diff --git a/libguile/variable.h b/libguile/variable.h
index ffeafa366..2a2042355 100644
--- a/libguile/variable.h
+++ b/libguile/variable.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #define SCM_VARIABLEP(X)      (!SCM_IMP (X) && SCM_TYP7(X) == scm_tc7_variable)
 #define SCM_VARIABLE_REF(V)   SCM_CELL_OBJECT_1 (V)
 #define SCM_VARIABLE_SET(V, X) SCM_SET_CELL_OBJECT_1 (V, X)
-#define SCM_VARIABLE_LOC(V)   ((SCM *) SCM_CELL_WORD_LOC ((V), 1))
+#define SCM_VARIABLE_LOC(V)   (SCM_CELL_OBJECT_LOC ((V), 1))