diff --git a/base/coreimg.jl b/base/coreimg.jl
index 60f571669e5789..b22250647327b5 100644
--- a/base/coreimg.jl
+++ b/base/coreimg.jl
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ include("int.jl")
 include("operators.jl")
 include("pointer.jl")
 
-# # traits
+#  traits
 getindex(A::Array, i1::Real) = arrayref(A, to_index(i1))
 include("traits.jl")
-#include("traits-bootstrap-tests.jl")
+include("traits-bootstrap-tests.jl")
 
 # core array operations
 include("abstractarray.jl")
diff --git a/base/sysimg.jl b/base/sysimg.jl
index f9e160b3094127..cfd042c1432f9a 100644
--- a/base/sysimg.jl
+++ b/base/sysimg.jl
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ eval(m,x) = Core.eval(m,x)
 
 include("exports.jl")
 
-if false
+if true
     # simple print definitions for debugging. enable these if something
     # goes wrong during bootstrap before printing code is available.
     show(x::ANY) = ccall(:jl_static_show, Void, (Ptr{Void}, Any),
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ include("functors.jl")
 
 # traits
 include("traits.jl")
-#include("traits-bootstrap-tests.jl")
+include("traits-bootstrap-tests.jl")
 
 # array structures
 include("abstractarray.jl")
diff --git a/base/traits.jl b/base/traits.jl
index 305ec71ac38244..7fa9b4068f0546 100644
--- a/base/traits.jl
+++ b/base/traits.jl
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ macro traitfn(tfn)
     tmp1 = :($tmp1())
     addtoargs!(tmp1, args)
     tmp2 = :($fname($curmod.trait($trait)))
-    addtoargs!(tmp2, striparg(args))
+    addtoargs!(tmp2, stripType(striparg(args)))
     fwrap = :($tmp1 = ($curmod.@_inline_meta(); $tmp2))
 
     # The function containing the logic
@@ -252,6 +252,11 @@ striparg{T}(args::Array{T,1}) = [striparg(args[i]) for i=1:arraylen(args)]
 striparg(a::Symbol) = a
 striparg(a::Expr) = a.args[1]
 
+# :(Type{X}) -> X, X->X
+stripType{T}(args::Array{T,1}) = [stripType(args[i]) for i=1:arraylen(args)]
+stripType(a::Symbol) = a
+stripType(a::Expr) = (a.head==:curly && a.args[1]==:Type) ? a.args[2] : a
+
 ####
 # Some trait definitions
 ####
@@ -273,19 +278,20 @@ typealias IsNothing{X} Not{IsAnything{X}}
     end
 end
 
-# # from reflection.jl (need to be moved elsewhere because they don't bootstrap here)
 # "Trait of all isbits-types"
 # @traitdef IsBits{X}
-# @generated trait{X}(::Type{IsBits{X}}) =
+# @generated function trait{X}(::Type{IsBits{X}})
 #     isbits(X) ? :(IsBits{X}) : :(Not{IsBits{X}})
+# end
 
 # "Trait of all immutable types"
 # @traitdef IsImmutable{X}
-# @generated trait{X}(::Type{IsImmutable{X}}) =
+# @generated function trait{X}(::Type{IsImmutable{X}})
 #     X.mutable ? :(Not{IsImmutable{X}}) : :(IsImmutable{X})
+# end
 
 # "Trait of all leaf types types"
 # @traitdef IsLeafType{X}
-# @generated trait{X}(::Type{IsLeafType{X}}) =
+# @generated function trait{X}(::Type{IsLeafType{X}})
 #     X.mutable ? :(Not{IsLeafType{X}}) : :(IsLeafType{X})
-
+# end