diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-arg-inl.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-arg-inl.lsp
index 05d3fd2a3..a915f16b3 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-arg-inl.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-arg-inl.lsp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 (defun close-inline-blocks ()
   (loop for i of-type fixnum from 0 below *inline-blocks*
-     do (wt-nl-close-brace)))
+        do (wt-nl-close-brace)))
 
 (defun coerce-locs (inlined-args &optional types args-to-be-saved)
   ;; INLINED-ARGS is a list of INLINED-ARG produced by the argument inliner.
@@ -82,12 +82,6 @@
           (wt-nl (rep-type->c-name out-rep-type) " " var ";")
           var))))
 
-(defun save-inline-loc (loc)
-  (let* ((rep-type (loc-representation-type (second loc)))
-         (temp (make-inline-temp-var (first loc) rep-type)))
-    (set-loc temp loc)
-    temp))
-
 (defun emit-inlined-variable (form rest-forms)
   (let ((var (c1form-arg 0 form))
         (lisp-type (c1form-primary-type form)))
@@ -120,8 +114,8 @@
 (defun emit-inlined-progn (form forms)
   (let ((args (c1form-arg 0 form)))
     (loop with *destination* = 'TRASH
-       while (rest args)
-       do (c2expr* (pop args)))
+          while (rest args)
+          do (c2expr* (pop args)))
     (emit-inline-form (first args) forms)))
 
 (defun emit-inlined-values (form forms)
@@ -132,8 +126,8 @@
                              ;; effects in the correct order
                              (append args forms))
       (loop with *destination* = 'TRASH
-         for form in args
-         do (c2expr* form)))))
+            for form in args
+            do (c2expr* form)))))
 
 (defun emit-inlined-structure-ref (form rest-forms)
   (let ((type (c1form-primary-type form)))
diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-opt-num.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-opt-num.lsp
index d5620b9a5..fbcb8d7b7 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-opt-num.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpbackend-cxx/cmpc-opt-num.lsp
@@ -93,48 +93,44 @@
         (produce-inline-loc (list arg1) '(:object :object) '(:object)
                             consing nil t))))
 
-(define-c-inliner + (return-type &rest arguments &aux arg1 arg2)
-  (when (null arguments)
-    (return (make-vv :rep-type :fixnum :value 0)))
-  (setf arg1 (pop arguments))
-  (when (null arguments)
-    (return (inlined-arg-loc arg1)))
-  (loop for arg2 = (pop arguments)
-     for result = (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_plus(#0,#1)" #\+)
-     do (if arguments
-            (setf arg1 (save-inline-loc result))
-            (return result))))
-
-(define-c-inliner - (return-type arg1 &rest arguments &aux arg2)
-  (when (null arguments)
-    (return (inline-arith-unop return-type arg1 "ecl_negate(#0)" "-(#0)")))
-  (loop for arg2 = (pop arguments)
-     for result = (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_minus(#0,#1)" #\-)
-     do (if arguments
-            (setf arg1 (save-inline-loc result))
-            (return result))))
-
 (define-c-inliner * (return-type &rest arguments &aux arg1 arg2)
   (when (null arguments)
     (return (make-vv :rep-type :fixnum :value 1)))
   (setf arg1 (pop arguments))
   (when (null arguments)
     (return (inlined-arg-loc arg1)))
-  (loop for arg2 = (pop arguments)
-     for result = (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_times(#0,#1)" #\*)
-     do (if arguments
-            (setf arg1 (save-inline-loc result))
-            (return result))))
+  (setf arg2 (pop arguments))
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_times(#0,#1)" #\*)))
+  (cmperr "The C inliner for (FUNCTION *) expected at most 2 arguments."))
+
+(define-c-inliner + (return-type &rest arguments &aux arg1 arg2)
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (make-vv :rep-type :fixnum :value 0)))
+  (setf arg1 (pop arguments))
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inlined-arg-loc arg1)))
+  (setf arg2 (pop arguments))
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_plus(#0,#1)" #\+)))
+  (cmperr "The C inliner for (FUNCTION +) expected at most 2 arguments."))
+
+(define-c-inliner - (return-type arg1 &rest arguments &aux arg2)
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inline-arith-unop return-type arg1 "ecl_negate(#0)" "-(#0)")))
+  (setf arg2 (pop arguments))
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_minus(#0,#1)" #\-)))
+  (cmperr "The C inliner for (FUNCTION -) expected at most 2 arguments."))
 
 (define-c-inliner / (return-type arg1 &rest arguments &aux arg2)
   (when (null arguments)
     (return (inline-arith-unop return-type arg1
                                "ecl_divide(ecl_make_fixnum(1),(#0))" "1/(#0)")))
-  (loop for arg2 = (pop arguments)
-     for result = (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_divide(#0,#1)" #\/)
-     do (if arguments
-            (setf arg1 (save-inline-loc result))
-            (return result))))
+  (setf arg2 (pop arguments))
+  (when (null arguments)
+    (return (inline-binop return-type arg1 arg2 "ecl_divide(#0,#1)" #\/)))
+  (cmperr "The C inliner for (FUNCTION /) expected at most 2 arguments."))
 
 (define-c-inliner float (return-type arg &optional float)
   (let ((arg-c-type (lisp-type->rep-type (inlined-arg-type arg)))
diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpopt-num.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpopt-num.lsp
index 4a02ab562..03ac67fe8 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpopt-num.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpopt-num.lsp
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@
                       :format-arguments (list operator (or whole
                                                            (list* operator args)))))))))
 
+;;; INV These compiler macros are expected to be in effect by C inliners
+;;; defined for corresponding operators. -- jd 2023-12-04
+
 (define-compiler-macro * (&whole all &rest args)
   (simplify-arithmetic '* args all))