diff --git a/lisp/transient.el b/lisp/transient.el
index f30daf4..170846f 100644
--- a/lisp/transient.el
+++ b/lisp/transient.el
@@ -1149,10 +1149,7 @@ commands are aliases for."
              (val (if spec (pop spec) (error "No value for `%s'" key))))
         (cond ((eq key :class)
                (setq class val))
-              ((or (symbolp val)
-                   (and (listp val) (not (eq (car val) 'lambda))))
-               (setq args (plist-put args key (macroexp-quote val))))
-              ((setq args (plist-put args key val))))))
+              ((setq args (plist-put args key (transient--quote val)))))))
     (unless (or spec class (not (plist-get args :setup-children)))
       (message "WARNING: %s: When %s is used, %s must also be specified"
                'transient-define-prefix :setup-children :class))
@@ -1180,19 +1177,17 @@ commands are aliases for."
         ((cl-type (or string vector))
          (use :key (pop spec))))
       (pcase (car spec)
-        ((guard (or (stringp (car spec))
-                    (and (eq (car-safe (car spec)) 'lambda)
-                         (not (commandp (car spec))))))
-         (use :description (pop spec)))
-        ((and (cl-type (and symbol (not keyword) (not command)))
-              (guard (commandp (cadr spec))))
-         (use :description (macroexp-quote (pop spec)))))
+        ((or (cl-type string)
+             (cl-type (and function (not command)))
+             (and (cl-type (and symbol (not keyword) (not command)))
+                  (guard (commandp (cadr spec)))))
+         (use :description (transient--quote (pop spec)))))
       (pcase (car spec)
         ((or :info :info*))
         ((and (cl-type keyword) invalid)
          (error "Need command, argument, `:info' or `:info*'; got `%s'" invalid))
         ((cl-type symbol)
-         (use :command (macroexp-quote (pop spec))))
+         (use :command (list 'quote (pop spec))))
         ;; During macro-expansion this is expected to be a `lambda'
         ;; expression (i.e., source code).  When this is called from a
         ;; `:setup-children' function, it may also be a function object
@@ -1230,7 +1225,7 @@ commands are aliases for."
            (pcase (car spec)
              ((cl-type (and (not null) (not keyword)))
               (setq class 'transient-option)
-              (use :reader (macroexp-quote (pop spec))))
+              (use :reader (transient--quote (pop spec))))
              ((guard (string-suffix-p "=" arg))
               (setq class 'transient-option))
              (_ (setq class 'transient-switch)))))
@@ -1248,10 +1243,7 @@ commands are aliases for."
                     (use :description val))
             ((guard (eq (car-safe val) '\,))
              (use key (cadr val)))
-            ((guard (or (symbolp val)
-                        (and (listp val) (not (eq (car val) 'lambda)))))
-             (use key (macroexp-quote val)))
-            (_ (use key val)))))
+            (_ (use key (transient--quote val))))))
       (when spec
         (error "Need keyword, got %S" (car spec)))
       (when-let* (((not (plist-get args :key)))
@@ -1259,9 +1251,12 @@ commands are aliases for."
         (use :key shortarg)))
     (list 'list
           (or level transient--default-child-level)
-          (macroexp-quote (or class 'transient-suffix))
+          (list 'quote (or class 'transient-suffix))
           (cons 'list args))))
 
+(defun transient--quote (v)
+  (if (memq (car-safe v) '(lambda closure)) v (macroexp-quote v)))
+
 (defun transient--derive-shortarg (arg)
   (save-match-data
     (and (string-match "\\`\\(-[a-zA-Z]\\)\\(\\'\\|=\\)" arg)