diff --git a/collects/scheme/list.ss b/collects/scheme/list.ss
index 18fb6db4e9..c095b2b299 100644
--- a/collects/scheme/list.ss
+++ b/collects/scheme/list.ss
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 
 (define append*
   (case-lambda [(ls) (apply append ls)] ; optimize common case
-               [(ls . lss) (apply append (apply list* ls lss))]))
+               [(l . lss) (apply append (apply list* l lss))]))
 
 (define (flatten orig-sexp)
   (let loop ([sexp orig-sexp] [acc null])