diff --git a/src/datomish/util.cljc b/src/datomish/util.cljc
index 8677c2ce..027f1d84 100644
--- a/src/datomish/util.cljc
+++ b/src/datomish/util.cljc
@@ -30,21 +30,25 @@
          ~expr
          (cond-let ~@rest)))))
 
+(defn ensure-datalog-var [x]
+  (or (and (symbol? x)
+           (nil? (namespace x))
+           (str/starts-with? (name x) "?"))
+      (throw (ex-info (str x " is not a Datalog var.") {}))))
+
 (defn var->sql-type-var
   "Turns '?xyz into :_xyz_type_tag."
   [x]
-  (if (and (symbol? x)
-           (str/starts-with? (name x) "?"))
-    (keyword (str "_" (subs (name x) 1) "_type_tag"))
-    (throw (ex-info (str x " is not a Datalog var.") {}))))
+  (and
+    (ensure-datalog-var x)
+    (keyword (str "_" (subs (name x) 1) "_type_tag"))))
 
 (defn var->sql-var
   "Turns '?xyz into :xyz."
   [x]
-  (if (and (symbol? x)
-           (str/starts-with? (name x) "?"))
-    (keyword (subs (name x) 1))
-    (throw (ex-info (str x " is not a Datalog var.") {}))))
+  (and
+    (ensure-datalog-var x)
+    (keyword (subs (name x) 1))))
 
 (defn aggregate->sql-var
   "Turns (:max 'column) into :%max.column."
diff --git a/test/datomish/query_test.cljc b/test/datomish/query_test.cljc
index 11730ba6..cd93d777 100644
--- a/test/datomish/query_test.cljc
+++ b/test/datomish/query_test.cljc
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@
         (let [{tx1 :tx} (<? (d/<transact! conn [{:db/id 101 :x 505}]))]
 
           (is (= (<? (d/<q (d/db conn)
-                           `[:find ?e ?a ?v ?tx :in $ :where
-                             [?e ?a ?v ?tx]
-                             [(> ?tx ~tx0)]
-                             [(!= ?a ~(d/entid (d/db conn) :db/txInstant))] ;; TODO: map ident->entid for values.
-                             ] {}))
+                           [:find '?e '?a '?v '?tx :in '$ :where
+                            '[?e ?a ?v ?tx]
+                            [(list '> '?tx tx0)]
+                            [(list '!= '?a (d/entid (d/db conn) :db/txInstant))] ;; TODO: map ident->entid for values.
+                            ] {}))
                  [[101 (d/entid (d/db conn) :x) 505 tx1]]))) ;; TODO: map entid->ident on egress.
         (finally
           (<? (d/<close conn)))))))