diff --git a/source/diagnostics/diagnostics.hon b/source/diagnostics/diagnostics.hon
index 02d0a1b..57f3ded 100644
--- a/source/diagnostics/diagnostics.hon
+++ b/source/diagnostics/diagnostics.hon
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ count proc(store @Store) usize {
     return store.list.items.len
 }
 
-# a missing entry leaves an undefined payload, which static initialization rejects.
-@hide:file
+#! constructed at compile time so missing entries fail compilation; message bytes live for the process lifetime.
 messages :: $enummap.init(Code, []u8, {
     invalid_character = "invalid character",
     float_must_end_with_digit = "float literal must end with a digit",
@@ -109,7 +108,3 @@ messages :: $enummap.init(Code, []u8, {
     integer_overflow = "integer arithmetic overflow",
 })
 
-#! returns a borrowed static message; all Code entries are required at compile time.
-message proc(code Code) []u8 {
-    return enummap.get(Code, []u8, &messages, code)?
-}
diff --git a/source/main.hon b/source/main.hon
index fed34e7..0344299 100644
--- a/source/main.hon
+++ b/source/main.hon
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import "@std/mem"
 import "@std/arraylist"
+import "@std/enummap"
 import "@std/io"
 import "@std/process"
 
@@ -182,7 +183,11 @@ report_diagnostics proc(
                 if (id == diagnostics.DiagnosticId(index)) label = "runtime trap"
             }
             try io.print("{s}:{}:{}: {s}: {s}\n", output, {
-                path, line + 1, offset - starts.items[line] + 1, label, diagnostics.message(diagnostic.code),
+                path,
+                line + 1,
+                offset - starts.items[line] + 1,
+                label,
+                enummap.get(diagnostics.Code, []u8, &diagnostics.messages, diagnostic.code)?,
             })
         }
     }