By Claude:
full_listify converts the sets inside an expression to lists, but does not simplify the result:
(%i1) full_listify({1, 2} + x);
(%o1) x+[1,2]
(%i2) is(% = x + [1, 2]);
(%o2) false
x + [1, 2] simplifies to [x + 1, x + 2], and so should the value of full_listify({1, 2} + x). It is returned as if it were simplified, so later computations take it as it is.