diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Typer.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Typer.scala
index 51787cb5004a..deb4698431e2 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Typer.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Typer.scala
@@ -289,6 +289,8 @@ class Typer(@constructorOnly nestingLevel: Int = 0) extends Namer
             val pre = expr.tpe
             val denot0 = pre.memberBasedOnFlags(name, required, excluded)
               .accessibleFrom(pre)(using refctx)
+              .orElse(pre.memberBasedOnFlags(name, required, excluded | Private)
+                .accessibleFrom(pre)(using refctx))
             // Pass refctx so that any errors are reported in the context of the
             // reference instead of the context of the import scope
             if denot0.exists then
diff --git a/tests/pos/i18135.scala b/tests/pos/i18135.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c770585ba272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pos/i18135.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class Ace
+class Bar(last: Ace) { implicit val now: Ace = last }
+class Foo(now: Ace) extends Bar(now)
+class Test {
+def test(fst: Foo) = {
+  import fst._
+  now != null
+}
+}