diff --git a/include/mes/symbols.h b/include/mes/symbols.h
index 08b9f6c7..5bbe75cb 100644
--- a/include/mes/symbols.h
+++ b/include/mes/symbols.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct scm *cell_vm_begin_expand_eval;
 struct scm *cell_vm_begin_expand_macro;
 struct scm *cell_vm_begin_expand_primitive_load;
 struct scm *cell_vm_begin_primitive_load;
+struct scm *cell_vm_primitive_load_return;
 struct scm *cell_vm_begin_read_input_file;
 struct scm *cell_vm_call_with_current_continuation2;
 struct scm *cell_vm_call_with_values2;
@@ -136,8 +137,8 @@ struct scm *cell_type_broken_heart;
 struct scm *cell_symbol_program;
 struct scm *cell_symbol_test;
 
-// CONSTANT SYMBOL_MAX 113
-#define SYMBOL_MAX 113
+// CONSTANT SYMBOL_MAX 114
+#define SYMBOL_MAX 114
 
 // CONSTANT CELL_UNSPECIFIED 7
 #define CELL_UNSPECIFIED 7
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-00.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-00.scm
index e98ea6e0..cf080ffa 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-00.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-00.scm
@@ -30,5 +30,3 @@
 (define-macro (cond-expand . clauses)
   (cons 'begin (cond-expand-expander clauses)))
 ;; end boot-00.scm
-
-(primitive-load 0)
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-01.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-01.scm
index 8e0a9406..00a739d6 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-01.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-01.scm
@@ -66,5 +66,3 @@
       (if (null? (cdr rest)) (car rest)
           (append2 (car rest) (apply append (cdr rest))))))
 ;; end boot-01.scm
-
-(primitive-load 0)
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-02.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-02.scm
index dbc5f731..40e10ab1 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-02.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-02.scm
@@ -101,5 +101,3 @@
   #t)
 
 ;; end boot-02.scm
-
-(primitive-load 0)
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-03.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-03.scm
index e2c7ce53..a7fde082 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-03.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-03.scm
@@ -166,6 +166,3 @@
 (mes-use-module (mes let))
 (mes-use-module (mes scm))
 ;; end boot-03.scm
-
-(primitive-load 0)
-(primitive-load 0)
diff --git a/src/eval-apply.c b/src/eval-apply.c
index 63d34e8c..dde534da 100644
--- a/src/eval-apply.c
+++ b/src/eval-apply.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*-comment-start: "//";comment-end:""-*-
  * GNU Mes --- Maxwell Equations of Software
- * Copyright © 2016,2017,2018,2019 Jan (janneke) Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
+ * Copyright © 2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 Jan (janneke) Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
  *
  * This file is part of GNU Mes.
  *
@@ -385,6 +385,8 @@ eval_apply:
     goto macro_expand_define_macro;
   else if (R3 == cell_vm_begin_primitive_load)
     goto begin_primitive_load;
+  else if (R3 == cell_vm_primitive_load_return)
+    goto primitive_load_return;
 
   else if (R3 == cell_vm_evlis)
     goto evlis;
@@ -864,13 +866,6 @@ begin_expand:
                 input = set_current_input_port (open_input_file (R1));
               else if (R1->type == TPORT)
                 input = set_current_input_port (R1);
-              else if ((R1->type == TNUMBER) && R1->value == -1)
-                {
-                  eputs ("primitive-load: R1=-1 => RETURN\n");
-                  display_error_ (R1);
-                  gc_pop_frame ();
-                  goto vm_return;
-                }
               else
                 {
                   eputs ("begin_expand failed, R1=");
@@ -878,11 +873,10 @@ begin_expand:
                   assert_msg (0, "begin-expand-boom 0");
                 }
 
-              push_cc (input, R2, R0, cell_vm_return);
+              push_cc (input, R2, R0, cell_vm_primitive_load_return);
               x = read_input_file_env (R0);
               if (g_debug > 5)
                 hash_table_printer (R0);
-              gc_pop_frame ();
               input = R1;
               R1 = x;
               set_current_input_port (input);
@@ -961,6 +955,10 @@ call_with_values2:
   R1 = cons (R2->cdr->car, R1);
   goto apply;
 
+primitive_load_return:
+  gc_pop_frame ();
+  /* fall through */
+
 vm_return:
   x = R1;
   gc_pop_frame ();
diff --git a/src/symbol.c b/src/symbol.c
index 9d88da39..51eb5971 100644
--- a/src/symbol.c
+++ b/src/symbol.c
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ init_symbols_ ()                  /*:((internal)) */
   cell_vm_begin_expand_macro = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm:begin-expand-macro*");
   cell_vm_begin_expand_primitive_load = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm:core:begin-expand-primitive-load*");
   cell_vm_begin_primitive_load = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm:core:begin-primitive-load*");
+  cell_vm_primitive_load_return = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm:core:primitive-load-return*");
   cell_vm_begin_read_input_file = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm-begin-read-input-file*");
   cell_vm_call_with_current_continuation2 = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm-call-with-current-continuation2*");
   cell_vm_call_with_values2 = init_symbol (g_symbol, TSPECIAL, "*vm-call-with-values2*");