diff --git a/src/cs_ident.cc b/src/cs_ident.cc
index f15347e..0d36480 100644
--- a/src/cs_ident.cc
+++ b/src/cs_ident.cc
@@ -115,12 +115,6 @@ alias_impl::alias_impl(state &cs, string_ref name, any_value v, int fl):
 }
 
 void alias_impl::push_arg(any_value &v, ident_stack &st, bool um) {
-    if (p_astack == &st) {
-        /* prevent cycles and unnecessary code elsewhere */
-        p_val = std::move(v);
-        clean_code();
-        return;
-    }
     st.val_s = std::move(p_val);
     st.next = p_astack;
     p_astack = &st;
diff --git a/src/cs_val.cc b/src/cs_val.cc
index 386b027..48a655e 100644
--- a/src/cs_val.cc
+++ b/src/cs_val.cc
@@ -451,8 +451,14 @@ bool stacked_value::push() {
     if (!p_a) {
         return false;
     }
-    static_cast<alias_impl *>(p_a)->push_arg(*this, p_stack);
-    p_pushed = true;
+    if (!p_pushed) {
+        static_cast<alias_impl *>(p_a)->push_arg(*this, p_stack);
+        p_pushed = true;
+    } else {
+        static_cast<alias_impl *>(p_a)->p_val = std::move(
+            *static_cast<any_value *>(this)
+        );
+    }
     return true;
 }