diff --git a/guix/build/graft.scm b/guix/build/graft.scm
index f04c35fa74..daac958d4f 100644
--- a/guix/build/graft.scm
+++ b/guix/build/graft.scm
@@ -44,10 +44,7 @@
 ;;;
 ;;; Code:
 
-(define-syntax-rule (define-inline name val)
-  (define-syntax name (identifier-syntax val)))
-
-(define-inline hash-length 32)
+(define-constant hash-length 32)
 
 (define nix-base32-char?
   (cute char-set-contains?
diff --git a/guix/build/utils.scm b/guix/build/utils.scm
index 5ea3b98353..3570de81e9 100644
--- a/guix/build/utils.scm
+++ b/guix/build/utils.scm
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
             search-error-path
             search-error-file
 
+            define-constant
+
             every*
             alist-cons-before
             alist-cons-after
@@ -129,6 +131,16 @@
 
             locale-category->string))
 
+
+;;;
+;;; Syntax
+;;;
+
+;; Note that in its current form VAL doesn't get evaluated, just simply
+;; inlined. TODO?
+(define-syntax-rule (define-constant name val)
+  (define-syntax name (identifier-syntax val)))
+
 
 ;;;
 ;;; Guile 2.0 compatibility later.