diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
index c251b668c32d..be85cecfd548 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
@@ -962,8 +962,16 @@ class Definitions {
       name.length > prefix.length &&
       name.drop(prefix.length).forall(_.isDigit))
 
-  def isBottomClass(cls: Symbol) = cls == NothingClass
-  def isBottomType(tp: Type) = tp.derivesFrom(NothingClass)
+  def isBottomClass(cls: Symbol) = {
+    // After erasure, reference types become nullable again.
+    if (ctx.phaseId <= ctx.erasurePhase.id) cls == NothingClass
+    else cls == NothingClass || cls == NullClass
+  }
+  def isBottomType(tp: Type) = {
+    // After erasure, reference types become nullable again.
+    if (ctx.phaseId <= ctx.erasurePhase.id) tp.derivesFrom(NothingClass)
+    else tp.derivesFrom(NothingClass) || tp.derivesFrom(NullClass)
+  }
 
   /** Is a function class.
    *   - FunctionN for N >= 0
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/SymDenotations.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/SymDenotations.scala
index b772ba009d8a..aa15aa043775 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/SymDenotations.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/SymDenotations.scala
@@ -657,8 +657,12 @@ object SymDenotations {
     }
 
     /** Is this symbol a class with nullable values? */
-    final def isNullableClass(implicit ctx: Context): Boolean =
-      symbol == defn.NullClass || symbol == defn.AnyRefAlias || symbol == defn.AnyClass
+    final def isNullableClass(implicit ctx: Context): Boolean = {
+      // After erasure, reference types become nullable again.
+      if (ctx.phaseId <= ctx.erasurePhase.id) symbol == defn.NullClass || symbol == defn.AnyRefAlias || symbol == defn.AnyClass
+      else isClass && !isValueClass && !is(ModuleClass) && symbol != defn.NothingClass
+    }
+
 
     /** Is this definition accessible as a member of tree with type `pre`?
      *  @param pre          The type of the tree from which the selection is made
diff --git a/tests/pos/i536.scala b/tests/pos/i536.scala
index 49d8f6058be3..1ea41d9e9da9 100644
--- a/tests/pos/i536.scala
+++ b/tests/pos/i536.scala
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ trait Comp[T]
 trait Coll[T]
 class C extends Comp[C]
 object Max {
-  def max[M <: Comp[_ >: M]](x: Coll[_ <: M] | Null): M = ???
+  def max[M <: Comp[_ >: M]](x: Coll[_ <: M]): M = ???
   def max[M](x: Coll[_ <: M], cmp: Object): M = ???
   val xs: Coll[C] = ???
   val m1 = max(xs)
-  val m2 = max(null)
+  val m2 = max(???)
 
   java.util.Collections.max(null)
 }