diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
index 4fe514062d..ee0f14c89e 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
              "member.rkt"
              "kernstruct.rkt"
              "norm-arity.rkt"
+             "performance-hint.rkt"
              "top-int.rkt"
              '#%builtin  ; so it's attached
              (for-syntax "kw.rkt"
@@ -109,35 +110,36 @@
          'random
          (string-append "integer greater than " (number->string x))
          y))))
-  (define-values (-random) ; more featureful than #%kernel's `random`
-    (case-lambda
-      [() (random)] ; no args, random float
-      [(x) ; one arg, either random float with prng, or random integer
-       ;; can just pass through to #%kernel's `random`, which will do the
-       ;; necessary checking
-       (random x)]
-      [(x y)
-       ;; two args, either max and prng, or min and max
-       (cond [(exact-positive-integer? y) ; min and max case
-              (enforce-random-int-range x)
-              (enforce-random-int-range y)
-              (enforce-greater x y)
-              (+ x (random (- y x)))]
-             [(pseudo-random-generator? y) ; int and prng case
-              (enforce-random-int-range x)
-              (random x y)]
-             [else
-              (raise-argument-error
-               'random
-               "(or/c (integer-in 1 4294967087) pseudo-random-generator?)"
-               y)])]
-      [(min max prng) ; three args: min, max, and prng
-       (enforce-random-int-range min)
-       (enforce-random-int-range max)
-       (enforce-greater min max)
-       (unless (pseudo-random-generator? prng)
-         (raise-argument-error 'random "pseudo-random-generator?" prng))
-       (+ min (random (- max min) prng))]))
+  (begin-encourage-inline
+   (define-values (-random) ; more featureful than #%kernel's `random`
+     (case-lambda
+       [() (random)] ; no args, random float
+       [(x) ; one arg, either random float with prng, or random integer
+        ;; can just pass through to #%kernel's `random`, which will do the
+        ;; necessary checking
+        (random x)]
+       [(x y)
+        ;; two args, either max and prng, or min and max
+        (cond [(exact-positive-integer? y) ; min and max case
+               (enforce-random-int-range x)
+               (enforce-random-int-range y)
+               (enforce-greater x y)
+               (+ x (random (- y x)))]
+              [(pseudo-random-generator? y) ; int and prng case
+               (enforce-random-int-range x)
+               (random x y)]
+              [else
+               (raise-argument-error
+                'random
+                "(or/c (integer-in 1 4294967087) pseudo-random-generator?)"
+                y)])]
+       [(min max prng) ; three args: min, max, and prng
+        (enforce-random-int-range min)
+        (enforce-random-int-range max)
+        (enforce-greater min max)
+        (unless (pseudo-random-generator? prng)
+          (raise-argument-error 'random "pseudo-random-generator?" prng))
+        (+ min (random (- max min) prng))])))
 
   (define-values (new:collection-path)
     (let ([collection-path (new-lambda (collection