diff --git a/collects/racket/sandbox.rkt b/collects/racket/sandbox.rkt
index 990d4176d9..9b3068f701 100644
--- a/collects/racket/sandbox.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/sandbox.rkt
@@ -897,6 +897,9 @@
        ,@(sandbox-path-permissions))]
     ;; general info
     [current-command-line-arguments '#()]
+    ;; prevent a potential value here from messing up creating the sandboxed
+    ;; module
+    [current-module-declare-name #f]
     ;; restrict the sandbox context from this point
     [current-security-guard
      (let ([g (sandbox-security-guard)]) (if (security-guard? g) g (g)))]
diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/sandbox.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/sandbox.rktl
index 61a5285941..a17f1ca595 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/sandbox.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/sandbox.rktl
@@ -500,4 +500,11 @@
 
    ))
 
+(parameterize ([current-module-declare-name (make-resolved-module-path 'junk)])
+  (define (avoid-module-declare-name)
+    (with-handlers ([exn? (lambda (_) #f)])
+      (kill-evaluator (make-evaluator 'racket/base))
+      #t))
+  (test #t avoid-module-declare-name))
+
 (report-errs)