diff --git a/libguile/programs.c b/libguile/programs.c
index 1c42e15d6..50b1b624b 100644
--- a/libguile/programs.c
+++ b/libguile/programs.c
@@ -98,6 +98,27 @@ program_apply (SCM program, SCM args)
   return scm_vm_apply (scm_the_vm (), program, args);
 }
 
+static SCM
+program_apply_0 (SCM program)
+{
+  return scm_c_vm_run (scm_the_vm (), program, NULL, 0);
+}
+
+static SCM
+program_apply_1 (SCM program, SCM a)
+{
+  return scm_c_vm_run (scm_the_vm (), program, &a, 1);
+}
+
+static SCM
+program_apply_2 (SCM program, SCM a, SCM b)
+{
+  SCM args[2];
+  args[0] = a;
+  args[1] = b;
+  return scm_c_vm_run (scm_the_vm (), program, args, 2);
+}
+
 static int
 program_print (SCM program, SCM port, scm_print_state *pstate)
 {
@@ -343,6 +364,9 @@ scm_bootstrap_programs (void)
   scm_tc16_program = scm_make_smob_type ("program", 0);
   scm_set_smob_mark (scm_tc16_program, program_mark);
   scm_set_smob_apply (scm_tc16_program, program_apply, 0, 0, 1);
+  scm_smobs[SCM_TC2SMOBNUM (scm_tc16_program)].apply_0 = program_apply_0;
+  scm_smobs[SCM_TC2SMOBNUM (scm_tc16_program)].apply_1 = program_apply_1;
+  scm_smobs[SCM_TC2SMOBNUM (scm_tc16_program)].apply_2 = program_apply_2;
   scm_set_smob_print (scm_tc16_program, program_print);
 }