diff --git a/guix/import/gem.scm b/guix/import/gem.scm
index 418d716be6..0e5bb7e635 100644
--- a/guix/import/gem.scm
+++ b/guix/import/gem.scm
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2018 Oleg Pykhalov <go.wigust@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020, 2021 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 Martin Becze <mjbecze@riseup.net>
+;;; Copyright © 2021 Sarah Morgensen <iskarian@mgsn.dev>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -110,12 +111,7 @@ VERSION, HASH, HOME-PAGE, DESCRIPTION, DEPENDENCIES, and LICENSES."
      ,@(if (null? dependencies)
            '()
            `((propagated-inputs
-              (,'quasiquote
-               ,(map (lambda (name)
-                       `(,name
-                         (,'unquote
-                          ,(string->symbol name))))
-                     dependencies)))))
+              (list ,@(map string->symbol dependencies)))))
      (synopsis ,synopsis)
      (description ,description)
      (home-page ,home-page)
diff --git a/tests/gem.scm b/tests/gem.scm
index 751bba656f..c8fe15398e 100644
--- a/tests/gem.scm
+++ b/tests/gem.scm
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2015 David Thompson <davet@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2018 Oleg Pykhalov <go.wigust@gmail.com>
+;;; Copyright © 2021 Sarah Morgensen <iskarian@mgsn.dev>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -93,10 +94,7 @@
                      ('base32
                       "1a270mlajhrmpqbhxcqjqypnvgrq4pgixpv3w9gwp1wrrapnwrzk"))))
          ('build-system 'ruby-build-system)
-         ('propagated-inputs
-          ('quasiquote
-           (("bundler" ('unquote 'bundler))
-            ("ruby-bar" ('unquote 'ruby-bar)))))
+         ('propagated-inputs ('list 'bundler 'ruby-bar))
          ('synopsis "A cool gem")
          ('description "This package provides a cool gem")
          ('home-page "https://example.com")
@@ -132,9 +130,7 @@
                   ('base32
                    "1a270mlajhrmpqbhxcqjqypnvgrq4pgixpv3w9gwp1wrrapnwrzk"))))
               ('build-system 'ruby-build-system)
-              ('propagated-inputs
-               ('quasiquote
-                (('"bundler" ('unquote 'bundler)))))
+              ('propagated-inputs ('list 'bundler))
               ('synopsis "Another cool gem")
               ('description "Another cool gem")
               ('home-page "https://example.com")
@@ -165,10 +161,7 @@
                   ('base32
                    "1a270mlajhrmpqbhxcqjqypnvgrq4pgixpv3w9gwp1wrrapnwrzk"))))
               ('build-system 'ruby-build-system)
-              ('propagated-inputs
-               ('quasiquote
-                (("bundler" ('unquote 'bundler))
-                 ("ruby-bar" ('unquote 'ruby-bar)))))
+              ('propagated-inputs ('list 'bundler 'ruby-bar))
               ('synopsis "A cool gem")
               ('description "This package provides a cool gem")
               ('home-page "https://example.com")