diff --git a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
index 90b4c3ae6f..941b4149fa 100644
--- a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
+++ b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
@@ -554,12 +554,19 @@ M: quotation '
 : fixup-header ( -- )
     heap-size data-heap-size-offset fixup ;
 
+: build-generics ( -- )
+    [
+        all-words
+        [ generic? ] filter
+        [ make-generic ] each
+    ] with-compilation-unit ;
+
 : build-image ( -- image )
     800000 <vector> image set
     20000 <hashtable> objects set
     emit-image-header t, 0, 1, -1,
     "Building generic words..." print flush
-    remake-generics
+    build-generics
     "Serializing words..." print flush
     emit-words
     "Serializing JIT data..." print flush
diff --git a/basis/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor b/basis/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
index 40493e4e99..2cdec0d382 100644
--- a/basis/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
+++ b/basis/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
@@ -64,12 +64,15 @@ M: rename pprint-qualified ( rename -- )
         tri
     ] with-pprint ;
 
+: filter-interesting ( seq -- seq' )
+    [ [ vocab? ] [ extra-words? ] bi or not ] filter ;
+
 PRIVATE>
 
 : (pprint-manifest ( manifest -- quots )
     [
         [ search-vocabs>> [ '[ _ pprint-using ] , ] unless-empty ]
-        [ qualified-vocabs>> [ extra-words? not ] filter [ '[ _ pprint-qualified ] , ] each ]
+        [ qualified-vocabs>> filter-interesting [ '[ _ pprint-qualified ] , ] each ]
         [ current-vocab>> [ '[ _ pprint-in ] , ] when* ]
         tri
     ] { } make ;
diff --git a/core/bootstrap/primitives.factor b/core/bootstrap/primitives.factor
index 2288b89cf4..67107c8c9a 100644
--- a/core/bootstrap/primitives.factor
+++ b/core/bootstrap/primitives.factor
@@ -31,32 +31,31 @@ architecture get {
 ! Now we have ( syntax-quot arch-quot layouts-quot ) on the stack
 
 ! Bring up a bare cross-compiling vocabulary.
-"syntax" vocab vocab-words bootstrap-syntax set {
-    dictionary
-    new-classes
-    changed-definitions changed-generics changed-effects
-    outdated-generics forgotten-definitions
-    root-cache source-files update-map implementors-map
-} [ H{ } clone swap set ] each
+"syntax" vocab vocab-words bootstrap-syntax set
+
+H{ } clone dictionary set
+H{ } clone root-cache set
+H{ } clone source-files set
+H{ } clone update-map set
+H{ } clone implementors-map set
 
 init-caches
 
+bootstrapping? on
+
+call( -- )
+call( -- )
+
 ! Vocabulary for slot accessors
 "accessors" create-vocab drop
 
-dummy-compiler compiler-impl set
-
-call( -- )
-call( -- )
-call( -- )
-
 ! After we execute bootstrap/layouts
 num-types get f <array> builtins set
 
-bootstrapping? on
-
 [
 
+call( -- )
+
 ! Create some empty vocabs where the below primitives and
 ! classes will go
 {
diff --git a/core/compiler/units/units.factor b/core/compiler/units/units.factor
index a64080e510..87a25f2af7 100644
--- a/core/compiler/units/units.factor
+++ b/core/compiler/units/units.factor
@@ -64,16 +64,6 @@ M: f process-forgotten-words drop ;
 : without-optimizer ( quot -- )
     [ f compiler-impl ] dip with-variable ; inline
 
-! Trivial compiler. We don't want to touch the code heap
-! during stage1 bootstrap, it would just waste time.
-SINGLETON: dummy-compiler
-
-M: dummy-compiler to-recompile f ;
-
-M: dummy-compiler recompile drop { } ;
-
-M: dummy-compiler process-forgotten-words drop ;
-
 : <definitions> ( -- pair ) { H{ } H{ } } [ clone ] map ;
 
 SYMBOL: definition-observers
@@ -143,13 +133,15 @@ M: object bump-effect-counter* drop f ;
     [ drop ] [ notify-definition-observers notify-error-observers ] if ;
 
 : finish-compilation-unit ( -- )
-    remake-generics
-    to-recompile recompile
-    update-tuples
-    process-forgotten-definitions
-    modify-code-heap
-    bump-effect-counter
-    notify-observers ;
+    [ ] [
+        remake-generics
+        to-recompile recompile
+        update-tuples
+        process-forgotten-definitions
+        modify-code-heap
+        bump-effect-counter
+        notify-observers
+    ] if-bootstrapping ;
 
 PRIVATE>
 
diff --git a/core/source-files/source-files.factor b/core/source-files/source-files.factor
index 4991a0860a..840ed94b96 100644
--- a/core/source-files/source-files.factor
+++ b/core/source-files/source-files.factor
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ checksum
 definitions ;
 
 : record-top-level-form ( quot file -- )
-    (>>top-level-form) H{ } notify-definition-observers ;
+    (>>top-level-form)
+    [ ] [ H{ } notify-definition-observers ] if-bootstrapping ;
 
 : record-checksum ( lines source-file -- )
     [ crc32 checksum-lines ] dip (>>checksum) ;