diff --git a/lib/core/locks.nim b/lib/core/locks.nim
index 068e7133ca..fbe9c8acfc 100644
--- a/lib/core/locks.nim
+++ b/lib/core/locks.nim
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 ## This module contains Nim's support for locks and condition vars.
 
+const insideRLocksModule = false
 include "system/syslocks"
 
 type
diff --git a/lib/system.nim b/lib/system.nim
index 03b9e158aa..bcb55fe487 100644
--- a/lib/system.nim
+++ b/lib/system.nim
@@ -2884,6 +2884,7 @@ when not defined(JS): #and not defined(nimscript):
   when declared(initAllocator):
     initAllocator()
   when hasThreadSupport:
+    const insideRLocksModule = false
     include "system/syslocks"
     when hostOS != "standalone": include "system/threads"
   elif not defined(nogc) and not defined(nimscript):
diff --git a/lib/system/syslocks.nim b/lib/system/syslocks.nim
index 07f6fe1677..1695deca13 100644
--- a/lib/system/syslocks.nim
+++ b/lib/system/syslocks.nim
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ else:
   proc initSysLock(L: var SysLock, attr: ptr SysLockAttr = nil) {.
     importc: "pthread_mutex_init", header: "<pthread.h>", noSideEffect.}
 
-  when compiles(insideRLocksModule):
+  when insideRLocksModule:
     proc SysLockType_Reentrant: SysLockType =
       {.emit: "`result` = PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE;".}
     proc initSysLockAttr(a: var SysLockAttr) {.
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ else:
   proc deinitSys(L: var SysLock) {.noSideEffect,
     importc: "pthread_mutex_destroy", header: "<pthread.h>".}
 
-  when not compiles(insideRLocksModule):
+  when not insideRLocksModule:
     proc initSysCond(cond: var SysCond, cond_attr: pointer = nil) {.
       importc: "pthread_cond_init", header: "<pthread.h>", noSideEffect.}
     proc waitSysCond(cond: var SysCond, lock: var SysLock) {.