diff --git a/src/core/control.pm b/src/core/control.pm
index 348b9122e0d..983d20a3fb7 100644
--- a/src/core/control.pm
+++ b/src/core/control.pm
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ sub THROW-NIL(int $type --> Nil) {
 
 sub RETURN-LIST(Mu \list) is raw {
     my Mu $storage := nqp::getattr(list, List, '$!reified');
-    nqp::iseq_i(nqp::elems($storage), 0)
-      ?? Nil
-      !! (nqp::iseq_i(nqp::elems($storage), 1)
-            ?? nqp::shift($storage)
-            !! list)
+    nqp::isgt_i(nqp::elems($storage),1)
+      ?? list
+      !! nqp::elems($storage)
+        ?? nqp::shift($storage)
+        !! Nil
 }
 
 proto sub return-rw(|) {*}