diff --git a/compiler/importer.nim b/compiler/importer.nim
index acca2c6449..9d073fa8fa 100644
--- a/compiler/importer.nim
+++ b/compiler/importer.nim
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ template addUnnamedIt(c: PContext, fromMod: PSym; filter: untyped) {.dirty.} =
 
 proc importAllSymbolsExcept(c: PContext, fromMod: PSym, exceptSet: IntSet) =
   c.addImport ImportedModule(m: fromMod, mode: importExcept, exceptSet: exceptSet)
-  addUnnamedIt(c, fromMod, it.sym.id notin exceptSet)
+  addUnnamedIt(c, fromMod, it.sym.name.id notin exceptSet)
 
 proc importAllSymbols*(c: PContext, fromMod: PSym) =
   c.addImport ImportedModule(m: fromMod, mode: importAll)
diff --git a/tests/converter/m18986.nim b/tests/converter/m18986.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0ebf343aed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/converter/m18986.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import std/macros
+
+converter Lit*(x: uint): NimNode = newLit(x)
diff --git a/tests/converter/t18986.nim b/tests/converter/t18986.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef300fa49c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/converter/t18986.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+discard """
+  output: "Found a 0"
+"""
+
+import m18986 except Lit
+import std/macros
+
+# bug #18986
+var x = 0.uint
+echo "Found a ", x