diff --git a/src/CHANGELOG b/src/CHANGELOG
index 8b9100c3a..de6192741 100755
--- a/src/CHANGELOG
+++ b/src/CHANGELOG
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ ECL 10.5.1:
 
  - ECL now captures SIGPIPE.
 
+ - In DEFMACRO forms, the &WHOLE argument may now be declared
+   ignorable. Formerly it was always referenced by the destructuring code of
+   the macro.
+
 ;;; Local Variables: ***
 ;;; mode:text ***
 ;;; fill-column:79 ***
diff --git a/src/lsp/defmacro.lsp b/src/lsp/defmacro.lsp
index df0ebf984..b6da726d6 100644
--- a/src/lsp/defmacro.lsp
+++ b/src/lsp/defmacro.lsp
@@ -196,22 +196,22 @@
 		 (3 (list 'CDDDR v))
 		 ))))
 
-    (let* ((whole nil)
+    (let* ((whole (gensym))
 	   (*dl* nil)
 	   (*key-check* nil)
 	   (*arg-check* nil))
       (cond ((listp vl)
 	     (when (eq (first vl) '&whole)
-	       (setq whole (second vl) vl (cddr vl))
-	       (when (listp whole)
-		 (let ((new-whole (gensym)))
-		   (dm-vl whole new-whole nil)
-		   (setq whole new-whole)))))
+               (let ((named-whole (second vl)))
+                 (setq vl (cddr vl))
+                 (if (listp named-whole)
+                     (dm-vl named-whole whole nil)
+                     (setq *dl* (list (list named-whole whole)))))))
 	    ((symbolp vl)
 	     (setq vl (list '&rest vl)))
 	    (t (error "The destructuring-lambda-list ~s is not a list." vl)))
-      (if (null whole) (setq whole (gensym)))
-      (values (dm-vl vl whole macro) whole (nreverse *dl*) *key-check* *arg-check*))))
+      (values (dm-vl vl whole macro) whole (nreverse *dl*)
+              *key-check* *arg-check*))))
 
 ;;; valid lambda-list to DEFMACRO is:
 ;;;