diff --git a/Compiler/test/invalidation.jl b/Compiler/test/invalidation.jl
index b77c7677e6987..2642c1647a682 100644
--- a/Compiler/test/invalidation.jl
+++ b/Compiler/test/invalidation.jl
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ let mi = Base.method_instance(basic_caller, (Float64,))
 end
 
 # this redefinition below should invalidate the cache
-const BASIC_CALLER_WORLD = Base.get_world_counter()+1
+const BASIC_CALLER_WORLD = Base.get_world_counter()
 basic_callee(x) = x, x
 @test !isdefined(Base.method_instance(basic_callee, (Float64,)), :cache)
 let mi = Base.method_instance(basic_caller, (Float64,))
diff --git a/src/toplevel.c b/src/toplevel.c
index aff881481c0ae..dee9029e2feb7 100644
--- a/src/toplevel.c
+++ b/src/toplevel.c
@@ -784,7 +784,10 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT jl_binding_partition_t *jl_declare_constant_val3(
             break;
         }
     }
-    bpart->min_world = new_world;
+    // N.B.: This backdates the first definition of the constant to world age 0 for backwards compatibility
+    // TODO: Mark this specially with a separate partition.
+    if (bpart->min_world != 0)
+        bpart->min_world = new_world;
     JL_GC_POP();
     return bpart;
 }
diff --git a/test/worlds.jl b/test/worlds.jl
index 025aaba6cea4f..8bc96f8303aef 100644
--- a/test/worlds.jl
+++ b/test/worlds.jl
@@ -115,15 +115,15 @@ wc265_41332a = Task(tls_world_age)
     global wc265_41332d = Task(tls_world_age)
     nothing
 end)()
-@test wc265 + 4 == get_world_counter() == tls_world_age()
+@test wc265 + 3 == get_world_counter() == tls_world_age()
 schedule(wc265_41332a)
 schedule(wc265_41332b)
 schedule(wc265_41332c)
 schedule(wc265_41332d)
 @test wc265 == fetch(wc265_41332a)
-@test wc265 + 2 == fetch(wc265_41332b)
-@test wc265 + 4 == fetch(wc265_41332c)
-@test wc265 + 2 == fetch(wc265_41332d)
+@test wc265 + 1 == fetch(wc265_41332b)
+@test wc265 + 3 == fetch(wc265_41332c)
+@test wc265 + 1 == fetch(wc265_41332d)
 chnls, tasks = Base.channeled_tasks(2, wfunc)
 t265 = tasks[1]