diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index ce4768631..02b824dff 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ Search the manual for these identifiers and modules, for more.
 ** Fix erroneous check in `set-procedure-properties!'.
 ** Fix generalized-vector-{ref,set!} for slices.
 ** Fix error messages involving definition forms.
+** Fix primitive-eval to return #<unspecified> for definitions.
 ** HTTP: Extend handling of "Cache-Control" header.
 ** HTTP: Fix qstring writing of cache-extension values
 ** HTTP: Fix validators for various list-style headers.
diff --git a/module/ice-9/eval.scm b/module/ice-9/eval.scm
index c0fa64c90..74b85329d 100644
--- a/module/ice-9/eval.scm
+++ b/module/ice-9/eval.scm
@@ -428,7 +428,8 @@
          (let ((x (eval x env)))
            (if (and (procedure? x) (not (procedure-property x 'name)))
                (set-procedure-property! x 'name name))
-           (define! name x)))
+           (define! name x)
+           (if #f #f)))
       
         (('toplevel-set! (var-or-sym . x))
          (variable-set!
diff --git a/test-suite/tests/eval.test b/test-suite/tests/eval.test
index b0bfd4c44..a5fbfece2 100644
--- a/test-suite/tests/eval.test
+++ b/test-suite/tests/eval.test
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@
 
 (with-test-prefix "evaluator"
 
+  (pass-if "definitions return #<unspecified>"
+    (eq? (primitive-eval '(define test-var 'foo))
+         (if #f #f)))
+
   (with-test-prefix "symbol lookup"
 
     (with-test-prefix "top level"