diff --git a/lisp/dired.el b/lisp/dired.el
index 42d15f27a54..2bcb28a0e00 100644
--- a/lisp/dired.el
+++ b/lisp/dired.el
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ dired-font-lock-keywords
                '(dired-move-to-filename)
                nil
                '(1 dired-symlink-face)
-               '(2 '(face dired-directory-face dired-symlink-filename t))))
+               '(2 `(face ,dired-directory-face dired-symlink-filename t))))
    ;;
    ;; Symbolic link to a non-directory.
    (list dired-re-sym