diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/namespac.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
index bf01543a9e..0ad686ad15 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
@@ -162,4 +162,10 @@
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
+(parameterize ([current-namespace (make-base-namespace)])
+  (eval '(define-namespace-anchor anchor))
+  (test 1 eval '(eval 1 (namespace-anchor->namespace anchor))))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------
+
 (report-errs)
diff --git a/src/racket/src/env.c b/src/racket/src/env.c
index f82162c125..ecbe832838 100644
--- a/src/racket/src/env.c
+++ b/src/racket/src/env.c
@@ -4578,7 +4578,7 @@ static Scheme_Object *do_variable_namespace(const char *who, int tl, int argc, S
     return scheme_make_integer(ph);
   } else if (tl) {
     /* return env directly; need to set up  */
-    if (!env->phase)
+    if (!env->phase && env->module)
       scheme_prep_namespace_rename(env);
   } else {
     /* new namespace: */