diff --git a/compiler/vm/vm.nim b/compiler/vm/vm.nim
index aae8dc60934..0d972ead292 100644
--- a/compiler/vm/vm.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm/vm.nim
@@ -1287,6 +1287,34 @@ proc rawExecute(c: var TCtx, pc: var int, tos: var StackFrameIndex): TFullReg =
               ast[i] = a.sym.ast[i]
             ast[bodyPos] = transformBody(c.graph, c.idgen, a.sym, cache=true)
             ast.copyTree()
+    of opcExpandToAst:
+      decodeBC(rkNode)
+
+      let
+        callExprAst = c.constants[regs[rb].intVal.int]
+        prc =         callExprAst[0].sym
+        prevFrame =   c.sframes[tos].next
+
+      assert callExprAst.kind in nkCallKinds
+      assert prc.kind == skTemplate
+
+      let genSymOwner = if prevFrame > 0 and c.sframes[prevFrame].prc != nil:
+                          c.sframes[prevFrame].prc
+                        else:
+                          c.module
+      var templCall = newNodeI(nkCall, c.debug[pc])
+      templCall.add(newSymNode(prc))
+      for i in 1..rc-1:
+        let node = regs[rb+i].regToNode
+        node.info = c.debug[pc]
+        templCall.add(node)
+
+      var a = evalTemplate(templCall, prc, genSymOwner, c.config, c.cache, c.templInstCounter, c.idgen)
+      if a.kind == nkStmtList and a.len == 1: # flatten if a single statement
+        a = a[0]
+      a.recSetFlagIsRef
+      regs[ra].node = a
+
     of opcSymOwner:
       decodeB(rkNode)
       let a = regs[rb].node
@@ -1370,7 +1398,7 @@ proc rawExecute(c: var TCtx, pc: var int, tos: var StackFrameIndex): TFullReg =
                  currentException: c.currentExceptionA,
                  currentLineInfo: c.debug[pc]))
 
-      elif prc.kind != skTemplate:
+      else:
         let newPc = compile(c, prc)
         # tricky: a recursion is also a jump back, so we use the same
         # logic as for loops:
@@ -1387,24 +1415,6 @@ proc rawExecute(c: var TCtx, pc: var int, tos: var StackFrameIndex): TFullReg =
         pushFrame(newFrame)
         # -1 for the following 'inc pc'
         pc = newPc-1
-      else:
-        let prevFrame = c.sframes[tos].next
-        # for 'getAst' support we need to support template expansion here:
-        let genSymOwner = if prevFrame > 0 and c.sframes[prevFrame].prc != nil:
-                            c.sframes[prevFrame].prc
-                          else:
-                            c.module
-        var macroCall = newNodeI(nkCall, c.debug[pc])
-        macroCall.add(newSymNode(prc))
-        for i in 1..rc-1:
-          let node = regs[rb+i].regToNode
-          node.info = c.debug[pc]
-          macroCall.add(node)
-        var a = evalTemplate(macroCall, prc, genSymOwner, c.config, c.cache, c.templInstCounter, c.idgen)
-        if a.kind == nkStmtList and a.len == 1: a = a[0]
-        a.recSetFlagIsRef
-        ensureKind(rkNode)
-        regs[ra].node = a
     of opcTJmp:
       # jump Bx if A != 0
       let rbx = instr.regBx - wordExcess - 1 # -1 for the following 'inc pc'
diff --git a/compiler/vm/vm_enums.nim b/compiler/vm/vm_enums.nim
index efcc52734f2..6cef8bd2ea7 100644
--- a/compiler/vm/vm_enums.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm/vm_enums.nim
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ type
     opcEqIdent,
     opcStrToIdent,
     opcGetImpl,
-    opcGetImplTransf
+    opcGetImplTransf,
+
+    opcExpandToAst,
 
     opcEcho,
     opcIndCall, # dest = call regStart, n; where regStart = fn, arg1, ...
diff --git a/compiler/vm/vmgen.nim b/compiler/vm/vmgen.nim
index 26554578619..64f8e831804 100644
--- a/compiler/vm/vmgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm/vmgen.nim
@@ -1411,7 +1411,26 @@ proc genMagic(c: var TCtx; n: PNode; dest: var TDest; m: TMagic) =
       #if arg[0].kind != nkSym or arg[0].sym.kind notin {skTemplate, skMacro}:
       #      "ExpandToAst: expanded symbol is no macro or template"
       if dest < 0: dest = c.getTemp(n.typ)
-      c.genCall(arg, dest)
+
+      if arg[0].sym.kind == skTemplate:
+        let x = c.getTempRange(arg.len, slotTempUnknown)
+
+        # Pass the whole call expression as the first value. Since the node
+        # might have a nil type, we can't use `genLit`. Instead load the
+        # constant index and make the instruction do the lookup itself
+        c.gABx(n, opcLdImmInt, TRegister(x), c.genLiteral(arg))
+
+        # Generate the arguments
+        for i in 1..<arg.len:
+          var d = TDest(x+i)
+          c.gen(arg[i], d, {gfIsParam})
+
+        c.gABC(arg, opcExpandToAst, dest, x, arg.len)
+        c.freeTempRange(x, arg.len)
+      else:
+        # macros are still invoked via the opcIndCall mechanism
+        c.genCall(arg, dest)
+
       # do not call clearDest(n, dest) here as getAst has a meta-type as such
       # produces a value
     else:
@@ -2081,13 +2100,15 @@ proc gen(c: var TCtx; n: PNode; dest: var TDest; flags: TGenFlags = {}) =
     of skVar, skForVar, skTemp, skLet, skParam, skResult:
       genRdVar(c, n, dest, flags)
 
-    of skProc, skFunc, skConverter, skMacro, skTemplate, skMethod, skIterator:
-      # 'skTemplate' is only allowed for 'getAst' support:
+    of skProc, skFunc, skConverter, skMacro, skMethod, skIterator:
       if s.kind == skIterator and s.typ.callConv == TCallingConvention.ccClosure:
         fail(n.info, rsemVmNoClosureIterators, sym = s)
       if procIsCallback(c, s): discard
       elif importcCond(c, s): fail(n.info, rsemVmCannotImportc, sym = s)
       genLit(c, n, dest)
+    of skTemplate:
+      # template symbols can be used as arguments in a `getAst` expression
+      genLit(c, n, dest)
     of skConst:
       let constVal = if s.ast != nil: s.ast else: s.typ.n
       gen(c, constVal, dest)