diff --git a/packages/core/pattern.mjs b/packages/core/pattern.mjs
index 59833aea7..6441b7568 100644
--- a/packages/core/pattern.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/pattern.mjs
@@ -2719,8 +2719,7 @@ export function stepcat(...timepats) {
   if (timepats.length === 0) {
     return nothing;
   }
-  const findsteps = (x) => (Array.isArray(x) ? x : [x._steps, x]);
-  timepats = timepats.map(reify);
+  const findsteps = (x) => (Array.isArray(x) ? x : [x._steps ?? 1, x]);
   timepats = timepats.map(findsteps);
   if (timepats.find((x) => x[0] === undefined)) {
     const times = timepats.map((a) => a[0]).filter((x) => x !== undefined);