diff --git a/collects/syntax/modcode.rkt b/collects/syntax/modcode.rkt
index ec61dd9dbd..10878c0c26 100644
--- a/collects/syntax/modcode.rkt
+++ b/collects/syntax/modcode.rkt
@@ -193,7 +193,13 @@
           [(or (eq? prefer 'src)
                path-d)
            (notify path)
-           (extract-submodule (with-dir (lambda () (compiler (read-one orig-path path #t read-src-syntax)))))]
+           (define (compile-one)
+             (with-dir (lambda () (compiler (read-one orig-path path #t read-src-syntax)))))
+           (if (null? submodule-path)
+               ;; allow any result:
+               (compile-one)
+               ;; expect a compiled-module result:
+               (extract-submodule (compile-one)))]
           ;; Report a not-there error
           [else (raise (make-exn:get-module-code
                         (format "get-module-code: no such file: ~e" orig-path)
diff --git a/collects/syntax/scribblings/modcode.scrbl b/collects/syntax/scribblings/modcode.scrbl
index e47e656639..da14e4dbd4 100644
--- a/collects/syntax/scribblings/modcode.scrbl
+++ b/collects/syntax/scribblings/modcode.scrbl
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ module.
 
 The @racket[compile-proc] argument defaults to @racket[compile]. This
 procedure is used to compile module source if an already-compiled
-version is not available.
+version is not available. If @racket[submodule-path] is not @racket['()],
+then @racket[compile-proc] must return a compiled module form.
 
 The @racket[ext-proc] argument defaults to @racket[#f]. If it is not
 @racket[#f], it must be a procedure of two arguments that is called