diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/32/bootstrap.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/32/bootstrap.factor
index 698c3a1766..f29dec128c 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/32/bootstrap.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/32/bootstrap.factor
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ IN: bootstrap.x86
 : shift-arg ( -- reg ) ECX ;
 : div-arg ( -- reg ) EAX ;
 : mod-arg ( -- reg ) EDX ;
+: arg ( -- reg ) EAX ;
 : temp0 ( -- reg ) EAX ;
 : temp1 ( -- reg ) EDX ;
 : temp2 ( -- reg ) ECX ;
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/64/unix/bootstrap.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/64/unix/bootstrap.factor
index a21c4534d2..20a953b6d5 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/64/unix/bootstrap.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/64/unix/bootstrap.factor
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ cpu.x86.assembler layouts vocabs parser ;
 IN: bootstrap.x86
 
 : stack-frame-size ( -- n ) 4 bootstrap-cells ;
+: arg ( -- reg ) RDI ;
 
 << "resource:basis/cpu/x86/64/bootstrap.factor" parse-file parsed >>
 call
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/64/winnt/bootstrap.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/64/winnt/bootstrap.factor
index 709f138463..3accca400f 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/64/winnt/bootstrap.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/64/winnt/bootstrap.factor
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ cpu.x86.assembler layouts vocabs parser ;
 IN: bootstrap.x86
 
 : stack-frame-size ( -- n ) 8 bootstrap-cells ;
+: arg ( -- reg ) RCX ;
 
 << "resource:basis/cpu/x86/64/bootstrap.factor" parse-file parsed >>
 call
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/bootstrap.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/bootstrap.factor
index 3451da78e1..42fcfaa6a2 100644
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/bootstrap.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/bootstrap.factor
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ big-endian off
 ! Quotations and words
 [
     ! load from stack
-    temp0 ds-reg [] MOV
+    arg ds-reg [] MOV
     ! pop stack
     ds-reg bootstrap-cell SUB
     ! call quotation
-    temp0 quot-xt-offset [+] JMP
+    arg quot-xt-offset [+] JMP
 ] f f f \ (call) define-sub-primitive
 
 [