diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/quoted/PickledQuotes.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/quoted/PickledQuotes.scala
index afeb44bb153a..06b75faaa770 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/quoted/PickledQuotes.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/quoted/PickledQuotes.scala
@@ -19,16 +19,12 @@ object PickledQuotes {
   import tpd._
 
   /** Pickle the quote into strings */
-  def pickleQuote(tree: Tree)(implicit ctx: Context): Tree = {
-    if (ctx.reporter.hasErrors) Literal(Constant("<error>"))
+  def pickleQuote(tree: Tree)(implicit ctx: Context): scala.runtime.quoted.Unpickler.Pickled = {
+    if (ctx.reporter.hasErrors) Nil
     else {
       val encapsulated = encapsulateQuote(tree)
       val pickled = pickle(encapsulated)
-      TastyString.pickle(pickled).foldRight[Tree](ref(defn.NilModule)) { (x, acc) =>
-        acc.select("::".toTermName)
-          .appliedToType(defn.StringType)
-          .appliedTo(Literal(Constant(x)))
-      }
+      TastyString.pickle(pickled)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/ReifyQuotes.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/ReifyQuotes.scala
index 03e818e0de79..8b02aa8e63fb 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/ReifyQuotes.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/ReifyQuotes.scala
@@ -265,12 +265,17 @@ class ReifyQuotes extends MacroTransform {
       if (inSplice)
         makeHole(body1, splices, quote.tpe)
       else {
+        def liftList(list: List[Tree], tpe: Type): Tree = {
+          list.foldRight[Tree](ref(defn.NilModule)) { (x, acc) =>
+            acc.select("::".toTermName).appliedToType(tpe).appliedTo(x)
+          }
+        }
         val isType = quote.tpe.isRef(defn.QuotedTypeClass)
         ref(if (isType) defn.Unpickler_unpickleType else defn.Unpickler_unpickleExpr)
           .appliedToType(if (isType) body1.tpe else body1.tpe.widen)
           .appliedTo(
-            PickledQuotes.pickleQuote(body1),
-            SeqLiteral(splices, TypeTree(defn.AnyType)))
+            liftList(PickledQuotes.pickleQuote(body1).map(x => Literal(Constant(x))), defn.StringType),
+            liftList(splices, defn.AnyType))
       }
     }.withPos(quote.pos)