diff --git a/cli/lz/ulzenc.tal b/cli/lz/ulzenc.tal
index 715a8c7..c41f811 100644
--- a/cli/lz/ulzenc.tal
+++ b/cli/lz/ulzenc.tal
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
 	STA
 	JMP2r
 
+@<append-short> ( short* -- )
+	.output-ptr LDZ2 INC2k INC2 .output-ptr STZ2
+	STA2
+	JMP2r
+
 @uxn_lz_compress ( input* length* -- )
 	( | fill variables )
 	;compressed .output-ptr STZ2
@@ -125,8 +130,7 @@
 	NIP #80 ORA <append-byte>
 	!&cpy-resume
 	&cpy2 ( match-ctl* -- )
-		SWP #c0 ORA <append-byte>
-		<append-byte>
+		SWP #c0 ORA <append-short>
 	&cpy-resume ( -- )
 		( | *output_ptr++ = in - dict_best - 1; )
 		DUP2 .dict-best LDZ2 SUB2 #0001 SUB2 NIP <append-byte>