diff --git a/internal/compiler/ir/optimize/inline.go b/internal/compiler/ir/optimize/inline.go
index 9179d98..c5567d5 100644
--- a/internal/compiler/ir/optimize/inline.go
+++ b/internal/compiler/ir/optimize/inline.go
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ func (m *inlineMapper) transformArgs(
 			return c
 		}
 	case 1:
-		if canImmediatelyPop(c) {
-			return immediatelyPop(c)
+		if res, ok := immediatelyPop(c); ok {
+			return res
 		}
 		fallthrough
 	default:
@@ -299,12 +299,14 @@ func argInstructionPred(i isa.Instruction) bool {
 	}
 }
 
-func canImmediatelyPop(c isa.Instructions) bool {
-	return len(c) > 0 && c[0] == isa.Arg.New(0) && !hasAnyArgInstruction(c[1:])
-}
-
-func immediatelyPop(c isa.Instructions) isa.Instructions {
-	return c[1:]
+func immediatelyPop(c isa.Instructions) (isa.Instructions, bool) {
+	if len(c) != 0 || c[0] != isa.Arg.New(0) {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if res := c[1:]; !hasAnyArgInstruction(res) {
+		return res, true
+	}
+	return nil, false
 }
 
 func canMapArgsToLocals(c isa.Instructions, argc isa.Operand) bool {
diff --git a/pkg/core/internal/params.go b/pkg/core/internal/params.go
index 7fd7ca4..2a2e218 100644
--- a/pkg/core/internal/params.go
+++ b/pkg/core/internal/params.go
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ const (
 	// arguments provided doesn't match any of the declared parameter cases
 	ErrUnmatchedCase = "got %d arguments, expected %s"
 
-	// ErrNoMatchingParamPattern is raised when none of the parameter patterns for
-	// a Lambda were capable of being matched
+	// ErrNoMatchingParamPattern is raised when none of the parameter patterns
+	// for a Lambda were capable of being matched
 	ErrNoMatchingParamPattern = "no matching parameter pattern"
 )
 
diff --git a/pkg/core/source/10_sequences.ale b/pkg/core/source/10_sequences.ale
index 52a9514..5a0c644 100644
--- a/pkg/core/source/10_sequences.ale
+++ b/pkg/core/source/10_sequences.ale
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
                    [r (rest coll)])
                (last-inner r f))
              prev)))
-   coll '()))
+   coll null))
 
 (define-lambda fold-left
   [(func init coll)
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
 (define (reverse! coll)
   (if (reversible? coll)
       (reverse coll)
-      (fold-left conj '() coll)))
+      (fold-left conj null coll)))
 
 (define :private (swap-args func)
   (lambda (l r) (func r l)))
diff --git a/pkg/core/source/14_exceptions.ale b/pkg/core/source/14_exceptions.ale
index b17ccbe..e361387 100644
--- a/pkg/core/source/14_exceptions.ale
+++ b/pkg/core/source/14_exceptions.ale
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
         (lambda-rec try-parse (clauses)
           (unless (seq? clauses)
-                  {:block '() :catch '() :finally []}
+                  {:block null :catch null :finally []}
                   (let* ([f (first clauses)]
                          [r (rest clauses)]
                          [p (try-parse r)])
diff --git a/pkg/data/cons.go b/pkg/data/cons.go
index 1ef1755..02580df 100644
--- a/pkg/data/cons.go
+++ b/pkg/data/cons.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ type (
 	// Pairs represents multiple pairs
 	Pairs []Pair
 
-	// Cons cells are the standard implementation of a Pair. Unlike
-	// other Pairs (ex: List, Vector), it is not treated as a Sequence
+	// Cons cells are the standard implementation of a Pair. Unlike other Pairs
+	// (ex: List, Vector), it is not treated as a Sequence
 	Cons struct {
 		car Value
 		cdr Value
diff --git a/pkg/ffi/wrap.go b/pkg/ffi/wrap.go
index e38d8a5..8564f02 100644
--- a/pkg/ffi/wrap.go
+++ b/pkg/ffi/wrap.go
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ func WrapType(t reflect.Type) (Wrapper, error) {
 	s := new(struct{ Wrapper })
 	cache.put(t, s)
 
-	// register the final Wrapper, and wire it into the stub for those
-	// Wrappers that may refer to it
+	// register the final Wrapper, and wire it into the stub for those Wrappers
+	// that may refer to it
 	w, err := makeWrappedType(t)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err