diff --git a/basis/core-foundation/run-loop/run-loop.factor b/basis/core-foundation/run-loop/run-loop.factor
index 6446eacd08..10d858a32f 100644
--- a/basis/core-foundation/run-loop/run-loop.factor
+++ b/basis/core-foundation/run-loop/run-loop.factor
@@ -54,11 +54,7 @@ FUNCTION: void CFRunLoopRemoveTimer (
     CFStringRef mode
 ) ;
 
-: CFRunLoopDefaultMode ( -- alien )
-    #! Ugly, but we don't have static NSStrings
-    \ CFRunLoopDefaultMode [
-        "kCFRunLoopDefaultMode" <CFString>
-    ] initialize-alien ;
+CFSTRING: CFRunLoopDefaultMode "kCFRunLoopDefaultMode"
 
 TUPLE: run-loop fds sources timers ;
 
diff --git a/basis/core-foundation/strings/strings.factor b/basis/core-foundation/strings/strings.factor
index 413709d142..45f4460d13 100644
--- a/basis/core-foundation/strings/strings.factor
+++ b/basis/core-foundation/strings/strings.factor
@@ -83,3 +83,8 @@ FUNCTION: CFStringRef CFStringCreateWithCString (
 
 : <CFStringArray> ( seq -- alien )
     [ [ <CFString> &CFRelease ] map <CFArray> ] with-destructors ;
+
+SYNTAX: CFSTRING: 
+    CREATE scan-object 
+    [ drop ] [ '[ _ [ _ <CFString> ] initialize-alien ] ] 2bi
+    (( -- alien )) define-declared ;