diff --git a/chicken.h b/chicken.h
index 03138cd..c65eb64 100644
--- a/chicken.h
+++ b/chicken.h
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ extern double trunc(double);
 #define C_header_size(bh)          (C_block_header(bh) & C_HEADER_SIZE_MASK)
 #define C_make_header(type, size)  ((C_header)(((type) & C_HEADER_BITS_MASK) | ((size) & C_HEADER_SIZE_MASK)))
 #define C_symbol_value(x)          (C_block_item(x, 0))
-#define C_save(x)	           (*(--C_temporary_stack) = (C_word)(x))
+#define C_save(x)	           (C_CHECK(x, (C_temporary_stack > C_temporary_stack_limit), (*(--C_temporary_stack) = (C_word)C_VAL1(x))))
 #define C_adjust_stack(n)          (C_temporary_stack -= (n))
 #define C_rescue(x, i)             (C_temporary_stack[ i ] = (x))
 #define C_save_rest(s, c, n)  	   do { if((C_temporary_stack - (c - (n))) < C_temporary_stack_limit) C_temp_stack_overflow(); for(va_start(v, s); c-- > (n); C_save(va_arg(v, C_word))); }while(0)
diff --git a/runtime.c b/runtime.c
index f68cd09..a3583e9 100644
--- a/runtime.c
+++ b/runtime.c
@@ -6079,10 +6079,10 @@ void C_ccall C_apply(C_word c, C_word closure, C_word k, C_word fn, ...)
 
     *(buf++) = x;
 #else
-    C_save(x);
-
-    if(C_temporary_stack < C_temporary_stack_limit)
+    if(C_temporary_stack <= C_temporary_stack_limit)
       barf(C_TOO_MANY_PARAMETERS_ERROR, "apply");
+
+    C_save(x);
 #endif
     ++n;
   }