diff --git a/module/system/base/types.scm b/module/system/base/types.scm
index c051b3171..26760d1d1 100644
--- a/module/system/base/types.scm
+++ b/module/system/base/types.scm
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ the matching bits, possibly with bitwise operations to extract it from BITS."
 ;; Cell types.
 (define %tc3-struct 1)
 (define %tc7-symbol 5)
+(define %tc7-variable 7)
 (define %tc7-vector 13)
 (define %tc7-wvect 15)
 (define %tc7-string 21)
@@ -424,6 +425,8 @@ using BACKEND."
            (match (cell->object buf backend)
              (($ <stringbuf> string)
               (string->symbol string))))
+          (((_ & #x7f = %tc7-variable) obj)
+           (inferior-object 'variable address))
           (((_ & #x7f = %tc7-string) buf start len)
            (match (cell->object buf backend)
              (($ <stringbuf> string)
diff --git a/test-suite/tests/types.test b/test-suite/tests/types.test
index c68262bdc..15dc3f84f 100644
--- a/test-suite/tests/types.test
+++ b/test-suite/tests/types.test
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@
    ((%make-void-port "w") port (? integer?))
    ((open-input-string "hello") port (? integer?))
    ((lambda () #t) program _)
+   ((make-variable 'foo) variable _)
    ((make-weak-vector 3 #t) weak-vector _)
    ((make-weak-key-hash-table) weak-table _)
    ((make-weak-value-hash-table) weak-table _)