diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/ConstraintHandling.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/ConstraintHandling.scala
index bbe46c344890..4e2095ce1b65 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/ConstraintHandling.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/ConstraintHandling.scala
@@ -710,7 +710,19 @@ trait ConstraintHandling {
    *  than `maxLevel`.
    */
   def instanceType(param: TypeParamRef, fromBelow: Boolean, widenUnions: Boolean, maxLevel: Int)(using Context): Type = {
-    val approx = approximation(param, fromBelow, maxLevel).simplified
+    val addTypeVars = new TypeMap with cc.CaptureSet.IdempotentCaptRefMap:
+      val constraint = ctx.typerState.constraint
+      def apply(tp: Type): Type = tp match
+        case tp: TypeParamRef => constraint.typeVarOfParam(tp).orElse(tp)
+        case tp: AppliedType if tp.isMatchAlias =>
+          // this case appears necessary to compile
+          // tests/pos-custom-args/captures/matchtypes.scala
+          // under -language:experimental.captureChecking
+          typer.Inferencing.isFullyDefined(tp, typer.ForceDegree.all)
+          val normed = tp.tryNormalize
+          if normed.exists then apply(normed) else mapOver(tp)
+        case _ => mapOver(tp)
+    val approx = addTypeVars(approximation(param, fromBelow, maxLevel))
     if fromBelow then
       val widened = widenInferred(approx, param, widenUnions)
       // Widening can add extra constraints, in particular the widened type might
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/TypeOps.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/TypeOps.scala
index 5f63f4871c5f..6801ae671b1c 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/TypeOps.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/TypeOps.scala
@@ -149,9 +149,6 @@ object TypeOps:
           case _ =>
         val normed = tp.tryNormalize
         if normed.exists then simplify(normed, theMap) else tp.map(simplify(_, theMap))
-      case tp: TypeParamRef =>
-        val tvar = ctx.typerState.constraint.typeVarOfParam(tp)
-        if tvar.exists then tvar else tp
       case  _: ThisType | _: BoundType =>
         tp
       case tp: AliasingBounds =>
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/tasty/TreeUnpickler.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/tasty/TreeUnpickler.scala
index 7c0f1ac5518b..299e2eb4f168 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/tasty/TreeUnpickler.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/tasty/TreeUnpickler.scala
@@ -1464,22 +1464,7 @@ class TreeUnpickler(reader: TastyReader,
               val fst = readTpt()
               val (bound, scrut) =
                 if (nextUnsharedTag == CASEDEF) (EmptyTree, fst) else (fst, readTpt())
-              val tpt = MatchTypeTree(bound, scrut, readCases(end))
-              // If a match type definition can reduce (e.g. Id in i18261.min)
-              // then it's important to trigger that reduction
-              // before a TypeVar is added to the constraint,
-              // associated to the match type's type parameter.
-              // Otherwise, if the reduction is triggered with that constraint,
-              // the reduction will be simplified,
-              // at which point the TypeVar will replace the type parameter
-              // and then that TypeVar will be cached
-              // as the reduction of the match type definition!
-              //
-              // We also override the type, as that's what Typer does.
-              // The difference here is that a match type that reduces to a non-match type
-              // makes the TypeRef for that definition will have a TypeAlias info instead of a MatchAlias.
-              tpt.overwriteType(tpt.tpe.normalized)
-              tpt
+              MatchTypeTree(bound, scrut, readCases(end))
             case TYPEBOUNDStpt =>
               val lo = readTpt()
               val hi = if currentAddr == end then lo else readTpt()
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Main_0.scala b/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Main_0.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bf41c376a275
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Main_0.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+type MT[T, M] = M match { case VAL => T }
+
+class Foo[A]
+object Foo:
+  given inst[X, Y <: MT[X, VAL]]: Foo[Y] = new Foo[Y]
+
+trait VAL
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Test_1.scala b/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Test_1.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..24536da598d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18261.bis.min/Test_1.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+class Test:
+  def test: Unit =
+    summon[Foo[Int]]
+    summon[Foo[Long]]
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18261.bis/DFBits_0.scala b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/DFBits_0.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0313faf04523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/DFBits_0.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+trait DFBits[W <: Int]
+
+trait Candidate[R]:
+  type OutW <: Int
+object Candidate:
+  given [W <: Int, R <: Foo[DFBits[W], VAL]]: Candidate[R] with
+    type OutW = W
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Foo_0.scala b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Foo_0.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..47dd67b0984d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Foo_0.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+trait VAL
+
+type Foo[T, M] = M match
+  case VAL => T
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Test_1.scala b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Test_1.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3b91847e3326
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18261.bis/Test_1.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+def baz[L](lhs: L)(using icL: Candidate[L]): DFBits[Int] = ???
+object Test:
+  val x: DFBits[8] = ???
+  val z: DFBits[Int] = baz(x)
+  summon[Candidate[z.type]]