diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/private/define-struct.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/private/define-struct.rkt
index 938c2ae1c8..b86ee0ee45 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/private/define-struct.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/private/define-struct.rkt
@@ -101,6 +101,19 @@
     (lambda (stx)
       (raise-syntax-error #f "allowed only within a structure type definition" stx)))
 
+  (define-for-syntax (make-struct-field-index fields)
+    (lambda (stx)
+      (syntax-case stx ()
+        [(_ id)
+         (identifier? #'id)
+         (let loop ([pos 0] [fields (syntax->list fields)])
+           (cond
+             [(null? fields)
+              (raise-syntax-error #f "no such field" stx #'name)]
+             [(free-identifier=? #'id (car fields))
+              (datum->syntax #'here pos stx)]
+             [else (loop (add1 pos) (cdr fields))]))])))
+
   (define (check-struct-type name what)
     (when what
       (unless (struct-type? what)
@@ -617,14 +630,7 @@
                               (define-values (#,struct: #,make- #,? #,@sels #,@sets)
                                 (let-values ([(struct: make- ? -ref -set!)
                                               (syntax-parameterize ([struct-field-index
-                                                                     (lambda (stx)
-                                                                       (syntax-case stx #,(map field-id fields)
-                                                                         #,@(let loop ([fields fields][pos 0])
-                                                                              (cond
-                                                                               [(null? fields) null]
-                                                                               [else (cons #`[(_ #,(field-id (car fields))) #'#,pos]
-                                                                                           (loop (cdr fields) (add1 pos)))]))
-                                                                         [(_ name) (raise-syntax-error #f "no such field" stx #'name)]))])
+                                                                     (make-struct-field-index (quote-syntax #,(map field-id fields)))])
                                                 (make-struct-type #,reflect-name-expr
                                                                   #,super-struct:
                                                                   #,(- (length fields) auto-count)