diff --git a/l3kernel/l3unicode.dtx b/l3kernel/l3unicode.dtx
index ad5ad5560a..5f1f874cde 100644
--- a/l3kernel/l3unicode.dtx
+++ b/l3kernel/l3unicode.dtx
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@
 %   A fast local implementation for generating characters; the chars may
 %   be active, so we prevent further expansion.
 %    \begin{macrocode}
-      \cs_set:Npx \@@_generate:n #1
+      \cs_set:Npn \@@_generate:n #1
         {
-          \exp_not:N \tex_unexpanded:D \exp_not:N \exp_after:wN
+          \tex_unexpanded:D \exp_after:wN
             {
-              \exp_not:N \tex_Ucharcat:D
+              \tex_Ucharcat:D
                 #1 ~
                 \tex_catcode:D #1 ~
             }