diff --git a/guix/import/utils.scm b/guix/import/utils.scm
index d817318a91..5075e5c491 100644
--- a/guix/import/utils.scm
+++ b/guix/import/utils.scm
@@ -237,12 +237,10 @@ into a proper sentence and by using two spaces between sentences."
 optional OUTPUT, tries to generate a quoted list of inputs, as suitable to
 use in an 'inputs' field of a package definition."
   (define (make-input input version)
-    (cons* input (list 'unquote (string->symbol
-                                 (if version
-                                     (string-append input "-" version)
-                                     input)))
-           (or (and output (list output))
-               '())))
+    (let ((name (if version (string-append input "-" version) input)))
+      (if output
+          (list (string->symbol name) output)
+          (string->symbol name))))
 
   (map (match-lambda
          ((input version) (make-input input version))
@@ -263,7 +261,7 @@ snippet generated is for regular inputs."
       (()
        '())
       ((package-inputs ...)
-       `((,field-name (,'quasiquote ,package-inputs)))))))
+       `((,field-name (list ,@package-inputs)))))))
 
 (define* (maybe-native-inputs package-names #:optional (output #f))
   "Same as MAYBE-INPUTS, but for native inputs."