diff --git a/test/ruby/test_class.rb b/test/ruby/test_class.rb
index 5086e60398..d1d196c9af 100644
--- a/test/ruby/test_class.rb
+++ b/test/ruby/test_class.rb
@@ -355,6 +355,17 @@ class TestClass < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_equal(42, PrivateClass.new.foo)
   end
 
+  def test_private_const_access
+    assert_raise_with_message NameError, /uninitialized/ do
+      begin
+        eval('class ::TestClass::PrivateClass; end')
+      rescue NameError => e
+      end
+
+      Object.const_get "NOT_AVAILABLE_CONST_NAME_#{__LINE__}"
+    end
+  end
+
   StrClone = String.clone
   Class.new(StrClone)
 
diff --git a/variable.c b/variable.c
index 39568db24a..e8a66b0c36 100644
--- a/variable.c
+++ b/variable.c
@@ -2073,11 +2073,12 @@ rb_const_missing(VALUE klass, VALUE name)
 VALUE
 rb_mod_const_missing(VALUE klass, VALUE name)
 {
-    VALUE ref = GET_EC()->private_const_reference;
+    rb_execution_context_t *ec = GET_EC();
+    VALUE ref = ec->private_const_reference;
     rb_vm_pop_cfunc_frame();
     if (ref) {
-        rb_name_err_raise("private constant %2$s::%1$s referenced",
-                          ref, name);
+        ec->private_const_reference = 0;
+        rb_name_err_raise("private constant %2$s::%1$s referenced", ref, name);
     }
     uninitialized_constant(klass, name);