diff --git a/module/ice-9/boot-9.scm b/module/ice-9/boot-9.scm
index bb7391252..ff9fa9fbf 100644
--- a/module/ice-9/boot-9.scm
+++ b/module/ice-9/boot-9.scm
@@ -2338,7 +2338,6 @@ If there is no handler at all, Guile prints an error and then exits."
 
 (define %app (make-module 31))
 (set-module-name! %app '(%app))
-(define app %app) ;; for backwards compatability
 
 (let ((m (make-module 31)))
   (set-module-name! m '())
diff --git a/module/ice-9/deprecated.scm b/module/ice-9/deprecated.scm
index 02ba5376f..0e006333b 100644
--- a/module/ice-9/deprecated.scm
+++ b/module/ice-9/deprecated.scm
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@
             $tanh
             closure?
             %nil
-            @bind))
+            @bind
+            app))
 
 ;;;; Deprecated definitions.
 
@@ -296,3 +297,5 @@
                    (lambda () b0 b1 ...)
                    (lambda ()
                      (set! id old-v) ...)))))))))
+
+(define app %app)