diff --git a/pkg/arvo/app/aqua.hoon b/pkg/arvo/app/aqua.hoon
index 2ca3b0a54..cfca37cc6 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/app/aqua.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/app/aqua.hoon
@@ -487,8 +487,8 @@
       ::  take all files from a userspace desk
       :_  ~
       %-  unix-event:pill-lib
-      %-  file-ovum:pill-lib  :+  desk
-      /(scot %p our.hid)/[desk]/(scot %da now.hid)  ~[/sys]
+      %-  file-ovum:pill-lib
+      [desk /(scot %p our.hid)/[desk]/(scot %da now.hid) ~[/sys]]
     =^  ms  state  (poke-pill pil)
     (emit-cards ms)
   ::
diff --git a/pkg/base-dev/lib/pill.hoon b/pkg/base-dev/lib/pill.hoon
index 716676256..0b4ae332f 100644
--- a/pkg/base-dev/lib/pill.hoon
+++ b/pkg/base-dev/lib/pill.hoon
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 ::     
 ++  dirs
   |=  [bas=path exc=(list spur)]
+  ^-  (list spur)
   ?~  exc  ~(tap in dir:.^(arch %cy bas))
   %+  skim
     ~(tap in dir:.^(arch %cy bas))