diff --git a/src/boot/boot.janet b/src/boot/boot.janet
index 16d4f536..5e9e7f35 100644
--- a/src/boot/boot.janet
+++ b/src/boot/boot.janet
@@ -819,11 +819,17 @@
 
 (defmacro- do-compare
   [x y]
-  ~(if (def f (get ,x :compare))
-     (f ,x ,y)
-     (if (def f (get ,y :compare))
-       (- (f ,y ,x))
-       (cmp ,x ,y))))
+  ~(do
+     (def f (get ,x :compare))
+     (def f-res (if f (f ,x ,y)))
+     (if f-res
+       f-res
+       (do
+         (def g (get ,y :compare))
+         (def g-res (if g (- (g ,y ,x))))
+         (if g-res
+           g-res
+           (cmp ,x ,y))))))
 
 (defn compare
   ``Polymorphic compare. Returns -1, 0, 1 for x < y, x = y, x > y respectively.