diff --git a/module/system/base/compile.scm b/module/system/base/compile.scm
index 49139b5d9..6c686505c 100644
--- a/module/system/base/compile.scm
+++ b/module/system/base/compile.scm
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
   :use-module (system base language)
   :use-module (system il compile)
   :use-module (system il glil)
-  :use-module (system vm core)
+  :use-module ((system vm core)
+	       #:select (the-vm vm-load))
   :use-module (system vm assemble)
   :use-module (ice-9 regex))