diff --git a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
index 97a95f98b8..9c99ed5cdb 100755
--- a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
+++ b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ M: byte-array '
 
 ! Tuples
 : (emit-tuple) ( tuple -- pointer )
-    [ tuple>array rest-slice ]
+    [ tuple-slots ]
     [ class transfer-word tuple-layout ] bi prefix [ ' ] map
     tuple type-number dup [ emit-seq ] emit-object ;
 
@@ -384,9 +384,9 @@ M: tuple-layout '
     ] cache-object ;
 
 M: tombstone '
-    delegate
-    "((tombstone))" "((empty))" ? "hashtables.private" lookup
-    def>> first [ emit-tuple ] cache-object ;
+    state>> "((tombstone))" "((empty))" ?
+    "hashtables.private" lookup def>> first
+    [ emit-tuple ] cache-object ;
 
 ! Arrays
 M: array '
diff --git a/core/kernel/kernel.factor b/core/kernel/kernel.factor
index 6c9b64b192..55ed67e0fa 100755
--- a/core/kernel/kernel.factor
+++ b/core/kernel/kernel.factor
@@ -199,10 +199,3 @@ ERROR: assert got expect ;
 : do-primitive ( number -- ) "Improper primitive call" throw ;
 
 PRIVATE>
-
-! Deprecated
-GENERIC: delegate ( obj -- delegate )
-
-M: tuple delegate 2 slot ;
-
-M: object delegate drop f ;
diff --git a/core/slots/slots-docs.factor b/core/slots/slots-docs.factor
index 5b454c2e76..d2d7dc1102 100755
--- a/core/slots/slots-docs.factor
+++ b/core/slots/slots-docs.factor
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ HELP: define-typecheck
         "GENERIC: generic"
         "M: class generic quot ;"
     }
-    "It checks if the top of the stack is an instance of " { $snippet "class" } ", and if so, executes the quotation. Delegation is respected."
+    "It checks if the top of the stack is an instance of " { $snippet "class" } ", and if so, executes the quotation."
 }
 { $notes "This word is used internally to wrap unsafe low-level code in a type-checking stub." } ;