpp b/vm/objects.hpp
index 3eb2fdcce5..658f7eaa36 100644
--- a/vm/objects.hpp
+++ b/vm/objects.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ enum special_object {
 
 	OBJ_BOOT            = 20, /* boot quotation */
 	OBJ_GLOBAL,               /* global namespace */
+	OBJ_SHUTDOWN,
 
 	/* Quotation compilation in quotations.c */
 	JIT_PROLOG          = 23,