diff --git a/collects/redex/private/term.rkt b/collects/redex/private/term.rkt
index 21ceeeb2cf..b3de2f0199 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/term.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/private/term.rkt
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
                                                  (syntax-e #'form))])
        (if (syntax->datum #'lang-stx)
            (let ([lang-nts (let loop ([ls #'lang-stx])
-                             (define slv (syntax-local-value ls))
+                             (define slv (syntax-local-value ls (λ () #'lang-stx)))
                              (if (term-id? slv)
                                  (loop (term-id-prev-id slv))
                                  (language-id-nts ls 'term)))])
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/term-lang.rktd b/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/term-lang.rktd
index ccf298440f..06ead00cf8 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/term-lang.rktd
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/term-lang.rktd
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@
 (#rx"before underscore"
  ([not-a-non-term AA_1])
  (term (Q_1 Q_2 (Q_3 not-a-non-term)) #:lang syn-err-lang))
+
+(#rx".*define-language.*boglang"
+ ([bogus-language boglang])
+ (term 5 #:lang bogus-language))