diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/assembler/operands/operands.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/assembler/operands/operands.factor
index 733c57689b..b931fcfd87 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/assembler/operands/operands.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/assembler/operands/operands.factor
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ! Copyright (C) 2008, 2009 Slava Pestov, Joe Groff.
 ! See http://factorcode.org/license.txt for BSD license.
-USING: kernel words math accessors sequences cpu.x86.assembler.syntax ;
+USING: kernel words math accessors sequences namespaces
+assocs layouts cpu.x86.assembler.syntax ;
 IN: cpu.x86.assembler.operands
 
 ! In 32-bit mode, { 1234 } is absolute indirect addressing.
@@ -101,16 +102,12 @@ TUPLE: byte value ;
 
 C: <byte> byte
 
-<PRIVATE
-
 : n-bit-version-of ( register n -- register' )
     ! Certain 8-bit registers don't exist in 32-bit mode...
     [ "register" word-prop ] dip registers get at nth
     dup { SPL BPL SIL DIL } memq? cell 4 = and
     [ drop f ] when ;
 
-PRIVATE>
-
 : 8-bit-version-of ( register -- register' ) 8 n-bit-version-of ;
 : 16-bit-version-of ( register -- register' ) 16 n-bit-version-of ;
 : 32-bit-version-of ( register -- register' ) 32 n-bit-version-of ;
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
index 337232c259..5dc3ef2e0a 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/x86.factor
@@ -264,18 +264,13 @@ M:: x86 %box-alien ( dst src temp -- )
         "end" resolve-label
     ] with-scope ;
 
-HOOK: small-regs cpu ( -- regs )
+HOOK: small-reg? cpu ( reg -- regs )
 
-M: x86.32 small-regs { EAX ECX EDX EBX } ;
-M: x86.64 small-regs { RAX RCX RDX RBX } ;
-
-HOOK: small-reg-native cpu ( reg -- reg' )
-
-M: x86.32 small-reg-native small-reg-4 ;
-M: x86.64 small-reg-native small-reg-8 ;
+M: x86.32 small-reg? { EAX ECX EDX EBX } memq? ;
+M: x86.64 small-reg? drop t ;
 
 : small-reg-that-isn't ( exclude -- reg' )
-    small-regs swap [ native-version-of ] map '[ _ memq? not ] find nip ;
+    [ native-version-of ] map [ small-reg? not ] find nip ;
 
 : with-save/restore ( reg quot -- )
     [ drop PUSH ] [ call ] [ drop POP ] 2tri ; inline
@@ -285,7 +280,7 @@ M: x86.64 small-reg-native small-reg-8 ;
     #! call the quot with that. Otherwise, we find a small
     #! register that is not in exclude, and call quot, saving
     #! and restoring the small register.
-    dst small-regs memq? [ dst quot call ] [
+    dst small-reg? [ dst quot call ] [
         exclude small-reg-that-isn't
         [ quot call ] with-save/restore
     ] if ; inline