diff --git a/pandoc.cli.chicken.scm b/pandoc.cli.chicken.scm
index aa6b97f..f69d79b 100644
--- a/pandoc.cli.chicken.scm
+++ b/pandoc.cli.chicken.scm
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
           (only (scsh-process) run/port))
 
   (define (pandoc-cli #!optional command-name)
-    (let ((command-name (string->symbol (or command-name "pandoc"))))
+    (let ((command-name (or command-name "pandoc")))
       (lambda (input-format bytevectors)
         (map (lambda (bytevector)
                (read-json
diff --git a/pandoc.tar.chicken.scm b/pandoc.tar.chicken.scm
index c7cb3c2..f7451bd 100644
--- a/pandoc.tar.chicken.scm
+++ b/pandoc.tar.chicken.scm
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
           (loop (+ i 1) (cdr inputs))))))
 
   (define (pandoc-tar #!optional command-name)
-    (let ((command-name (string->symbol (or command-name "pandoc-tar"))))
+    (let ((command-name (or command-name "pandoc-tar")))
       (lambda (input-format bytevectors)
         (let* ((stdin
                 (with-output-to-string