diff --git a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
index 9dc21a55bf..40806ab381 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
@@ -2557,7 +2557,7 @@
       |-  ^+  peer-core
       ?~  boz  peer-core
       =/  pum=message-pump-state  (~(got by snd.peer-state) i.boz)
-      ?:  =(next current):pum
+      ?.  =(next current):pum
         $(boz t.boz)
       ::  sanity check on the message pump state
       ::