diff --git a/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/DottyBackendInterface.scala b/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/DottyBackendInterface.scala
index e39541e6cfb3..916ab32981a7 100644
--- a/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/DottyBackendInterface.scala
+++ b/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/DottyBackendInterface.scala
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@ class DottyBackendInterface()(implicit ctx: Context) extends BackendInterface{
     def isSynchronized: Boolean = sym is Flags.Synchronized
     def isNonBottomSubClass(other: Symbol): Boolean = sym.derivesFrom(other)
     def hasAnnotation(ann: Symbol): Boolean = toDenot(sym).hasAnnotation(ann)
-    def shouldEmitForwarders: Boolean =  //exitingPickler { !(sym.name.toString contains '$')
-      (sym is Flags.Module) && !(sym is Flags.ImplClass) /// !sym.isNestedClass
+    def shouldEmitForwarders: Boolean =
+      (sym is Flags.Module) && !(sym is Flags.ImplClass) && sym.isStatic
     def isJavaEntryPoint: Boolean = CollectEntryPoints.isJavaEntryPoint(sym)
 
     def isClassConstructor: Boolean = toDenot(sym).isClassConstructor
@@ -632,7 +632,16 @@ class DottyBackendInterface()(implicit ctx: Context) extends BackendInterface{
      * True for module classes of modules that are top-level or owned only by objects. Module classes
      * for such objects will get a MODULE$ flag and a corresponding static initializer.
      */
-    def isStaticModuleClass: Boolean = sym.isStatic && (sym is Flags.Module)
+    def isStaticModuleClass: Boolean =
+      (sym is Flags.Module) && {
+        // scalac uses atPickling here
+        // this would not work if modules are created after pickling
+        // for example by specialization
+        val original = toDenot(sym).initial
+        val validity = original.validFor
+        val shiftedContext = ctx.withPhase(validity.phaseId)
+        toDenot(sym)(shiftedContext).isStatic
+      }
 
     def isStaticConstructor: Boolean = isStaticMember && isClassConstructor