diff --git a/compiler/ast.nim b/compiler/ast.nim
index ff0e01adc9..c003db0002 100644
--- a/compiler/ast.nim
+++ b/compiler/ast.nim
@@ -296,7 +296,8 @@ proc incl*(s: PSym; flags: set[TSymFlag]) {.inline.} =
   s.flagsImpl.incl(flags)
 
 proc incl*(s: PSym; flag: TLocFlag) {.inline.} =
-  assert s.state != Sealed
+  #assert s.state != Sealed
+  # locImpl is a backend field so do not protect it against mutations
   if s.state == Partial: loadSym(s)
   s.locImpl.flags.incl(flag)
 
diff --git a/compiler/ast2nif.nim b/compiler/ast2nif.nim
index 57a30a8e0d..1cc8ff2cbe 100644
--- a/compiler/ast2nif.nim
+++ b/compiler/ast2nif.nim
@@ -717,6 +717,16 @@ proc writeNifModule*(config: ConfigRef; thisModule: int32; n: PNode;
   # do not write the (stmts .. ) wrapper:
   for i in 3 ..< content.len-1:
     dest.add content[i]
+
+  # ensure the hooks we announced end up in the NIF file regardless of
+  # whether they have been used:
+  for op in opsLog:
+    if op.module == thisModule.int:
+      let s = op.sym
+      if s.state != Sealed:
+        s.state = Sealed
+        writeSymDef w, dest, s
+
   dest.addParRi()
 
   writeFile(dest, d)
diff --git a/compiler/cgen.nim b/compiler/cgen.nim
index cc54b515b6..62ea950263 100644
--- a/compiler/cgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/cgen.nim
@@ -68,11 +68,17 @@ proc findPendingModule(m: BModule, s: PSym): BModule =
   if m.config.symbolFiles == v2Sf or optCompress in m.config.globalOptions:
     let ms = s.itemId.module  #getModule(s)
     result = m.g.modules[ms]
+  elif m.config.cmd in {cmdNifC, cmdM}:
+    var ms = getModule(s)
+    if ms.position >= m.g.modules.len:
+      result = newModule(m.g, ms, m.config, idGeneratorFromModule(ms))
+    else:
+      result = m.g.modules[ms.position]
+      if result == nil:
+        result = newModule(m.g, ms, m.config, idGeneratorFromModule(ms))
   else:
     var ms = getModule(s)
     result = m.g.modules[ms.position]
-    if result == nil:
-      result = newModule(m.g, ms, m.config, idGeneratorFromModule(ms))
 
 proc initLoc(k: TLocKind, lode: PNode, s: TStorageLoc, flags: TLocFlags = {}): TLoc =
   result = TLoc(k: k, storage: s, lode: lode,