diff --git a/forge/forge.lisp b/forge/forge.lisp
index e2aa204..a054b7d 100644
--- a/forge/forge.lisp
+++ b/forge/forge.lisp
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@
       (funcall (find-symbol (symbol-name x) :scopes/forge) fe)
 	  (pushd fe x))))
 
-(defmacro data-stack (fe)
+(defun data-stack (fe)
+  (elt fe 0))
+
+(defmacro data-stack! (fe)
   `(elt ,fe 0))
 
 ; forge primitives
@@ -28,8 +31,8 @@
 ; internal definitions
 
 (defun popd (fe)
-  (pop (data-stack fe)))
+  (pop (data-stack! fe)))
 
 (defun pushd (fe v)
-  (push v (data-stack fe)))
+  (push v (data-stack! fe)))
 
diff --git a/testing.lisp b/testing.lisp
index 9f3a8b4..babcc40 100644
--- a/testing.lisp
+++ b/testing.lisp
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@
   (vector nil))
 
 (defun assert-eq (tst have wanted)
-  (push (equalp have wanted) (result tst)))
+  (push (equalp have wanted) (result! tst)))
 
-(defmacro result (tst) 
+(defun result (tst)
+  (elt tst 0))
+
+(defmacro result! (tst) 
   `(elt ,tst 0))