diff --git a/basis/cpu/ppc/ppc.factor b/basis/cpu/ppc/ppc.factor
index a6d70f88e8..37a5369259 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/ppc/ppc.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/ppc/ppc.factor
@@ -449,10 +449,10 @@ M:: ppc %allot ( dst size class nursery-ptr -- )
     dst class store-tagged ;
 
 : load-cards-offset ( dst -- )
-    [ "cards_offset" f %alien-global ] [ dup 0 LWZ ] bi ;
+    [ "cards_offset" %load-vm-field-addr ] [ dup 0 LWZ ] bi ;
 
 : load-decks-offset ( dst -- )
-    [ "decks_offset" f %alien-global ] [ dup 0 LWZ ] bi  ;
+    [ "decks_offset" %load-vm-field-addr ] [ dup 0 LWZ ] bi  ;
 
 M:: ppc %write-barrier ( src card# table -- )
     card-mark scratch-reg LI
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
index 4f79f50f96..7e73275dde 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
@@ -587,18 +587,22 @@ M:: x86 %allot ( dst size class nursery-ptr -- )
     dst class store-tagged
     nursery-ptr size inc-allot-ptr ;
 
+: %vm-field-ptr ( reg field -- )
+    [ drop 0 MOV rc-absolute-cell rt-vm rel-fixup ]
+    [ vm-field-offset ADD ] 2bi ;
+
 M:: x86 %write-barrier ( src card# table -- )
     #! Mark the card pointed to by vreg.
     ! Mark the card
     card# src MOV
     card# card-bits SHR
-    table "cards_offset" f %alien-global
+    table "cards_offset" %vm-field-ptr
     table table [] MOV
     table card# [+] card-mark <byte> MOV
 
     ! Mark the card deck
     card# deck-bits card-bits - SHR
-    table "decks_offset" f %alien-global
+    table "decks_offset" %vm-field-ptr
     table table [] MOV
     table card# [+] card-mark <byte> MOV ;
 
diff --git a/basis/vm/vm.factor b/basis/vm/vm.factor
index 19d009f121..655250d755 100644
--- a/basis/vm/vm.factor
+++ b/basis/vm/vm.factor
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ C-STRUCT: zone
 C-STRUCT: vm
     { "context*" "stack_chain" }
     { "zone" "nursery" }
+    { "cell" "cards_offset" }
+    { "cell" "decks_offset" }
     ;
 
 : vm-field-offset ( field -- offset ) "vm" offset-of ;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vm/vm.hpp b/vm/vm.hpp
index 7508abf5ea..00a24e4502 100644
--- a/vm/vm.hpp
+++ b/vm/vm.hpp
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ namespace factor
 struct factorvm {
 	// if you change this struct, also change vm.factor
 	context *stack_chain; 
-	/* new objects are allocated here */
-	zone nursery;
-
+	zone nursery; /* new objects are allocated here */
+	cell cards_offset;
+	cell decks_offset;
 
 	// segments
 	inline cell align_page(cell a);
diff --git a/vm/write_barrier.cpp b/vm/write_barrier.cpp
index 7ce764722e..72879aab4b 100644
--- a/vm/write_barrier.cpp
+++ b/vm/write_barrier.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,4 @@
 
 using namespace factor;
 
-cell cards_offset;
-cell decks_offset;
 
diff --git a/vm/write_barrier.hpp b/vm/write_barrier.hpp
index b2b370d274..7c0241a31a 100755
--- a/vm/write_barrier.hpp
+++ b/vm/write_barrier.hpp
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@ card has a slot written to.
 
 the offset of the first object is set by the allocator. */
 
-VM_C_API factor::cell cards_offset;
-VM_C_API factor::cell decks_offset;
-
 namespace factor
 {