diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/Staging.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/Staging.scala
index 33b7e6570cd2..103c9ad72fe8 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/Staging.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/Staging.scala
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ class Staging extends MacroTransform {
      */
     private def checkSymLevel(sym: Symbol, tp: Type, pos: SourcePosition)(implicit ctx: Context): Option[Tree] = {
       val isThis = tp.isInstanceOf[ThisType]
-      if (!isThis && sym.maybeOwner.isType && !sym.is(Param))
-        checkSymLevel(sym.owner, sym.owner.thisType, pos)
+      if (!isThis && !sym.is(Param) && sym.maybeOwner.isType)
+        None
       else if (sym.exists && !sym.isStaticOwner && !levelOK(sym))
         tryHeal(sym, tp, pos)
       else
diff --git a/tests/neg/i5954.scala b/tests/neg/i5954.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e20b33850bdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/neg/i5954.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+abstract class MatcherFactory1 {
+  class AndNotWord
+}
+
+object MatcherFactory1 {
+  import scala.quoted._
+
+  def impl2(a: MatcherFactory1)(self: Expr[a.AndNotWord]) =
+  '{ ~self } // error: access to value a from wrong staging level
+}
diff --git a/tests/pos/i5954.scala b/tests/pos/i5954.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eafc053e6b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i5954.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+abstract class MatcherFactory1 {
+  class AndNotWord
+}
+
+object MatcherFactory1 {
+  import scala.quoted._
+
+  def impl(self: Expr[MatcherFactory1#AndNotWord]) =
+    '{ ~self }
+
+
+  def impl2[T: Type](a: MatcherFactory1)(self: Expr[T])(implicit ev: T =:= a.AndNotWord) =
+    '{ ~self }
+
+}