diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Denotations.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Denotations.scala
index a9eb9f56caaf..4b857d1f3102 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Denotations.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Denotations.scala
@@ -295,13 +295,10 @@ object Denotations {
                       (p: Symbol => Boolean)
                       (using Context): Symbol =
       disambiguate(p) match {
-        case m @ MissingRef(ownerd, name) =>
-          if (generateStubs) {
-            if (ctx.settings.YdebugMissingRefs.value) m.ex.printStackTrace()
-            newStubSymbol(ownerd.symbol, name, source)
-          }
-          else NoSymbol
-        case NoDenotation | _: NoQualifyingRef =>
+        case m @ MissingRef(ownerd, name) if generateStubs =>
+          if ctx.settings.YdebugMissingRefs.value then m.ex.printStackTrace()
+          newStubSymbol(ownerd.symbol, name, source)
+        case NoDenotation | _: NoQualifyingRef | _: MissingRef =>
           def argStr = if (args.isEmpty) "" else i" matching ($args%, %)"
           val msg =
             if (site.exists) i"$site does not have a member $kind $name$argStr"
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Symbols.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Symbols.scala
index 5f160a282041..7eaa1f411e07 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Symbols.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Symbols.scala
@@ -908,13 +908,11 @@ object Symbols {
   def requiredClassRef(path: PreName)(using Context): TypeRef = requiredClass(path).typeRef
 
   /** Get ClassSymbol if class is either defined in current compilation run
-   *  or present on classpath.
-   *  Returns NoSymbol otherwise. */
-  def getClassIfDefined(path: PreName)(using Context): Symbol = {
-    val name = path.toTypeName
-    staticRef(name, generateStubs = false)
-      .requiredSymbol("class", name, generateStubs = false)(_.isClass)
-  }
+   *  or present on classpath. Returns NoSymbol otherwise.
+   */
+  def getClassIfDefined(path: PreName)(using Context): Symbol =
+    staticRef(path.toTypeName, generateStubs = false)
+      .disambiguate(_.isClass).symbol
 
   /** Get a List of ClassSymbols which are either defined in current compilation
    *  run or present on classpath.
@@ -923,13 +921,11 @@ object Symbols {
     paths.map(getClassIfDefined).filter(_.exists).map(_.asInstanceOf[ClassSymbol])
 
   /** Get ClassSymbol if package is either defined in current compilation run
-   *  or present on classpath.
-   *  Returns NoSymbol otherwise. */
-  def getPackageClassIfDefined(path: PreName)(using Context): Symbol = {
-    val name = path.toTypeName
-    staticRef(name, isPackage = true, generateStubs = false)
-      .requiredSymbol("package", name, generateStubs = false)(_ is PackageClass)
-  }
+   *  or present on classpath. Returns NoSymbol otherwise.
+   */
+  def getPackageClassIfDefined(path: PreName)(using Context): Symbol =
+    staticRef(path.toTypeName, isPackage = true, generateStubs = false)
+      .disambiguate(_ is PackageClass).symbol
 
   def requiredModule(path: PreName)(using Context): TermSymbol = {
     val name = path.toTermName