diff --git a/basis/alien/parser/parser.factor b/basis/alien/parser/parser.factor
index 7b677c3581..27c3024056 100755
--- a/basis/alien/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/parser/parser.factor
@@ -113,13 +113,19 @@ PRIVATE>
 : function-effect ( names return -- effect )
     [ { } ] [ return-type-name 1array ] if-void <effect> ;
 
-:: make-function ( return function library types names -- word quot effect )
-    function create-in dup reset-generic
+: create-function ( name -- word )
+    create-in dup reset-generic ;
+
+:: (make-function) ( return function library types names -- quot effect )
     return library function types function-quot
     names return function-effect ;
 
-: (FUNCTION:) ( -- word quot effect )
-    scan-function-name current-library get ";" scan-c-args make-function ;
+:: make-function ( return function library types names -- word quot effect )
+    function create-function
+    return function library types names (make-function) ;
+
+: (FUNCTION:) ( -- return function library types names )
+    scan-function-name current-library get ";" scan-c-args ;
 
 : callback-quot ( return types abi -- quot )
     '[ [ _ _ _ ] dip alien-callback ] ;
diff --git a/basis/alien/syntax/syntax.factor b/basis/alien/syntax/syntax.factor
index bc7e590cff..41aed99446 100755
--- a/basis/alien/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ SYNTAX: BAD-ALIEN <bad-alien> suffix! ;
 SYNTAX: LIBRARY: scan current-library set ;
 
 SYNTAX: FUNCTION:
-    (FUNCTION:) define-declared ;
+    (FUNCTION:) make-function define-declared ;
+
+SYNTAX: FUNCTION-ALIAS:
+    scan create-function
+    (FUNCTION:) (make-function) define-declared ;
 
 SYNTAX: CALLBACK:
     (CALLBACK:) define-inline ;