diff --git a/src/vim9execute.c b/src/vim9execute.c
index eddb90f..a49d305 100644
--- a/src/vim9execute.c
+++ b/src/vim9execute.c
@@ -1297,6 +1297,7 @@
 #define STACK_TV_VAR(idx) (((typval_T *)ectx.ec_stack.ga_data) + ectx.ec_frame_idx + STACK_FRAME_SIZE + idx)
 
     if (ufunc->uf_def_status == UF_NOT_COMPILED
+	    || ufunc->uf_def_status == UF_COMPILE_ERROR
 	    || (func_needs_compiling(ufunc, PROFILING(ufunc))
 		&& compile_def_function(ufunc, FALSE, PROFILING(ufunc), NULL)
 								      == FAIL))