diff --git a/src/w32select.c b/src/w32select.c
index 889e09a4a6c..31d0a0d88cc 100644
--- a/src/w32select.c
+++ b/src/w32select.c
@@ -1089,13 +1089,13 @@ next communication only.  After the communication, this variable is
 set to nil.  */);
   Vnext_selection_coding_system = Qnil;
 
-  QCLIPBOARD = intern ("CLIPBOARD");	staticpro (&QCLIPBOARD);
+  DEFSYM (QCLIPBOARD, "CLIPBOARD");
 
   cfg_coding_system = Qnil;     staticpro (&cfg_coding_system);
   current_text = Qnil;		staticpro (&current_text);
   current_coding_system = Qnil; staticpro (&current_coding_system);
 
-  QUNICODE = intern ("utf-16le-dos"); staticpro (&QUNICODE);
+  DEFSYM (QUNICODE, "utf-16le-dos");
   QANSICP = Qnil; staticpro (&QANSICP);
   QOEMCP = Qnil;  staticpro (&QOEMCP);
 }