diff --git a/core/core-ui.el b/core/core-ui.el
index 9ff6f9f0f..7e9dadfa4 100644
--- a/core/core-ui.el
+++ b/core/core-ui.el
@@ -401,8 +401,8 @@ frame's window-system, the theme will be reloaded.")
 ;; Make `next-buffer', `other-buffer', etc. ignore unreal buffers.
 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(buffer-predicate . doom-buffer-frame-predicate))
 ;; Prevent the glimpse of un-styled Emacs by setting these early.
-(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(tool-bar-lines 0))
-(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(menu-bar-lines 0))
+(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(tool-bar-lines . 0))
+(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(menu-bar-lines . 0))
 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(vertical-scroll-bars))
 ;; prompts the user for confirmation when deleting a non-empty frame
 (global-set-key [remap delete-frame] #'doom/delete-frame)
diff --git a/early-init.el b/early-init.el
index 6d883882a..d2eadd3c2 100644
--- a/early-init.el
+++ b/early-init.el
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@
 (setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
 
 ;; Prevent the glimpse of un-styled Emacs by setting these early.
-(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(tool-bar-lines 0))
-(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(menu-bar-lines 0))
+(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(tool-bar-lines . 0))
+(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(menu-bar-lines . 0))
 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(vertical-scroll-bars))