diff --git a/basis/combinators/short-circuit/short-circuit.factor b/basis/combinators/short-circuit/short-circuit.factor
index 2b4e522789..d8bab4dd34 100644
--- a/basis/combinators/short-circuit/short-circuit.factor
+++ b/basis/combinators/short-circuit/short-circuit.factor
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@ locals generalizations macros fry ;
 IN: combinators.short-circuit
 
 MACRO:: n&& ( quots n -- quot )
-    [ f ]
-    quots [| q | { [ drop n ndup q call dup not ] [ drop n ndrop f ] } ] map
-    [ n nnip ] suffix 1array
+    [ f ] quots [| q |
+        n
+        [ q '[ drop _ ndup @ dup not ] ]
+        [ '[ drop _ ndrop f ] ]
+        bi 2array
+    ] map
+    n '[ _ nnip ] suffix 1array
     [ cond ] 3append ;
 
 MACRO: 0&& ( quots -- quot ) '[ _ 0 n&& ] ;
@@ -14,10 +18,13 @@ MACRO: 2&& ( quots -- quot ) '[ _ 2 n&& ] ;
 MACRO: 3&& ( quots -- quot ) '[ _ 3 n&& ] ;
 
 MACRO:: n|| ( quots n -- quot )
-    [ f ]
-    quots
-    [| q | { [ drop n ndup q call dup ] [ n nnip ] } ] map
-    { [ drop n ndrop t ] [ f ] } suffix 1array
+    [ f ] quots [| q |
+        n
+        [ q '[ drop _ ndup @ dup ] ]
+        [ '[ _ nnip ] ]
+        bi 2array
+    ] map
+    n '[ drop _ ndrop t ] [ f ] 2array suffix 1array
     [ cond ] 3append ;
 
 MACRO: 0|| ( quots -- quot ) '[ _ 0 n|| ] ;