diff --git a/src/CHANGELOG b/src/CHANGELOG
index 9bac6d433..bb6c35e35 100644
--- a/src/CHANGELOG
+++ b/src/CHANGELOG
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ ECL 0.9i
  - The function SI:PROCESS-COMMAND-ARGS has now a more flexible interface and
    can be used by standalone programs with user supplied rules.
 
+ - Symbols in the core library are now referenced with a self-explanatory
+   macro, as in ECL_SYM("SI::*EXIT-HOOKS*",1379) (Thanks to Douglas R. Miles
+   for the idea).
+
 * Errors fixed:
 
  - The intermediate output of the compiler is written in the directory in which
diff --git a/src/c/all_symbols.d b/src/c/all_symbols.d
index 48fe59ab8..1dc161686 100644
--- a/src/c/all_symbols.d
+++ b/src/c/all_symbols.d
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ mangle_name(cl_object output, char *source, int l)
 		p  = (cl_symbol_initializer*)symbol - cl_symbols;
 		if (p >= 0 && p <= cl_num_symbols_in_core) {
 			found = Ct;
-			output = cl_format(3, Cnil,
-					  make_constant_string("((cl_object)(cl_symbols+~A))"),
-					  MAKE_FIXNUM(p));
+			output = cl_format(4, Cnil,
+					   make_constant_string("ECL_SYM(~S,~D)"),
+					   symbol->symbol.name, MAKE_FIXNUM(p));
 			@(return found output maxarg)
 		}
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/c/dpp.c b/src/c/dpp.c
index b57c99388..4646ce25c 100644
--- a/src/c/dpp.c
+++ b/src/c/dpp.c
@@ -245,7 +245,9 @@ search_symbol(char *name)
 	for (i = 0; cl_symbols[i].name != NULL; i++) {
 		if (!strcasecmp(name, cl_symbols[i].name)) {
 			name = poolp;
-			pushstr("(cl_object)(cl_symbols+");
+			pushstr("ECL_SYM(\"");
+			pushstr(cl_symbols[i].name);
+			pushstr("\",");
 			if (i >= 1000)
 				pushc((i / 1000) % 10 + '0');
 			if (i >= 100)
diff --git a/src/h/external.h b/src/h/external.h
index 3aff6cd1d..c9614f930 100644
--- a/src/h/external.h
+++ b/src/h/external.h
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ __declspec(dllimport)
 extern cl_symbol_initializer cl_symbols[];
 extern cl_index cl_num_symbols_in_core;
 
+#define ECL_SYM(name,code) ((cl_object)(cl_symbols+(code)))
+
 /* apply.c */
 
 extern cl_object APPLY_fixed(cl_narg n, cl_object (*f)(), cl_object *x);