diff --git a/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/signatures.ss b/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/signatures.ss
index c5ef2012..d55063c3 100644
--- a/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/signatures.ss
+++ b/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/signatures.ss
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 (define-signature tc-expr^
   ([cnt tc-expr (syntax? . -> . tc-results?)]
+   [cnt tc-literal (->* (syntax?) ((or/c #f Type/c)) Type/c)]
    [cnt tc-expr/check (syntax? tc-results? . -> . tc-results?)]
    [cnt tc-expr/check/t (syntax? tc-results? . -> . Type/c)]
    [cnt check-below (->d ([s (or/c Type/c tc-results?)] [t (or/c Type/c tc-results?)]) () [_ (if (Type? s) Type/c tc-results?)])]
diff --git a/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/tc-expr-unit.ss b/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/tc-expr-unit.ss
index 03baae8c..83cc3e86 100644
--- a/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/tc-expr-unit.ss
+++ b/collects/typed-scheme/typecheck/tc-expr-unit.ss
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
 
 ;; return the type of a literal value
 ;; scheme-value -> type
-(d/c (tc-literal v-stx [expected #f])
-  (-->* (syntax?) ((-or/c #f Type/c)) Type/c)
+(define (tc-literal v-stx [expected #f])
   (define-syntax-class exp
     (pattern i
              #:when expected