diff --git a/priv/stdlib/List.aes b/priv/stdlib/List.aes
index 2113bc4..57d2250 100644
--- a/priv/stdlib/List.aes
+++ b/priv/stdlib/List.aes
@@ -38,16 +38,14 @@ namespace List =
     h::t => find_indices_(p, t, n+1, if(p(h)) n::acc else acc)
 
   function nth(n : int, l : list('a)) : option('a) =
-    if(n < 0) None
-    else switch(l)
+    switch(l)
       []   => None
       h::t => if(n == 0) Some(h) else nth(n-1, t)
 
   /* Unsafe version of `nth` */
   function get(n : int, l : list('a)) : 'a =
-    if(n < 0) abort("Negative index get")
-    else switch(l)
-      [] => abort("Out of index get")
+    switch(l)
+      [] => abort(if(n < 0) "Negative index get" else "Out of index get")
       h::t => if(n == 0) h else get(n-1, t)