diff --git a/src/transfermatrix/transfer.jl b/src/transfermatrix/transfer.jl
index 8ea310700..9aced2ed4 100644
--- a/src/transfermatrix/transfer.jl
+++ b/src/transfermatrix/transfer.jl
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ apply a transfer matrix to the left.
     t_top = tensorexpr(:A, 2:(N₂ + 1), -(N₁ + 1))
     t_bot = tensorexpr(:Ā, (1, (3:(N₂ + 1))...), -1)
     t_in = tensorexpr(:v, 1, (-(2:N₁)..., 2))
-    return :(return @plansor $t_out := $t_in * $t_top * conj($t_bot))
+    return macroexpand(@__MODULE__,
+                       :(return @plansor $t_out := $t_in * $t_top * conj($t_bot)))
 end
 
 """
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@ apply a transfer matrix to the right.
     t_top = tensorexpr(:A, (-1, reverse(3:(N₂ + 1))...), 1)
     t_bot = tensorexpr(:Ā, (-(N₁ + 1), reverse(3:(N₂ + 1))...), 2)
     t_in = tensorexpr(:v, 1, (-(2:N₁)..., 2))
-    return :(return @plansor $t_out := $t_top * conj($t_bot) * $t_in)
+    return macroexpand(@__MODULE__,
+                       :(return @plansor $t_out := $t_top * conj($t_bot) * $t_in))
 end
 
 # transfer, but the upper A is an excited tensor