diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
index 13b83e47..0462d382 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
@@ -636,7 +636,12 @@ let make_test_env () =
   bind "foreign-names" (fun _args -> Sx_ref.foreign_names ());
   bind "foreign-register!" (fun args -> match args with [String n; spec] -> Sx_ref.foreign_register_b (String n) spec | _ -> Nil);
   bind "foreign-resolve-binding" (fun args -> match args with [String s] -> Sx_ref.foreign_resolve_binding (String s) | _ -> Nil);
-  bind "foreign-check-args" (fun args -> match args with [String n; List p; List a] -> Sx_ref.foreign_check_args (String n) (List p) (List a) | _ -> Nil);
+  bind "foreign-check-args" (fun args ->
+    let to_list = function List l -> List l | ListRef r -> List !r | v -> v in
+    match args with
+    | [String n; (List _ | ListRef _ as p); (List _ | ListRef _ as a)] ->
+      Sx_ref.foreign_check_args (String n) (to_list p) (to_list a)
+    | _ -> Nil);
   bind "foreign-build-lambda" (fun args -> match args with [spec] -> Sx_ref.foreign_build_lambda spec | _ -> Nil);
 
   (* Initialize CEK call forward ref — needed by with-capabilities and foreign-dispatch *)
diff --git a/spec/tests/test-foreign.sx b/spec/tests/test-foreign.sx
index d1b666d6..7b10ebec 100644
--- a/spec/tests/test-foreign.sx
+++ b/spec/tests/test-foreign.sx
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
   (deftest
     "foreign-check-args rejects wrong type"
     (let
-      ((err (guard (e (#t (error-message e))) (foreign-check-args "test" (list {:type "number" :name "x"}) (list "not-a-number")) nil)))
+      ((err (guard (e (true (error-message e))) (foreign-check-args "test" (list {:type "number" :name "x"}) (list "not-a-number")) nil)))
       (assert (contains? err "expected number"))))
   (deftest
     "foreign-check-args accepts any type"
@@ -175,5 +175,5 @@
   (deftest
     "foreign-check-args rejects too few args"
     (let
-      ((err (guard (e (#t (error-message e))) (foreign-check-args "test" (list {:type "number" :name "x"} {:type "number" :name "y"}) (list 1)) nil)))
+      ((err (guard (e (true (error-message e))) (foreign-check-args "test" (list {:type "number" :name "x"} {:type "number" :name "y"}) (list 1)) nil)))
       (assert (contains? err "expected 2 args")))))
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