diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/pattern.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/pattern.ts
index 6f3c86d..f2040b1 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/pattern.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/pattern.ts
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export function lit(v: AnyValue): P.Pattern {
     return P.Pattern.lit(P.asAnyAtom(v));
 }
 
-export function drop_lit(p: P.Pattern): AnyValue | null {
+export function drop_lit(p: P.Pattern, strip_binds = false): AnyValue | null {
     const e = new Error();
 
     function walkEntries(target: AnyValue[], entries: EncodableDictionary<Ref, AnyValue, P.Pattern<Ref>>): void {
@@ -253,6 +253,11 @@ export function drop_lit(p: P.Pattern): AnyValue | null {
                 }
             case 'lit':
                 return P.fromAnyAtom(p.value);
+            case 'bind':
+                if (strip_binds) {
+                    return walk(p.pattern);
+                }
+                // fall through
             default:
                 throw e;
         }