diff --git a/l3kernel/l3drivers.dtx b/l3kernel/l3drivers.dtx
index 0adc4ff54c..4cf1f36329 100644
--- a/l3kernel/l3drivers.dtx
+++ b/l3kernel/l3drivers.dtx
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@
 %    \begin{macrocode}
 \cs_new_protected:Npn \driver_draw_begin:
   {
-    \tex_special:D { ps::[begin] }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { [begin] }
     \@@_draw_literal:n { save }
     \@@_draw_literal:n { /l3x~currentpoint~/l3y~exch~def~def }
     \@@_draw_literal:n { @beginspecial }
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@
   {
     \@@_draw_literal:n { @endspecial }
     \@@_draw_literal:n { restore }
-    \tex_special:D { ps::[end] }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { [end] }
   }
 %    \end{macrocode}
 % \end{macro}
@@ -1220,16 +1220,16 @@
 \cs_new_protected:Npn \driver_draw_hbox:Nnnnnnn #1#2#3#4#5#6#7
   {
     \@@_scope_begin:
-    \tex_special:D { ps::[end] }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { [end] }
     \driver_draw_transformcm:nnnnnn {#2} {#3} {#4} {#5} {#6} {#7}
-    \tex_special:D { ps::~72~Resolution~div~72~VResolution~div~neg~scale }
-    \tex_special:D { ps::~magscale~{1~DVImag~div~dup~scale}~if }
-    \tex_special:D { ps::~l3x~neg~l3y~neg~translate }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { 72~Resolution~div~72~VResolution~div~neg~scale }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { magscale~{1~DVImag~div~dup~scale}~if }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { l3x~neg~l3y~neg~translate }
     \box_set_wd:Nn #1 { 0pt }
     \box_set_ht:Nn #1 { 0pt }
     \box_set_dp:Nn #1 { 0pt }
     \box_use:N #1
-    \tex_special:D { ps::[begin] }
+    \@@_draw_literal:n { [begin] }
     \@@_scope_end:
   }
 %    \end{macrocode}