diff --git a/libguile/whippet/api/bdw-attrs.h b/libguile/whippet/api/bdw-attrs.h
index 7a68618cc..0f97c1340 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/api/bdw-attrs.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/api/bdw-attrs.h
@@ -92,4 +92,8 @@ static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+static inline int gc_can_move_objects(void) {
+  return 0;
+}
+
 #endif // BDW_ATTRS_H
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/api/gc-attrs.h b/libguile/whippet/api/gc-attrs.h
index 1ce2c854b..eaba7f8bc 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/api/gc-attrs.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/api/gc-attrs.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ enum gc_cooperative_safepoint_kind {
 static inline enum gc_cooperative_safepoint_kind gc_cooperative_safepoint_kind(void) GC_ALWAYS_INLINE;
 
 static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) GC_ALWAYS_INLINE;
+static inline int gc_can_move_objects(void) GC_ALWAYS_INLINE;
 
 #ifndef GC_IMPL
 #ifdef GC_ATTRS
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/api/mmc-attrs.h b/libguile/whippet/api/mmc-attrs.h
index 6e9b6487d..116c64036 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/api/mmc-attrs.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/api/mmc-attrs.h
@@ -35,30 +35,18 @@ static inline uint8_t gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(enum gc_allocation_
   uint8_t trace_precisely = 0;
   uint8_t trace_none = 8;
   uint8_t trace_conservatively = 16;
-  uint8_t pinned = 16;
-  if (GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE) {
-    switch (kind) {
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
-        return young | trace_conservatively;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-        return young | trace_none;
-      default:
-        GC_CRASH();
-      };
-  } else {
-    switch (kind) {
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
-        return young | trace_precisely;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-        return young | trace_none;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-        return young | trace_none | pinned;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
-      default:
-        GC_CRASH();
-    };
+  switch (kind) {
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
+    return young | trace_precisely;
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
+    if (!GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE)
+      GC_CRASH ();
+    return young | trace_conservatively;
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
+    return young | trace_none;
+  default:
+    GC_CRASH();
   }
 }
 static inline uint8_t gc_allocator_alloc_table_end_pattern(void) {
@@ -117,4 +105,8 @@ static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+static inline int gc_can_move_objects(void) {
+  return GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE ? 0 : 1;
+}
+
 #endif // MMC_ATTRS_H
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/api/pcc-attrs.h b/libguile/whippet/api/pcc-attrs.h
index d7ec30768..905b5cd05 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/api/pcc-attrs.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/api/pcc-attrs.h
@@ -89,4 +89,8 @@ static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int gc_can_move_objects(void) {
+  return 1;
+}
+
 #endif // PCC_ATTRS_H
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/api/semi-attrs.h b/libguile/whippet/api/semi-attrs.h
index fb4d7ab91..c04de3a0d 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/api/semi-attrs.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/api/semi-attrs.h
@@ -78,4 +78,8 @@ static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int gc_can_move_objects(void) {
+  return 1;
+}
+
 #endif // SEMI_ATTRS_H
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/benchmarks/simple-gc-embedder.h b/libguile/whippet/benchmarks/simple-gc-embedder.h
index bf9f4e91f..26fcef444 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/benchmarks/simple-gc-embedder.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/benchmarks/simple-gc-embedder.h
@@ -12,13 +12,12 @@ static inline size_t gc_finalizer_priority_count(void) { return 2; }
 
 static inline int
 gc_is_valid_conservative_ref_displacement(uintptr_t displacement) {
-#if GC_CONSERVATIVE_ROOTS || GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE
-  // Here is where you would allow tagged heap object references.
-  return displacement == 0;
-#else
+  if (GC_CONSERVATIVE_ROOTS || GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE)
+    // Here is where you would allow tagged heap object references.
+    return displacement == 0;
+
   // Shouldn't get here.
   GC_CRASH();
-#endif
 }
 
 // No external objects in simple benchmarks.
@@ -40,10 +39,6 @@ static inline void gc_trace_object(struct gc_ref ref,
                                    struct gc_heap *heap,
                                    void *trace_data,
                                    size_t *size) {
-#if GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE
-  // Shouldn't get here.
-  GC_CRASH();
-#else
   switch (tag_live_alloc_kind(*tag_word(ref))) {
 #define SCAN_OBJECT(name, Name, NAME)                                   \
     case ALLOC_KIND_##NAME:                                             \
@@ -58,7 +53,6 @@ static inline void gc_trace_object(struct gc_ref ref,
   default:
     GC_CRASH();
   }
-#endif
 }
 
 static inline void visit_roots(struct handle *roots,
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/src/gc-trace.h b/libguile/whippet/src/gc-trace.h
index cc1dd2808..2906d94c7 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/src/gc-trace.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/src/gc-trace.h
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ static inline int gc_has_conservative_roots(void) {
 enum gc_trace_kind {
   GC_TRACE_PRECISELY,
   GC_TRACE_NONE,
-  GC_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY,
-  GC_TRACE_EPHEMERON,
+  GC_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY
 };
 
 struct gc_trace_plan {
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/src/mmc.c b/libguile/whippet/src/mmc.c
index 279f56278..d81a400a4 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/src/mmc.c
+++ b/libguile/whippet/src/mmc.c
@@ -435,10 +435,6 @@ trace_one(struct gc_ref ref, struct gc_heap *heap,
                                heap, worker);
       break;
     }
-    case GC_TRACE_EPHEMERON:
-      gc_trace_ephemeron(gc_ref_heap_object(ref), tracer_visit, heap,
-                         worker);
-      break;
     default:
       GC_CRASH();
   }
@@ -1031,28 +1027,18 @@ void gc_safepoint_signal_reallow(struct gc_mutator *mut) { GC_CRASH(); }
 
 static enum gc_trace_kind
 compute_trace_kind(enum gc_allocation_kind kind) {
-  if (GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE) {
-    switch (kind) {
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
-        return GC_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-        return GC_TRACE_NONE;
-      default:
-        GC_CRASH();
-      };
-  } else {
-    switch (kind) {
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
-        return GC_TRACE_PRECISELY;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
-        return GC_TRACE_NONE;
-      case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
-      default:
-        GC_CRASH();
-    };
+  switch (kind) {
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED:
+    return GC_TRACE_PRECISELY;
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE:
+    if (!GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE)
+      GC_CRASH ();
+    return GC_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY;
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS:
+  case GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS:
+    return GC_TRACE_NONE;
+  default:
+    GC_CRASH();
   }
 }
 
@@ -1164,11 +1150,7 @@ gc_write_barrier_slow(struct gc_mutator *mut, struct gc_ref obj,
   
 struct gc_ephemeron*
 gc_allocate_ephemeron(struct gc_mutator *mut) {
-  struct gc_ref ret =
-    gc_ref_from_heap_object(gc_allocate(mut, gc_ephemeron_size(),
-                                        GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED));
-  nofl_space_set_ephemeron_flag(ret);
-  return gc_ref_heap_object(ret);
+  return gc_allocate (mut, gc_ephemeron_size(), GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED);
 }
 
 void
@@ -1367,20 +1349,13 @@ gc_init(const struct gc_options *options, struct gc_stack_addr stack_base,
   GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_alignment(), NOFL_SLAB_SIZE);
   GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED_POINTERLESS),
                NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_NONE);
-  if (GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE) {
-    GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED),
-                 NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY);
+  GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED),
+               NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_PRECISELY);
+  if (GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE)
     GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_CONSERVATIVE),
                  NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY);
-    GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS),
-                 NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_NONE);
-  } else {
-    GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_TAGGED),
-                 NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_PRECISELY);
-    GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS),
-                 NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_NONE |
-                 NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_PINNED);
-  }
+  GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_begin_pattern(GC_ALLOCATION_UNTAGGED_POINTERLESS),
+               NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_YOUNG | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_NONE);
   GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_allocator_alloc_table_end_pattern(), NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_END);
   if (GC_GENERATIONAL) {
     GC_ASSERT_EQ(gc_write_barrier_field_table_alignment(), NOFL_SLAB_SIZE);
diff --git a/libguile/whippet/src/nofl-space.h b/libguile/whippet/src/nofl-space.h
index 04e6ec649..b9a9b6b25 100644
--- a/libguile/whippet/src/nofl-space.h
+++ b/libguile/whippet/src/nofl-space.h
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ enum nofl_metadata_byte {
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_PRECISELY = 0,
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_NONE = 8,
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY = 16,
-  NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_EPHEMERON = 24,
+  NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_UNUSED = 24,
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_KIND_MASK = 0|8|16|24,
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_PINNED = 16,
   NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_END = 32,
@@ -971,22 +971,6 @@ nofl_finish_sweeping(struct nofl_allocator *alloc,
   while (nofl_allocator_next_hole(alloc, space, 0)) {}
 }
 
-static inline int
-nofl_is_ephemeron(struct gc_ref ref) {
-  uint8_t meta = *nofl_metadata_byte_for_object(ref);
-  uint8_t kind = meta & NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_KIND_MASK;
-  return kind == NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_EPHEMERON;
-}
-
-static void
-nofl_space_set_ephemeron_flag(struct gc_ref ref) {
-  if (gc_has_conservative_intraheap_edges()) {
-    uint8_t *metadata = nofl_metadata_byte_for_object(ref);
-    uint8_t byte = *metadata & ~NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_KIND_MASK;
-    *metadata = byte | NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_EPHEMERON;
-  }
-}
-
 struct gc_trace_worker;
 
 static inline int
@@ -1828,8 +1812,6 @@ nofl_metadata_byte_trace_kind(uint8_t byte)
 #if GC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE
   case NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY:
     return GC_TRACE_CONSERVATIVELY;
-  case NOFL_METADATA_BYTE_TRACE_EPHEMERON:
-    return GC_TRACE_EPHEMERON;
 #endif
     default:
       GC_CRASH();
@@ -1849,8 +1831,6 @@ nofl_space_object_trace_plan(struct nofl_space *space, struct gc_ref ref) {
       size_t granules = nofl_space_live_object_granules(loc);
       return (struct gc_trace_plan){ kind, granules * NOFL_GRANULE_SIZE };
     }
-    case GC_TRACE_EPHEMERON:
-      return (struct gc_trace_plan){ kind, };
 #endif
     default:
       GC_CRASH();