diff --git a/guix/import/crate.scm b/guix/import/crate.scm
index 3b36e9e3e3..263c2a8b16 100644
--- a/guix/import/crate.scm
+++ b/guix/import/crate.scm
@@ -142,6 +142,23 @@ (define (crate-version-dependencies version)
 ;;; Converting crates to Guix packages.
 ;;;
 
+(define* (package-names->package-inputs names #:optional (output #f))
+  "Given a list of PACKAGE-NAMES or (PACKAGE-NAME VERSION) pairs, and an
+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))
+               '())))
+
+  (map (match-lambda
+         ((input version) (make-input input version))
+         (input (make-input input #f)))
+       names))
+
 (define (maybe-cargo-inputs package-names)
   (match (package-names->package-inputs package-names)
     (()
diff --git a/guix/import/utils.scm b/guix/import/utils.scm
index 45fed93134..b7756fcc40 100644
--- a/guix/import/utils.scm
+++ b/guix/import/utils.scm
@@ -418,12 +418,10 @@ (define* (package-names->package-inputs names #:optional (output #f))
 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))
@@ -444,7 +442,7 @@ (define* (maybe-inputs package-names #:optional (output #f)
       (()
        '())
       ((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."
diff --git a/tests/go.scm b/tests/go.scm
index d2e8846b30..f925c485c1 100644
--- a/tests/go.scm
+++ b/tests/go.scm
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ (define (mock-http-get testcase)
      (arguments
       (list #:import-path "github.com/go-check/check"))
      (propagated-inputs
-      `(("go-github-com-kr-pretty" ,go-github-com-kr-pretty)))
+      (list go-github-com-kr-pretty))
      (home-page "https://github.com/go-check/check")
      (synopsis "Instructions")
      (description "Package check is a rich testing extension for Go's testing \