diff --git a/module/language/tree-il/compile-glil.scm b/module/language/tree-il/compile-glil.scm
index 1781c4629..bef4ac7f0 100644
--- a/module/language/tree-il/compile-glil.scm
+++ b/module/language/tree-il/compile-glil.scm
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@
    ((@slot-set! . 3) . slot-set)
    ((vector-ref . 2) . vector-ref)
    ((vector-set! . 3) . vector-set)
+   ((variable-ref . 1) . variable-ref)
+   ;; nb, *not* variable-set! -- the args are switched
+   ((variable-set . 2) . variable-set)
 
    ;; hack for javascript
    ((return . 1) return)
diff --git a/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm b/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
index 50a002da6..07d4a5561 100644
--- a/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
+++ b/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@
     cdaaar cdaadr cdadar cdaddr cddaar cddadr cdddar cddddr
 
     vector-ref vector-set!
+    variable-ref variable-set!
+    ;; args of variable-set are switched; it needs special help
 
     bytevector-u8-ref bytevector-u8-set!
     bytevector-s8-ref bytevector-s8-set!
@@ -291,3 +293,7 @@
   (@call-with-current-continuation proc))
 
 (define-primitive-expander values (x) x)
+
+;; swap args
+(define-primitive-expander variable-set! (var val)
+  (variable-set val var))