diff --git a/jolt-core/clojure/core/30-macros.clj b/jolt-core/clojure/core/30-macros.clj
index 1379e63..ffea3b3 100644
--- a/jolt-core/clojure/core/30-macros.clj
+++ b/jolt-core/clojure/core/30-macros.clj
@@ -12,25 +12,27 @@
 
 (defmacro comment [& body] nil)
 
-;; Single arglist (Jolt defmacro is single-arity); the optional else defaults nil
-;; via rest-destructuring.
-(defmacro if-not [test then & [else]]
-  `(if (not ~test) ~then ~else))
+;; Single arglist (Jolt defmacro is single-arity); the optional else is the head of
+;; a plain rest param — (first else) is the else form or nil. (A `& [else]`-style
+;; rest-destructure reads the same but the analyzer can't yet compile destructuring
+;; in a rest param, which would force this expander to stay interpreted — jolt-f79.)
+(defmacro if-not [test then & else]
+  `(if (not ~test) ~then ~(first else)))
 
 ;; Conditional binding macros: the name is bound ONLY in the taken branch (the
 ;; auto-gensym temp# tests the value; the else/empty branch sees the surrounding
 ;; scope). temp# is a single template-local gensym — referenced twice, same symbol.
-(defmacro if-let [bindings then & [else]]
+(defmacro if-let [bindings then & else]
   (let [form (bindings 0) tst (bindings 1)]
     `(let [temp# ~tst]
-       (if temp# (let [~form temp#] ~then) ~else))))
+       (if temp# (let [~form temp#] ~then) ~(first else)))))
 
 ;; when-let lives in 00-syntax (not here): 20-coll uses it, which loads before this tier.
 
-(defmacro if-some [bindings then & [else]]
+(defmacro if-some [bindings then & else]
   (let [form (bindings 0) tst (bindings 1)]
     `(let [temp# ~tst]
-       (if (some? temp#) (let [~form temp#] ~then) ~else))))
+       (if (some? temp#) (let [~form temp#] ~then) ~(first else)))))
 
 (defmacro when-some [bindings & body]
   (let [form (bindings 0) tst (bindings 1)]
@@ -91,8 +93,9 @@
                    (partition 2 clauses))]
     `(let [~g ~expr ~@(thread-binds g steps)] ~(if (empty? steps) g (last steps)))))
 
-(defmacro assert [x & [message]]
-  (let [msg (if message message (str "Assert failed: " (pr-str x)))]
+(defmacro assert [x & message]
+  (let [m (first message)
+        msg (if m m (str "Assert failed: " (pr-str x)))]
     `(when-not ~x (throw (ex-info ~msg {})))))
 
 (defmacro delay [& body]
diff --git a/src/jolt/api.janet b/src/jolt/api.janet
index b97fa28..c172a1b 100644
--- a/src/jolt/api.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/api.janet
@@ -15,9 +15,13 @@
 (import ./host_iface :as host)
 
 # A defmacro expander compiles to a native fn (built as (fn* args body...) and run
-# through the self-hosted pipeline) so macro expansion is compiled, zero runtime
-# cost — instead of an interpreted closure. Returns nil (interpreted fallback) when
-# the analyzer isn't built yet or the body isn't compilable.
+# through the self-hosted pipeline) so macro expansion is COMPILED code, zero runtime
+# cost — instead of an interpreted closure, mirroring Clojure (macros are ordinary
+# compiled fns). Returns nil when the analyzer isn't built yet (the early macros,
+# expanded WHILE the analyzer is being bootstrapped) or the body isn't compilable; in
+# that case defmacro keeps an interpreted closure, and backend/recompile-macros!
+# replaces it with a compiled expander once the analyzer comes alive (staged
+# bootstrap — the interpreter is a build-time crutch, gone by steady state).
 (set macro-compile-hook
   (fn [ctx args-form body]
     (backend/try-compile-fn ctx
@@ -92,7 +96,12 @@
       # half-loaded core (which would forward-ref the missing kernel fns to nil).
       (when (tier :kernel) (put env :kernel-ready? true))))
   (put env :direct-linking? user-dl)
-  (ctx-set-current-ns ctx saved))
+  (ctx-set-current-ns ctx saved)
+  # Staged bootstrap: the early macros (00-syntax) were defined while the analyzer
+  # was still being built, so their expanders are interpreted closures. Now that the
+  # full overlay + analyzer are in place, recompile those expanders to native code —
+  # by steady state no macro expansion runs interpreted (no-op in interpreter mode).
+  (backend/ensure-macros-compiled! ctx))
 
 (defn init
   "Create a new Jolt evaluation context.
diff --git a/src/jolt/backend.janet b/src/jolt/backend.janet
index fe797cb..357e444 100644
--- a/src/jolt/backend.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/backend.janet
@@ -372,3 +372,46 @@
     (when (compiled 0)
       (def r (protect (eval (compiled 1) (comp/ctx-janet-env ctx))))
       (when (r 0) (r 1)))))
+
+(def- fn*-sym {:jolt/type :symbol :ns nil :name "fn*"})
+
+(defn recompile-macros!
+  "Staged-bootstrap second pass: once the self-hosted analyzer is alive, replace
+  every interpreted macro expander with a COMPILED one. The early macros (00-syntax
+  etc.) are defined WHILE the analyzer is still being bootstrapped, so their
+  expanders can't compile yet (the analyzer they'd compile through doesn't exist) —
+  defmacro gives them an interpreted closure as a build-time crutch and stashes the
+  source on the var (:macro-src). This pass compiles that source through the now-live
+  analyzer and rebinds the var, so by steady state no macro expansion is interpreted
+  — mirroring how a self-hosting compiler recompiles its seed once it can.
+
+  Idempotent: a var compiled once is marked :macro-compiled and skipped (so the
+  refer of a core macro into another ns, or a later rebuild, costs nothing). A macro
+  whose body uses &env/&form keeps its interpreted closure (the compiled fn* has no
+  such params). Returns the number of expanders compiled this pass."
+  [ctx]
+  (var n 0)
+  (each ns (all-ns ctx)
+    (each v (ns :mappings)
+      (when (and (var? v) (var-macro? v)
+                 (v :macro-src) (not (v :macro-compiled))
+                 (not (v :macro-uses-env)))
+        (def [args-form body] (v :macro-src))
+        (def compiled
+          (try-compile-fn ctx (array/concat @[fn*-sym args-form] body)))
+        (when compiled
+          (bind-root v compiled)
+          (put v :macro-compiled true)
+          (++ n)))))
+  n)
+
+(defn ensure-macros-compiled!
+  "Called once the overlay is fully loaded (api/load-core-overlay!): in compile
+  mode, ensure the analyzer is built, then run the staged macro-recompile pass so
+  the early (interpreted-during-bootstrap) macro expanders become compiled. No-op
+  in interpreter mode (no analyzer, macros stay interpreted by design) and cheap to
+  call again (recompile-macros! skips already-compiled vars)."
+  [ctx]
+  (when (get (ctx :env) :compile?)
+    (ensure-analyzer ctx)
+    (when (analyzer-built? ctx) (recompile-macros! ctx))))
diff --git a/src/jolt/evaluator.janet b/src/jolt/evaluator.janet
index 32ce62c..473ebbb 100644
--- a/src/jolt/evaluator.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/evaluator.janet
@@ -805,6 +805,14 @@
                        ns (ctx-find-ns ctx ns-name)]
                    (def v (ns-intern ns (name-sym :name) macro-fn))
                    (put v :macro true)
+                   # Stash the expander source so backend/recompile-macros! can
+                   # compile it once the analyzer is alive (staged bootstrap): a
+                   # macro defined WHILE the analyzer is still being built gets an
+                   # interpreted closure now, a compiled expander later. uses-env
+                   # macros stay interpreted (the compiled fn* has no &env/&form).
+                   (put v :macro-src @[args-form body])
+                   (put v :macro-uses-env uses-env)
+                   (when compiled-fn (put v :macro-compiled true))
                    # A (re)defined macro invalidates any cached expansions.
                    (table/clear macro-cache)
                    (var-get v)))