diff --git a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
index ea4db4f516..20b1db25e6 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
@@ -3483,6 +3483,12 @@ proc expr(p: BProc, n: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
         var lit = newBuilder("")
         genLiteral(p, sym.astdef, sym.typ, lit)
         putIntoDest(p, d, n, extract(lit), OnStatic)
+      elif optCompress in p.config.globalOptions:
+        # With delayed codegen, we need to ensure the definition is generated
+        # not just the extern header declaration
+        requestConstImpl(p, sym)
+        assert((sym.loc.snippet != "") and (sym.loc.t != nil))
+        putLocIntoDest(p, d, sym.loc)
       elif delayedCodegen(p.module):
         genConstHeader(p.module, p.module, p, sym)
         assert((sym.loc.snippet != "") and (sym.loc.t != nil))