diff --git a/basis/ui/ui.factor b/basis/ui/ui.factor
index aee19279a4..37ec4f35b1 100644
--- a/basis/ui/ui.factor
+++ b/basis/ui/ui.factor
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ PRIVATE>
     windows get empty? not ;
 
 : ?attributes ( gadget title/attributes -- attributes )
-    dup string? [ world-attributes new swap >>title ] when
+    dup string? [ world-attributes new swap >>title ] [ clone ] if
     swap [ [ [ 1array ] [ f ] if* ] curry unless* ] curry change-gadgets ;
 
 PRIVATE>