diff --git a/s/front.ss b/s/front.ss
index 1ca36b0769..5a2bb670e7 100644
--- a/s/front.ss
+++ b/s/front.ss
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@
 
 (define enable-cross-library-optimization ($make-thread-parameter #t (lambda (x) (and x #t))))
 
+(define-who current-generate-id
+  ($make-thread-parameter
+   (lambda (sym)
+     (unless (symbol? sym) ($oops 'default-generate-id "~s is not a symbol" sym))
+     (gensym (symbol->string sym)))
+   (lambda (p)
+     (unless (procedure? p) ($oops who "~s is not a procedure" p))
+     p)))
+
 (define machine-type
   (lambda ()
     (constant machine-type-name)))
diff --git a/s/record.ss b/s/record.ss
index b38a787a22..477bf316f8 100644
--- a/s/record.ss
+++ b/s/record.ss
@@ -395,15 +395,6 @@
           (rec predicate (lambda (x) ($sealed-record? x rtd)))
           (rec predicate (lambda (x) (record? x rtd))))))
 
-  (set-who! current-generate-id
-    ($make-thread-parameter
-     (lambda (sym)
-       (unless (symbol? sym) ($oops 'default-generate-id "~s is not a symbol" sym))
-       (gensym (symbol->string sym)))
-     (lambda (p)
-       (unless (procedure? p) ($oops who "~s is not a procedure" p))
-       p)))
-
   (let ((base-rtd #!base-rtd))
     (define (make-flags uid sealed? opaque? parent)
       (fxlogor