diff --git a/exercises/practice/allergies/.meta/proof.ci.cob b/exercises/practice/allergies/.meta/proof.ci.cob
index ee45883a..a5eae5d7 100644
--- a/exercises/practice/allergies/.meta/proof.ci.cob
+++ b/exercises/practice/allergies/.meta/proof.ci.cob
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
        01 WS-SCORE       PIC 999.
        01 WS-ITEM        PIC X(12).
        01 WS-RESULT      PIC A.
+           88 IS-ALLERGIC   VALUE "Y".
+           88 NOT-ALLERGIC  VALUE "N".
        01 WS-RESULT-LIST PIC X(108).
 
        01 ALLERGENS.
@@ -24,13 +26,15 @@
 
        PROCEDURE DIVISION.
        ALLERGIC-TO.
-           MOVE "N" TO WS-RESULT
+           SET NOT-ALLERGIC TO TRUE.
            PERFORM VARYING INDEX-1 FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL index-1 > 8
                IF ALLERGEN(INDEX-1) EQUAL TO WS-ITEM THEN
+      *            cobol lacks bitwise operators:
+      *                if (score >> (idx - 1)) & 1 == 1
                    COMPUTE ALLERGEN-VALUE = 2 ** (INDEX-1 - 1)
                    DIVIDE WS-SCORE BY ALLERGEN-VALUE GIVING SHIFTED
                    IF FUNCTION REM(SHIFTED; 2) EQUAL TO 1 THEN
-                       MOVE "Y" TO WS-RESULT
+                       SET IS-ALLERGIC TO TRUE
                        EXIT PERFORM
                    END-IF
                END-IF
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@
            PERFORM VARYING INDEX-2 FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL index-2 > 8
                MOVE ALLERGEN(INDEX-2) TO WS-ITEM
                PERFORM ALLERGIC-TO
-               IF WS-RESULT EQUAL TO "Y" THEN
+               IF IS-ALLERGIC THEN
                    STRING
                        WS-RESULT-LIST DELIMITED BY SPACE
                        LIST-SEPARATOR DELIMITED BY SPACE