diff --git a/basis/compiler/tree/builder/builder.factor b/basis/compiler/tree/builder/builder.factor
index a13c5a695e..7f7dfdc4b5 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tree/builder/builder.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tree/builder/builder.factor
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ M: callable (build-tree) infer-quot-here ;
 : check-no-compile ( word -- )
     dup "no-compile" word-prop [ do-not-compile ] [ drop ] if ;
 
-: inline-recursive? ( word -- ? )
-    [ "inline" word-prop ] [ "recursive" word-prop ] bi and ;
-
 : word-body ( word -- quot )
     dup inline-recursive? [ 1quotation ] [ specialized-def ] if ;
 
diff --git a/core/words/words.factor b/core/words/words.factor
index 47a7531b34..d338d7f576 100644
--- a/core/words/words.factor
+++ b/core/words/words.factor
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ M: word parent-word drop f ;
 
 : inline? ( word -- ? ) "inline" word-prop ; inline
 
+: inline-recursive? ( word -- ? )
+    dup "inline" word-prop
+    [ "recursive" word-prop ] [ drop f ] if ; inline
+
 ERROR: cannot-be-inline word ;
 
 GENERIC: make-inline ( word -- )