diff --git a/compiler/vm.nim b/compiler/vm.nim
index 161b025a65..93d2f9daed 100644
--- a/compiler/vm.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm.nim
@@ -2332,9 +2332,17 @@ proc execProc*(c: PCtx; sym: PSym; args: openArray[PNode]): PNode =
     localError(c.config, sym.info,
       "NimScript: attempt to call non-routine: " & sym.name.s)
 
+proc errorNode(idgen: IdGenerator; owner: PSym, n: PNode): PNode =
+  result = newNodeI(nkEmpty, n.info)
+  result.typ = newType(tyError, idgen, owner)
+  result.typ.flags.incl tfCheckedForDestructor
+
 proc evalStmt*(c: PCtx, n: PNode) =
   let n = transformExpr(c.graph, c.idgen, c.module, n)
   let start = genStmt(c, n)
+  if c.cannotEval:
+    c.cannotEval = false
+    return
   # execute new instructions; this redundant opcEof check saves us lots
   # of allocations in 'execute':
   if c.code[start].opcode != opcEof:
@@ -2345,7 +2353,10 @@ proc evalExpr*(c: PCtx, n: PNode): PNode =
   # `nim --eval:"expr"` might've used it at some point for idetools; could
   # be revived for nimsuggest
   let n = transformExpr(c.graph, c.idgen, c.module, n)
+  c.cannotEval = false
   let start = genExpr(c, n)
+  if c.cannotEval:
+    return errorNode(c.idgen, c.module, n)
   assert c.code[start].opcode != opcEof
   result = execute(c, start)
 
@@ -2398,7 +2409,10 @@ proc evalConstExprAux(module: PSym; idgen: IdGenerator;
   var c = PCtx g.vm
   let oldMode = c.mode
   c.mode = mode
+  c.cannotEval = false
   let start = genExpr(c, n, requiresValue = mode!=emStaticStmt)
+  if c.cannotEval:
+    return errorNode(idgen, prc, n)
   if c.code[start].opcode == opcEof: return newNodeI(nkEmpty, n.info)
   assert c.code[start].opcode != opcEof
   when debugEchoCode: c.echoCode start
@@ -2469,11 +2483,6 @@ iterator genericParamsInMacroCall*(macroSym: PSym, call: PNode): (PSym, PNode) =
 # to prevent endless recursion in macro instantiation
 const evalMacroLimit = 1000
 
-#proc errorNode(idgen: IdGenerator; owner: PSym, n: PNode): PNode =
-#  result = newNodeI(nkEmpty, n.info)
-#  result.typ = newType(tyError, idgen, owner)
-#  result.typ.flags.incl tfCheckedForDestructor
-
 proc evalMacroCall*(module: PSym; idgen: IdGenerator; g: ModuleGraph; templInstCounter: ref int;
                     n, nOrig: PNode, sym: PSym): PNode =
   #if g.config.errorCounter > 0: return errorNode(idgen, module, n)
@@ -2497,7 +2506,10 @@ proc evalMacroCall*(module: PSym; idgen: IdGenerator; g: ModuleGraph; templInstC
   c.comesFromHeuristic.line = 0'u16
   c.callsite = nOrig
   c.templInstCounter = templInstCounter
+  c.cannotEval = false
   let start = genProc(c, sym)
+  if c.cannotEval:
+    return errorNode(idgen, module, n)
 
   var tos = PStackFrame(prc: sym, comesFrom: 0, next: nil)
   let maxSlots = sym.offset
diff --git a/compiler/vmdef.nim b/compiler/vmdef.nim
index bdb0aeed15..42e58c63b8 100644
--- a/compiler/vmdef.nim
+++ b/compiler/vmdef.nim
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ type
     templInstCounter*: ref int # gives every template instantiation a unique ID, needed here for getAst
     vmstateDiff*: seq[(PSym, PNode)] # we remember the "diff" to global state here (feature for IC)
     procToCodePos*: Table[int, int]
+    cannotEval*: bool
 
   PStackFrame* = ref TStackFrame
   TStackFrame* {.acyclic.} = object
diff --git a/compiler/vmgen.nim b/compiler/vmgen.nim
index 0c7a49984f..ddb877d93a 100644
--- a/compiler/vmgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/vmgen.nim
@@ -1545,6 +1545,7 @@ template cannotEval(c: PCtx; n: PNode) =
   if c.config.cmd == cmdCheck:
     localError(c.config, n.info, "cannot evaluate at compile time: " & 
     n.renderTree)
+    c.cannotEval = true
     return
   globalError(c.config, n.info, "cannot evaluate at compile time: " &
     n.renderTree)