diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index a1da941f34c31..8c0c1a319d0e5 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -2717,7 +2717,7 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
              (if (not local?) ;; not a local function; will not be closure converted to a new type
                  (cond (short e)
                        ((null? cvs)
-                        `(toplevel-butlast
+                        `(block
                           ,@sp-inits
                           (method ,name ,(cl-convert sig fname lam namemap toplevel interp)
                                   (lambda ,(cadr lam2)
@@ -2739,7 +2739,7 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
                                                              (car vi)))
                                                 (list ,@(cadr vi)) ,(caddr vi) (list ,@(cadddr vi)))
                                           ,@(cdddr newlam))))
-                          `(toplevel-butlast
+                          `(block
                             ,@top-stmts
                             ,@sp-inits
                             (method ,name ,(cl-convert sig fname lam namemap toplevel interp)
diff --git a/test/core.jl b/test/core.jl
index 774a81985af7b..69058b2bf42a2 100644
--- a/test/core.jl
+++ b/test/core.jl
@@ -3749,3 +3749,11 @@ end
 @noinline function f15425(x)
 end
 @test f15425(1) === nothing
+
+# issue #15809 --- TODO: this code should be disallowed
+function f15809()
+    global g15809
+    g15809{T}(x::T) = T
+end
+f15809()
+@test g15809(2) === Int