diff --git a/forge/forge.lisp b/forge/forge.lisp
index 51db2ab..55e0a31 100644
--- a/forge/forge.lisp
+++ b/forge/forge.lisp
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 	  (pushd fe x)
 	  (funcall x fe))))
 
-(defun data-stack (fe)
-  (elt fe 0))
+(defmacro data-stack (fe)
+  `(elt ,fe 0))
 
 ; forge primitives
 
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@
 ; internal definitions
 
 (defun popd (fe)
-  (pop (elt fe 0)))
+  (pop (data-stack fe)))
 
 (defun pushd (fe v)
-  (push v (elt fe 0)))
+  (push v (data-stack fe)))
 
diff --git a/testing.lisp b/testing.lisp
index adf437a..21d8480 100644
--- a/testing.lisp
+++ b/testing.lisp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   (vector nil))
 
 (defun assert-eql (tst have wanted)
-  (push (eql have wanted) (elt tst 0)))
+  (push (eql have wanted) (result tst)))
 
-(defun result (tst) 
-  (elt tst 0))
+(defmacro result (tst) 
+  `(elt ,tst 0))