diff --git a/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-test/tests/racket/contract/recursive-contract.rkt b/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-test/tests/racket/contract/recursive-contract.rkt
index 437dcc087c..7cd12ca654 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-test/tests/racket/contract/recursive-contract.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-test/tests/racket/contract/recursive-contract.rkt
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
       (letrec ([doll-ctc2 (or/c 'center (struct/c doll (recursive-contract doll-ctc2 #:flat)))])
         (contract doll-ctc2 (doll 4) 'pos 'neg))))
 
-  (test/spec-passed
+  (test/pos-blame
    'recursive-contract12
    '(let ()
       (define c
diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/contract/private/base.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/contract/private/base.rkt
index 954eb82cf8..40427fd47f 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/contract/private/base.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/contract/private/base.rkt
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@
          =>
          (λ (ht)
            (cond
-             [(hash-ref ht val #f) val]
+             [(hash-ref ht val #f)
+              (raise-blame-error blame val '(given: "a value with a cycle"))]
              [else
               (hash-set! ht val #t)
               ((orig-projection blame) val)]))]
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@
          =>
          (λ (ht)
            (cond
-             [(hash-ref ht val #f) #t]
+             [(hash-ref ht val #f) #f]
              [else
               (hash-set! ht val #t)
               (orig-first-order val)]))]