diff --git a/src/hnswscan.c b/src/hnswscan.c
index b3eded1..4a5c7f9 100644
--- a/src/hnswscan.c
+++ b/src/hnswscan.c
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ GetScanItems(IndexScanDesc scan, Datum q)
 	Relation	index = scan->indexRelation;
 	FmgrInfo   *procinfo = so->procinfo;
 	Oid			collation = so->collation;
-	List	   *ep = NIL;
+	List	   *ep;
 	List	   *w;
 	HnswElement entryPoint = HnswGetEntryPoint(index);
 
 	if (entryPoint == NULL)
 		return NIL;
 
-	ep = lappend(ep, HnswEntryCandidate(entryPoint, q, index, procinfo, collation, false));
+	ep = list_make1(HnswEntryCandidate(entryPoint, q, index, procinfo, collation, false));
 
 	for (int lc = entryPoint->level; lc >= 1; lc--)
 	{
diff --git a/src/hnswutils.c b/src/hnswutils.c
index 1beb4e9..55a55ee 100644
--- a/src/hnswutils.c
+++ b/src/hnswutils.c
@@ -926,21 +926,19 @@ RemoveElementsBeingDeleted(List *w)
 void
 HnswInsertElement(HnswElement element, HnswElement entryPoint, Relation index, FmgrInfo *procinfo, Oid collation, int m, int efConstruction, bool existing)
 {
-	List	   *ep = NIL;
+	List	   *ep;
 	List	   *w;
 	int			level = element->level;
 	int			entryLevel;
 	Datum		q = PointerGetDatum(element->vec);
 	HnswElement skipElement = existing ? element : NULL;
-	HnswCandidate *entryCandidate;
 
 	/* No neighbors if no entry point */
 	if (entryPoint == NULL)
 		return;
 
 	/* Get entry point and level */
-	entryCandidate = HnswEntryCandidate(entryPoint, q, index, procinfo, collation, true);
-	ep = lappend(ep, entryCandidate);
+	ep = list_make1(HnswEntryCandidate(entryPoint, q, index, procinfo, collation, true));
 	entryLevel = entryPoint->level;
 
 	/* 1st phase: greedy search to insert level */