diff --git a/src/boot/boot.janet b/src/boot/boot.janet
index 13c1daa0..0ef6ce78 100644
--- a/src/boot/boot.janet
+++ b/src/boot/boot.janet
@@ -1113,7 +1113,8 @@
   (def fmt-2 (if (or (neg? l) (neg? c)) ":" (string/format " on line %d, column %d:" l c)))
   (def fmt (string fmt-1 fmt-2 " %j is "))
   (def s (gensym))
-  ~(let [,s ,x]
+  ~(upscope
+     (def ,s ,x)
      (,eprinf ,fmt ',x)
      (,eprintf (,dyn :pretty-format "%q") ,s)
      ,s))
diff --git a/test/suite0007.janet b/test/suite0007.janet
index edf16598..d821fa1a 100644
--- a/test/suite0007.janet
+++ b/test/suite0007.janet
@@ -320,4 +320,8 @@
   (array/push a x))
 (assert (deep= (range 4) a) "eachk 1")
 
+
+(tracev (def my-unique-var-name true))
+(assert my-unique-var-name "tracev upscopes")
+
 (end-suite)