diff --git a/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go b/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go
index a0d3a4974..56f3809c2 100644
--- a/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go
+++ b/runtime/vam/expr/putter.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func NewPutter(sctx *super.Context, e Evaluator) Evaluator {
 }
 
 func (p *putter) Eval(vec vector.Any) vector.Any {
-	return vector.Apply(vector.ApplyNone, p.eval, vec)
+	return vector.Apply(vector.ApplyRipFusions, p.eval, vec)
 }
 
 func (p *putter) eval(vecs ...vector.Any) vector.Any {
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/op/put-fusion.yaml b/runtime/ztests/op/put-fusion.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..13f6c82b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/ztests/op/put-fusion.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+spq: x := 10
+
+input: |
+  fusion({x?:1,y?:_::int64},<{x:int64}>)
+  fusion({x?:_::int64,y?:2},<{y:int64}>)
+
+output: |
+  {x:10,y?:_::int64}
+  {x:10,y?:2}