diff --git a/collects/mzlib/contract.rkt b/collects/mzlib/contract.rkt
index 187db73..1ced3d7 100644
--- a/collects/mzlib/contract.rkt
+++ b/collects/mzlib/contract.rkt
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@
 (require "private/contract-define.rkt")
 (provide (all-from-out "private/contract-define.rkt"))
 
+;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
+;;
+;; old-style flat mutable contracts
+;;
+(require "private/contract-mutable.rkt")
+(provide (all-from-out "private/contract-mutable.rkt"))
+
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;;
 ;; provide everything from the racket/ implementation
@@ -30,8 +37,6 @@
 ;;
 
 (require racket/contract/private/base
-         racket/contract/private/box
-         racket/contract/private/hash
          racket/contract/private/misc
          racket/contract/private/provide
          racket/contract/private/guts
@@ -46,8 +51,6 @@
              contract-struct)
  
  (all-from-out racket/contract/private/base)
- (all-from-out racket/contract/private/box)
- (all-from-out racket/contract/private/hash)
  (all-from-out racket/contract/private/provide)
  (except-out (all-from-out racket/contract/private/misc)
              check-between/c
diff --git a/collects/mzlib/private/contract-mutable.rkt b/collects/mzlib/private/contract-mutable.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69f4617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/mzlib/private/contract-mutable.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#lang racket/base
+
+(require (only-in racket/contract/private/box box-immutable/c)
+         racket/contract/private/blame
+         racket/contract/private/guts)
+
+(provide box/c box-immutable/c)
+
+(define/subexpression-pos-prop (box/c ctc)
+  (let ([ctc (coerce-flat-contract 'box/c ctc)])
+    (make-flat-contract
+     #:name (build-compound-type-name 'box/c ctc)
+     #:first-order
+     (λ (val)
+       (and (box? val)
+            (contract-first-order-passes? ctc (unbox val))))
+     #:projection
+     (λ (blame)
+       (λ (val)
+         (let ([proj ((contract-projection ctc) blame)])
+           (unless (box? val)
+             (raise-blame-error blame val "not a box"))
+           (proj (unbox val))
+           val))))))