diff --git a/src/compile.c b/src/compile.c
index 05478ab8e8..b7e18882e1 100644
--- a/src/compile.c
+++ b/src/compile.c
@@ -830,8 +830,9 @@ static block bind_alternation_matchers(block matchers, block body) {
 }
 
 block gen_reduce(block source, block matcher, block init, block body) {
-  block res_var = gen_op_var_fresh(STOREV, "reduce");
-  block loop = BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUPN),
+  block res_var = gen_op_var_fresh(STOREV, "*reduce");
+  block dot_var = gen_op_var_fresh(STOREV, "*dot");
+  block loop = BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUP),
                      source,
                      bind_alternation_matchers(matcher,
                                   BLOCK(gen_op_bound(LOADVN, res_var),
@@ -841,15 +842,23 @@ block gen_reduce(block source, block matcher, block init, block body) {
   return BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUP),
                init,
                res_var,
+               BLOCK(
+                // dummy null
+                gen_op_pushk_under(jv_null()), 
+                // stores the actual input
+                dot_var
+               ),
                gen_op_target(FORK, loop),
+               //consumes dummy null and null-restores the actual input
+               gen_op_bound(LOADVN, dot_var),   
                loop,
+               //consumes dummy null and null-restores the result
                gen_op_bound(LOADVN, res_var));
 }
 
 block gen_foreach(block source, block matcher, block init, block update, block extract) {
-  block output = gen_op_targetlater(JUMP);
   block state_var = gen_op_var_fresh(STOREV, "foreach");
-  block loop = BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUPN),
+  block loop = BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUP),
                      // get a value from the source expression:
                      source,
                      // destructure the value into variable(s) for all the code
@@ -864,28 +873,11 @@ block gen_foreach(block source, block matcher, block init, block update, block e
                                         // save new state
                                         gen_op_bound(STOREV, state_var),
                                         // extract an output...
-                                        extract,
-                                        // ...and output it by jumping
-                                        // past the BACKTRACK that comes
-                                        // right after the loop body,
-                                        // which in turn is there
-                                        // because...
-                                        //
-                                        // (Incidentally, extract can also
-                                        // backtrack, e.g., if it calls
-                                        // empty, in which case we don't
-                                        // get here.)
-                                        output)));
+                                        extract)));
   block foreach = BLOCK(gen_op_simple(DUP),
                         init,
                         state_var,
-                        gen_op_target(FORK, loop),
-                        loop,
-                        // ...at this point `foreach`'s original input
-                        // will be on top of the stack, and we don't
-                        // want to output it, so we backtrack.
-                        gen_op_simple(BACKTRACK));
-  inst_set_target(output, foreach); // make that JUMP go bast the BACKTRACK at the end of the loop
+                        loop);
   return foreach;
 }