diff --git a/bin/ikarus b/bin/ikarus
index cf97a7c..2392bec 100755
Binary files a/bin/ikarus and b/bin/ikarus differ
diff --git a/bin/ikarus-fasl.c b/bin/ikarus-fasl.c
index 8eb2c90..977bd79 100644
--- a/bin/ikarus-fasl.c
+++ b/bin/ikarus-fasl.c
@@ -310,16 +310,11 @@ static ikp do_read(ikpcb* pcb, fasl_port* p){
     char x = fasl_read_byte(p);
     return byte_to_scheme_char(x);
   }
-  else if(c == 'G'){ /* G is for gensym */
+  else if(c == 'G'){ 
+    /* G is for gensym */
     ikp pretty = do_read(pcb, p);
     ikp unique = do_read(pcb, p);
-    ikp sym = ik_alloc(pcb, align(symbol_size)) + symbol_tag;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_string) = pretty;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_ustring) = unique;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_value) = unbound_object;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_system_value) = unbound_object;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_plist) = null_object;
-    ref(sym, off_symbol_system_plist) = null_object;
+    ikp sym = ikrt_strings_to_gensym(pretty, unique, pcb);
     if(put_mark_index){
       p->marks[put_mark_index] = sym;
     }
diff --git a/bin/ikarus-symbol-table.c b/bin/ikarus-symbol-table.c
index 210e3ab..ad34bb6 100644
--- a/bin/ikarus-symbol-table.c
+++ b/bin/ikarus-symbol-table.c
@@ -78,21 +78,21 @@ intern_string(ikp str, ikp st, ikpcb* pcb){
   return sym;
 }
 
-ikp
-ikrt_intern_unique_string(ikp ustr, ikp st, ikpcb* pcb){
+static ikp
+intern_unique_string(ikp str, ikp ustr, ikp st, ikpcb* pcb){
   int h = compute_hash(ustr);
   int idx = h & (unfix(ref(st, off_vector_length)) - 1);
   ikp bckt = ref(st, off_vector_data + idx*wordsize);
   ikp b = bckt;
   while(b){
     ikp sym = ref(b, off_car);
-    ikp sym_str = ref(sym, off_symbol_ustring);
-    if(strings_eqp(sym_str, ustr)){
+    ikp sym_ustr = ref(sym, off_symbol_ustring);
+    if(strings_eqp(sym_ustr, ustr)){
       return sym;
     }
     b = ref(b, off_cdr);
   }
-  ikp sym = ik_make_symbol(false_object, ustr, pcb);
+  ikp sym = ik_make_symbol(str, ustr, pcb);
   b = ik_alloc(pcb, pair_size) + pair_tag;
   ref(b, off_car) = sym;
   ref(b, off_cdr) = bckt;
@@ -148,13 +148,13 @@ ik_intern_string(ikp str, ikpcb* pcb){
 }
 
 ikp 
-ikrt_string_to_gensym(ikp str, ikpcb* pcb){
+ikrt_strings_to_gensym(ikp str, ikp ustr, ikpcb* pcb){
   ikp st = pcb->gensym_table;
   if(st == 0){
     st = make_symbol_table(pcb);
     pcb->gensym_table = st;
   }
-  return intern_string(str, st, pcb);
+  return intern_unique_string(str, ustr, st, pcb);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/bin/ikarus.h b/bin/ikarus.h
index 6b5742c..27cb2a2 100644
--- a/bin/ikarus.h
+++ b/bin/ikarus.h
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ void ik_print(ikp x);
 void ik_fprint(FILE*, ikp x);
 
 ikp ikrt_string_to_symbol(ikp, ikpcb*);
+ikp ikrt_strings_to_gensym(ikp, ikp,  ikpcb*);
 
 ikp ik_cstring_to_symbol(char*, ikpcb*);
 
diff --git a/src/ikarus.boot b/src/ikarus.boot
index 341ef5c..7c07ce4 100644
Binary files a/src/ikarus.boot and b/src/ikarus.boot differ