diff --git a/compiler/sem.nim b/compiler/sem.nim
index 572993d310e30..99e101b05fda4 100644
--- a/compiler/sem.nim
+++ b/compiler/sem.nim
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ proc semAfterMacroCall(c: PContext, call, macroResult: PNode,
       if retType.kind == tyVoid:
         result = semStmt(c, result, flags)
       else:
-        result = semExpr(c, result, flags, expectedType)
+        result = semExpr(c, result, flags)
         result = fitNode(c, retType, result, result.info)
       #globalError(s.info, errInvalidParamKindX, typeToString(s.typ[0]))
   dec(c.config.evalTemplateCounter)
diff --git a/tests/types/ttopdowninference.nim b/tests/types/ttopdowninference.nim
index 765761e993ffd..303effdf7bd8d 100644
--- a/tests/types/ttopdowninference.nim
+++ b/tests/types/ttopdowninference.nim
@@ -331,3 +331,25 @@ block: # issue #24164, related regression
   template bar(x: untyped = nil) =
     foo(x)
   bar()
+
+block: # bug #24296
+  # Either changing the template to `proc`/`func` or using `$""`, not a string
+  # literal alone, allows any version of Nim 2.x to compile this.
+  template g(): string = ""
+
+  # Alternatively: don't retrieve the string through g(), but directly, also
+  # allows compilation across Nim 2.x versions.
+  const d: cstring = ""
+  const f: cstring = $""
+  const b = cstring g()
+  const m = cstring ""
+  const p = cstring $""
+
+  # But this does not compile across Nim 2.x/devel.
+  const c: cstring = g()
+  let e: cstring = g()
+
+block: # bug #24295
+  template g(_: int): string = ""
+  const c: cstring = 0.g()
+