diff --git a/host/chez/compile-eval.ss b/host/chez/compile-eval.ss
index 38111f8..518dbfb 100644
--- a/host/chez/compile-eval.ss
+++ b/host/chez/compile-eval.ss
@@ -34,7 +34,18 @@
 ;; forms, so this is rarely hit). Updated per top-level form, like *current-source*.
 (define compiler-line-cell (jolt-atom-new 0))
 (define compiler-column-cell (jolt-atom-new 0))
-(let ((members (list (cons "LINE" compiler-line-cell) (cons "COLUMN" compiler-column-cell))))
+;; clojure.lang.Compiler/specials — the JVM's special-form table (sym -> parser).
+;; tools.macro reads (keys Compiler/specials) to know which heads NOT to expand.
+;; Only the keys matter here; values are #t. The set matches Clojure 1.2/1.3.
+(define compiler-specials
+  (let ((unq '("def" "loop*" "recur" "if" "case*" "let*" "letfn*" "do" "fn*"
+               "quote" "var" "." "set!" "try" "monitor-enter" "monitor-exit"
+               "throw" "new" "&" "catch" "finally" "reify*" "deftype*")))
+    (fold-left (lambda (m s) (jolt-assoc1 m (jolt-symbol #f s) #t))
+               (jolt-assoc1 (jolt-hash-map) (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "import*") #t)
+               unq)))
+(let ((members (list (cons "LINE" compiler-line-cell) (cons "COLUMN" compiler-column-cell)
+                     (cons "specials" compiler-specials))))
   (register-class-statics! "Compiler" members)
   (register-class-statics! "clojure.lang.Compiler" members))
 
diff --git a/host/chez/seed/prelude.ss b/host/chez/seed/prelude.ss
index 3df489d..399f026 100644
--- a/host/chez/seed/prelude.ss
+++ b/host/chez/seed/prelude.ss
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
   (mark-macro! "clojure.core" "cond"))
 (guard (e (#t #f))
   (def-var! "clojure.core" "ns"
-    (lambda (nm . clauses) (let fnrec5012 ((nm nm) (clauses (list->cseq clauses))) (let* ((nm (if (jolt-truthy? (let* ((and__25__auto (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "seq?") nm))) (if (jolt-truthy? and__25__auto) (jolt= (jolt-symbol #f "with-meta") (jolt-first nm)) and__25__auto))) (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "second") nm) nm)) (calls (let* ((_a$5042 (lambda (acc clause) (let fnrec5013 ((acc acc) (clause clause)) (if (jolt-truthy? (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "seq?") clause)) (let* ((head (jolt-first clause)) (args (jolt-rest clause))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "require")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5018 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5019 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "require"))) (_a$5020 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5014 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5015 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5016 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5017 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5015 _a$5016 _a$5017)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5018 _a$5019 _a$5020))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "use")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5025 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5026 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "use"))) (_a$5027 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5021 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5022 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5023 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5024 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5022 _a$5023 _a$5024)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5025 _a$5026 _a$5027))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "import")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5032 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5033 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "import"))) (_a$5034 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5028 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5029 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5030 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5031 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5029 _a$5030 _a$5031)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5032 _a$5033 _a$5034))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "refer-clojure")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5039 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5040 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "refer-clojure"))) (_a$5041 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5035 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5036 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5037 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5038 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5036 _a$5037 _a$5038)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5039 _a$5040 _a$5041))) (if (jolt-truthy? (keyword #f "else")) acc jolt-nil)))))) acc)))) (_a$5043 (jolt-vector)) (_a$5044 clauses)) (jolt-reduce _a$5042 _a$5043 _a$5044)))) (let* ((_a$5051 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5052 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "do"))) (_a$5053 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (let* ((_a$5048 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5049 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "in-ns"))) (_a$5050 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (let* ((_a$5045 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5046 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5047 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") nm))) (jolt-invoke _a$5045 _a$5046 _a$5047))))) (jolt-invoke _a$5048 _a$5049 _a$5050)))) (_a$5054 calls)) (jolt-invoke _a$5051 _a$5052 _a$5053 _a$5054))))))
+    (lambda (nm . clauses) (let fnrec5012 ((nm nm) (clauses (list->cseq clauses))) (let* ((nm (if (jolt-truthy? (let* ((and__25__auto (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "seq?") nm))) (if (jolt-truthy? and__25__auto) (jolt= (jolt-symbol #f "with-meta") (jolt-first nm)) and__25__auto))) (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "second") nm) nm)) (calls (let* ((_a$5042 (lambda (acc clause) (let fnrec5013 ((acc acc) (clause clause)) (if (jolt-truthy? (let* ((or__26__auto (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "seq?") clause))) (if (jolt-truthy? or__26__auto) or__26__auto (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "vector?") clause)))) (let* ((head (jolt-first clause)) (args (jolt-rest clause))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "require")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5018 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5019 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "require"))) (_a$5020 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5014 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5015 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5016 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5017 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5015 _a$5016 _a$5017)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5018 _a$5019 _a$5020))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "use")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5025 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5026 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "use"))) (_a$5027 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5021 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5022 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5023 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5024 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5022 _a$5023 _a$5024)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5025 _a$5026 _a$5027))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "import")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5032 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5033 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "import"))) (_a$5034 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5028 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5029 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5030 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5031 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5029 _a$5030 _a$5031)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5032 _a$5033 _a$5034))) (if (jolt= head (keyword #f "refer-clojure")) (jolt-conj acc (let* ((_a$5039 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5040 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "refer-clojure"))) (_a$5041 (jolt-map (lambda (s) (let fnrec5035 ((s s)) (let* ((_a$5036 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5037 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5038 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") s))) (jolt-invoke _a$5036 _a$5037 _a$5038)))) args))) (jolt-invoke _a$5039 _a$5040 _a$5041))) (if (jolt-truthy? (keyword #f "else")) acc jolt-nil)))))) acc)))) (_a$5043 (jolt-vector)) (_a$5044 clauses)) (jolt-reduce _a$5042 _a$5043 _a$5044)))) (let* ((_a$5051 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5052 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "do"))) (_a$5053 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (let* ((_a$5048 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5049 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol "clojure.core" "in-ns"))) (_a$5050 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (let* ((_a$5045 (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sqcat")) (_a$5046 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") (jolt-symbol #f "quote"))) (_a$5047 (jolt-invoke (var-deref "clojure.core" "__sq1") nm))) (jolt-invoke _a$5045 _a$5046 _a$5047))))) (jolt-invoke _a$5048 _a$5049 _a$5050)))) (_a$5054 calls)) (jolt-invoke _a$5051 _a$5052 _a$5053 _a$5054))))))
   (mark-macro! "clojure.core" "ns"))
 (guard (e (#t #f))
   (def-var! "clojure.core" "->"
diff --git a/jolt-core/clojure/core/00-syntax.clj b/jolt-core/clojure/core/00-syntax.clj
index abacb25..60322dc 100644
--- a/jolt-core/clojure/core/00-syntax.clj
+++ b/jolt-core/clojure/core/00-syntax.clj
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@
   (let [nm (if (and (seq? nm) (= 'with-meta (first nm))) (second nm) nm)
         calls (reduce
                 (fn [acc clause]
-                  (if (seq? clause)
+                  ;; a reference clause may be a list (:require …) or a vector
+                  ;; [:require …]; Clojure accepts both, dispatching on (first clause).
+                  (if (or (seq? clause) (vector? clause))
                     (let [head (first clause) args (rest clause)]
                       (cond
                         (= head :require) (conj acc `(require ~@(map (fn [s] `(quote ~s)) args)))
diff --git a/test/chez/corpus.edn b/test/chez/corpus.edn
index 6d6f41f..9e3802e 100644
--- a/test/chez/corpus.edn
+++ b/test/chez/corpus.edn
@@ -3378,4 +3378,5 @@
   {:suite "numbers / unsigned-bit-shift-right is logical over 64 bits" :label "shift of a negative shifts in zeros" :expected "[9223372036854775807 4611686018427387902]" :actual "[(unsigned-bit-shift-right -1 1) (unsigned-bit-shift-right -8 2)]"}
   {:suite "numbers / ^long is 64-bit" :label "^long comparison on a full-width long" :expected "false" :actual "((fn* ([^long a ^long b] (< a b))) 9223372036854775807 1)"}
   {:suite "numbers / ^long is 64-bit" :label "^long quot on a full-width long" :expected "3074457345618258602" :actual "((fn* ([^long a] (quot a 3))) 9223372036854775807)"}
+  {:suite "host-interop / Compiler" :label "Compiler/specials keys include the special forms" :expected "true" :actual "(every? (set (keys clojure.lang.Compiler/specials)) (quote [if do let* fn* quote def loop* recur try letfn* var]))"}
 ]