diff --git a/syndicate/actor.rkt b/syndicate/actor.rkt
index bab1748..89dd682 100644
--- a/syndicate/actor.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/actor.rkt
@@ -474,8 +474,7 @@
 
 ;; TODO: prove to myself I've gotten the order correct. (Right-to-left, wasn't it?!?!)
 (define (attenuate-entity-ref r . caveats)
+  (match-define (entity-ref relay target previous-attenuation) r)
   (if (null? caveats)
       r
-      (match r
-        [(entity-ref relay target previous-attenuation)
-         (entity-ref relay target (append previous-attenuation caveats))])))
+      (entity-ref relay target (append previous-attenuation caveats))))