diff --git a/cue/testdata/builtins/matchn.txtar b/cue/testdata/builtins/matchn.txtar
index 239141b5ba7..ba1af3377a1 100644
--- a/cue/testdata/builtins/matchn.txtar
+++ b/cue/testdata/builtins/matchn.txtar
@@ -112,16 +112,35 @@ allOf: {
 
 	multiple1OK1: 15
 }
+
+bare: {
+	embed: t1: {
+		a: {matchN(1, [>10])}
+		b: {a}
+	}
+	embed: t2: {
+		b: {a}
+		a: {matchN(1, [>10])}
+	}
+	direct: t1: {
+		a: matchN(1, [>10])
+		b: a
+	}
+	direct: t2: {
+		b: a
+		a: matchN(1, [>10])
+	}
+}
 -- out/eval/stats --
-Leaks:  3
-Freed:  505
-Reused: 497
-Allocs: 11
-Retain: 40
+Leaks:  8
+Freed:  535
+Reused: 530
+Allocs: 13
+Retain: 52
 
-Unifications: 496
-Conjuncts:    859
-Disjuncts:    545
+Unifications: 531
+Conjuncts:    918
+Disjuncts:    585
 -- out/eval --
 Errors:
 match.singleErr: invalid value {a:"foo"} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [{a:int}])): 0 matched, expected 1:
@@ -172,6 +191,22 @@ allOf.multiple1Err3: invalid value 5 (does not satisfy matchN(2, [math.MultipleO
     ./in.cue:106:20
     ./in.cue:106:27
     ./in.cue:110:17
+bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:117:7
+    ./in.cue:117:6
+    ./in.cue:117:14
+bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:117:7
+    ./in.cue:117:14
+    ./in.cue:118:6
+bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:122:7
+    ./in.cue:122:6
+    ./in.cue:122:14
+bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:122:7
+    ./in.cue:121:6
+    ./in.cue:122:14
 
 Result:
 (_|_){
@@ -340,6 +375,64 @@ Result:
     }
     multiple1OK1: (int){ 15 }
   }
+  bare: (_|_){
+    // [eval]
+    embed: (_|_){
+      // [eval]
+      t1: (_|_){
+        // [eval]
+        a: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:117:7
+          //     ./in.cue:117:6
+          //     ./in.cue:117:14
+        }
+        b: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:117:7
+          //     ./in.cue:117:14
+          //     ./in.cue:118:6
+        }
+      }
+      t2: (_|_){
+        // [eval]
+        b: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:122:7
+          //     ./in.cue:121:6
+          //     ./in.cue:122:14
+        }
+        a: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:122:7
+          //     ./in.cue:122:6
+          //     ./in.cue:122:14
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    direct: (struct){
+      t1: (struct){
+        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (_|_){// >10
+            }
+          }) }
+        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (_|_){// >10
+            }
+          }) }
+      }
+      t2: (struct){
+        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (_|_){// >10
+            }
+          }) }
+        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (_|_){// >10
+            }
+          }) }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 -- out/evalalpha --
 Errors:
@@ -385,6 +478,18 @@ allOf.multiple1Err3: invalid value 5 (does not satisfy matchN(2, [math.MultipleO
     ./in.cue:106:20
     ./in.cue:106:27
     ./in.cue:110:17
+bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:117:7
+    ./in.cue:117:14
+bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:117:7
+    ./in.cue:117:14
+bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:122:7
+    ./in.cue:122:14
+bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+    ./in.cue:122:7
+    ./in.cue:122:14
 
 Result:
 (_|_){
@@ -546,6 +651,56 @@ Result:
     }
     multiple1OK1: (int){ 15 }
   }
+  bare: (_|_){
+    // [eval]
+    embed: (_|_){
+      // [eval]
+      t1: (_|_){
+        // [eval]
+        a: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:117:7
+          //     ./in.cue:117:14
+        }
+        b: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:117:7
+          //     ./in.cue:117:14
+        }
+      }
+      t2: (_|_){
+        // [eval]
+        b: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:122:7
+          //     ./in.cue:122:14
+        }
+        a: (_|_){
+          // [eval] bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+          //     ./in.cue:122:7
+          //     ./in.cue:122:14
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    direct: (struct){
+      t1: (struct){
+        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (number){ >10 }
+          }) }
+        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (number){ >10 }
+          }) }
+      }
+      t2: (struct){
+        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (number){ >10 }
+          }) }
+        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+            0: (number){ >10 }
+          }) }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 -- diff/-out/evalalpha<==>+out/eval --
 diff old new
@@ -580,7 +735,27 @@ diff old new
  oneOf.multiple1Err1: invalid value 1 (does not satisfy matchN(1, [math.MultipleOf(3),math.MultipleOf(5)])): 0 matched, expected 1:
      ./in.cue:84:20
      ./in.cue:84:27
-@@ -63,7 +57,6 @@
+@@ -49,19 +43,15 @@
+     ./in.cue:110:17
+ bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+     ./in.cue:117:7
+-    ./in.cue:117:6
+     ./in.cue:117:14
+ bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+     ./in.cue:117:7
+     ./in.cue:117:14
+-    ./in.cue:118:6
+ bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+     ./in.cue:122:7
+-    ./in.cue:122:6
+     ./in.cue:122:14
+ bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+     ./in.cue:122:7
+-    ./in.cue:121:6
+     ./in.cue:122:14
+ 
+ Result:
+@@ -79,7 +69,6 @@
        // [eval] match.singleErr: invalid value {a:"foo"} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [{a:int}])): 0 matched, expected 1:
        //     ./in.cue:8:17
        //     ./in.cue:8:24
@@ -588,7 +763,7 @@ diff old new
        a: (string){ "foo" }
      }
      incompleteOK: (struct){
-@@ -73,7 +66,6 @@
+@@ -89,7 +78,6 @@
        // [eval] match.incompleteErr: invalid value {a:string} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [{a:int}])): 0 matched, expected 1:
        //     ./in.cue:12:21
        //     ./in.cue:12:28
@@ -596,7 +771,7 @@ diff old new
        a: (string){ string }
      }
      #A: (#struct){
-@@ -86,8 +78,7 @@
+@@ -102,8 +90,7 @@
              0: (int){ 2 }
            }), int) }) }
        pickTopOK2: (int){ &(matchN(1, (#list){
@@ -606,7 +781,7 @@ diff old new
          }), int) }
        pickTopErr: (int){ &(matchN(1, (#list){
            0: (int){ 2 }
-@@ -102,7 +93,6 @@
+@@ -118,7 +105,6 @@
          // [eval] match.defaults.pickNested1Err: invalid value {a:*3 | int} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [{a:2}])): 0 matched, expected 1:
          //     ./in.cue:36:23
          //     ./in.cue:36:30
@@ -614,7 +789,7 @@ diff old new
          a: (int){ |(*(int){ 3 }, (int){ int }) }
        }
        pickNested2OK1: (struct){
-@@ -115,7 +105,6 @@
+@@ -131,7 +117,6 @@
          // [eval] match.defaults.pickNested2Err: invalid value {a:*3 | int} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [{a:<=2}])): 0 matched, expected 1:
          //     ./in.cue:41:23
          //     ./in.cue:41:30
@@ -622,7 +797,7 @@ diff old new
          a: (int){ |(*(int){ 3 }, (int){ int }) }
        }
      }
-@@ -150,7 +139,6 @@
+@@ -166,7 +151,6 @@
        // [eval] not.singleErr: invalid value {a:2} (does not satisfy matchN(0, [{a:int}])): 1 matched, expected 0:
        //     ./in.cue:74:17
        //     ./in.cue:74:24
@@ -630,7 +805,7 @@ diff old new
        a: (int){ 2 }
      }
      doubleOK: (struct){
-@@ -157,10 +145,9 @@
+@@ -173,10 +157,9 @@
        a: (int){ 2 }
      }
      doubleErr: (_|_){
@@ -642,6 +817,67 @@ diff old new
        a: (string){ "foo" }
      }
    }
+@@ -240,7 +223,6 @@
+         a: (_|_){
+           // [eval] bare.embed.t1.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+           //     ./in.cue:117:7
+-          //     ./in.cue:117:6
+           //     ./in.cue:117:14
+         }
+         b: (_|_){
+@@ -247,7 +229,6 @@
+           // [eval] bare.embed.t1.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+           //     ./in.cue:117:7
+           //     ./in.cue:117:14
+-          //     ./in.cue:118:6
+         }
+       }
+       t2: (_|_){
+@@ -255,13 +236,11 @@
+         b: (_|_){
+           // [eval] bare.embed.t2.b: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+           //     ./in.cue:122:7
+-          //     ./in.cue:121:6
+           //     ./in.cue:122:14
+         }
+         a: (_|_){
+           // [eval] bare.embed.t2.a: invalid value {} (does not satisfy matchN(1, [>10])): 0 matched, expected 1:
+           //     ./in.cue:122:7
+-          //     ./in.cue:122:6
+           //     ./in.cue:122:14
+         }
+       }
+@@ -269,22 +248,18 @@
+     direct: (struct){
+       t1: (struct){
+         a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+-            0: (_|_){// >10
+-            }
+-          }) }
+-        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+-            0: (_|_){// >10
+-            }
++            0: (number){ >10 }
++          }) }
++        b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
++            0: (number){ >10 }
+           }) }
+       }
+       t2: (struct){
+         b: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+-            0: (_|_){// >10
+-            }
+-          }) }
+-        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
+-            0: (_|_){// >10
+-            }
++            0: (number){ >10 }
++          }) }
++        a: (_){ matchN(1, (#list){
++            0: (number){ >10 }
+           }) }
+       }
+     }
 -- diff/explanation --
 The old evaluator does not correctly handle ToDataAll if a node is
 mid-evaluation. The new evaluator does.
@@ -829,4 +1065,46 @@ Missing error positions.
     multiple1Err3: 5
     multiple1OK1: 15
   }
+  bare: {
+    embed: {
+      t1: {
+        a: {
+          matchN(1, [
+            >10,
+          ])
+        }
+        b: {
+          〈1;a〉
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    embed: {
+      t2: {
+        b: {
+          〈1;a〉
+        }
+        a: {
+          matchN(1, [
+            >10,
+          ])
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    direct: {
+      t1: {
+        a: matchN(1, [
+          >10,
+        ])
+        b: 〈0;a〉
+      }
+    }
+    direct: {
+      t2: {
+        b: 〈0;a〉
+        a: matchN(1, [
+          >10,
+        ])
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }