diff --git a/src/lread.c b/src/lread.c
index b1b109315f9..b5eeb55bb70 100644
--- a/src/lread.c
+++ b/src/lread.c
@@ -3496,7 +3496,7 @@ bytecode_from_rev_list (Lisp_Object elems, Lisp_Object readcharfun)
   Lisp_Object *vec = XVECTOR (obj)->contents;
   ptrdiff_t size = ASIZE (obj);
 
-  if (size >= COMPILED_CONSTANTS)
+  if (infile && size >= COMPILED_CONSTANTS)
     {
       /* Always read 'lazily-loaded' bytecode (generated by the
          `byte-compile-dynamic' feature prior to Emacs 30) eagerly, to