diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/namespac.rktl b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
index 4b73de4ea1..f3ed3618af 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/namespac.rktl
@@ -145,6 +145,17 @@
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
+(test #f
+      variable-reference->module-path-index (#%variable-reference test))
+(test (module-path-index-join ''#%kernel #f)
+      variable-reference->module-path-index (#%variable-reference +))
+(require (only-in racket/unsafe/ops
+                  [unsafe-fx+ $$unsafe-fx+]))
+(test (module-path-index-join ''#%unsafe #f)
+      variable-reference->module-path-index (#%variable-reference $$unsafe-fx+))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------
+
 (module phaser scheme/base 
   (define x (variable-reference->phase
              (#%variable-reference x)))
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/src/env.c b/racket/src/racket/src/env.c
index e3a02ff641..e3327ad8e0 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/src/env.c
+++ b/racket/src/racket/src/env.c
@@ -2225,9 +2225,17 @@ static Scheme_Object *variable_modidx(int argc, Scheme_Object *argv[])
     scheme_wrong_contract("variable-reference->module-path-index", "variable-reference?", 0, argc, argv);
 
   if (env->module) {
-    if (!env->link_midx) 
-      return env->module->self_modidx;
-    else
+    if (!env->link_midx) {
+      if (env->module->self_modidx
+          && SCHEME_TRUEP(((Scheme_Modidx *)env->module->self_modidx)->path))
+        return env->module->self_modidx;
+      else
+        return scheme_make_modidx(scheme_make_pair(scheme_intern_symbol("quote"),
+                                                   scheme_make_pair(scheme_resolved_module_path_value(env->module->modname),
+                                                                    scheme_null)),
+                                  scheme_false,
+                                  scheme_false);
+    } else
       return env->link_midx;
   } else
     return scheme_false;