diff --git a/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm b/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
index 0fe444567..c18d2b8a9 100644
--- a/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
+++ b/module/language/tree-il/primitives.scm
@@ -255,14 +255,17 @@
   (define local-definitions
     (make-hash-table))
 
-  (let collect-local-definitions ((x x))
-    (record-case x
-      ((<toplevel-define> name)
-       (hashq-set! local-definitions name #t))
-      ((<seq> head tail)
-       (collect-local-definitions head)
-       (collect-local-definitions tail))
-      (else #f)))
+  ;; Assume that any definitions with primitive names in the root module
+  ;; have the same semantics as the primitives.
+  (unless (eq? mod the-root-module)
+    (let collect-local-definitions ((x x))
+      (record-case x
+        ((<toplevel-define> name)
+         (hashq-set! local-definitions name #t))
+        ((<seq> head tail)
+         (collect-local-definitions head)
+         (collect-local-definitions tail))
+        (else #f))))
   
   (post-order
    (lambda (x)