diff --git a/racket/src/expander/eval/module.rkt b/racket/src/expander/eval/module.rkt
index ca9254551d..220676f861 100644
--- a/racket/src/expander/eval/module.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/expander/eval/module.rkt
@@ -190,8 +190,16 @@
 
                                    (define module-body-instance-instance
                                      (make-module-body-instance-instance
-                                      #:set-transformer! (lambda (name val)
-                                                           (namespace-set-transformer! ns (sub1 phase-level) name val))))
+                                      #:set-transformer! (cond
+                                                          [(zero-phase? phase-level)
+                                                           (lambda (name val)
+                                                             (error 'define-syntax "should not happen at phase level 0"))]
+                                                          [(zero-phase? (phase+ phase-shift phase-level))
+                                                           ;; No use for phase -1 bindings
+                                                           (lambda (name val) (void))]
+                                                          [else
+                                                           (lambda (name val)
+                                                             (namespace-set-transformer! ns (sub1 phase-level) name val))])))
 
                                    (define (instantiate-body)
                                      (instantiate-linklet phase-linklet
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/src/startup.inc b/racket/src/racket/src/startup.inc
index 51e3106534..2cdd0218a6 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/src/startup.inc
+++ b/racket/src/racket/src/startup.inc
@@ -37864,14 +37864,37 @@ static const char *startup_source =
 "(values))))"
 "(let-values(((module-body-instance-instance_0)"
 "(let-values(((temp52_0)"
+"(if(zero-phase?"
+" phase-level_0)"
+"(let-values()"
 "(lambda(name_0"
 " val_0)"
+"(begin"
+" 'temp52"
+"(error"
+" 'define-syntax"
+"                                                                                                                                                                         \"should not happen at phase level 0\"))))"
+"(if(zero-phase?"
+"(phase+"
+" phase-shift_0"
+" phase-level_0))"
+"(let-values()"
+"(lambda(name_0"
+" val_0)"
+"(begin"
+" 'temp52"
+"(void))))"
+"(let-values()"
+"(lambda(name_0"
+" val_0)"
+"(begin"
+" 'temp52"
 "(namespace-set-transformer!"
 " ns_2"
 "(sub1"
 " phase-level_0)"
 " name_0"
-" val_0))))"
+" val_0))))))))"
 "(make-module-body-instance-instance18.1"
 " temp52_0))))"
 "(let-values(((instantiate-body_0)"