diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/macro.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/macro.rktl
index cdfc23b9ae..44d070bcd9 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/macro.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/macro.rktl
@@ -736,4 +736,8 @@
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
+(err/rt-test (syntax-local-lift-require 'abc #'def))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------
+
 (report-errs)
diff --git a/src/racket/src/env.c b/src/racket/src/env.c
index c5af6c9cc3..912b3d9e10 100644
--- a/src/racket/src/env.c
+++ b/src/racket/src/env.c
@@ -2573,11 +2573,12 @@ static Scheme_Object *local_lift_require(int argc, Scheme_Object *argv[])
 
   env = scheme_current_thread->current_local_env;
   local_mark = scheme_current_thread->current_local_mark;
-  phase = env->genv->phase;
 
   if (!env)
     not_currently_transforming("syntax-local-lift-require");
 
+  phase = env->genv->phase;
+
   return scheme_local_lift_require(argv[0], argv[1], phase, local_mark, env);
 }