diff --git a/src/Init/Lean/Meta/DiscrTree.lean b/src/Init/Lean/Meta/DiscrTree.lean
index 8e66cbebc3..b7a30df40c 100644
--- a/src/Init/Lean/Meta/DiscrTree.lean
+++ b/src/Init/Lean/Meta/DiscrTree.lean
@@ -252,9 +252,28 @@ match e.getAppFn with
 | Expr.fvar fvarId _ => let nargs := e.getAppNumArgs; pure (Key.fvar fvarId nargs, e.getAppRevArgs)
 | Expr.mvar mvarId _ =>
   if isMatch? then pure (Key.other, #[])
-  else condM (isReadOnlyOrSyntheticExprMVar mvarId)
-    (pure (Key.other, #[]))
-    (pure (Key.star, #[]))
+  else do
+    ctx ← read;
+    if ctx.config.isDefEqStuckEx then
+      /-
+        When the configuration flag `isDefEqStuckEx` is set to true,
+        we want `isDefEq` to throw an exception whenever it tries to assign
+        a read-only metavariable.
+        This feature is useful for type class resolution where
+        we may want to notify the caller that the TC problem may be solveable
+        later after it assigns `?m`.
+        The method `DiscrTree.getUnify e` returns candidates `c` that may "unify" with `e`.
+        That is, `isDefEq c e` may return true. Now, consider `DiscrTree.getUnify d (HasAdd ?m)`
+        where `?m` is a read-only metavariable, and the discrimination tree contains the keys
+        `HadAdd Nat` and `HasAdd Int`. If `isDefEqStuckEx` is set to true, we must treat `?m` as
+        a regular metavariable here, otherwise we return the empty set of candidates.
+        This is incorrect because it is equivalent to saying that there is no solution even if
+        the caller assigns `?m` and try again. -/
+      pure (Key.star, #[])
+    else
+      condM (isReadOnlyOrSyntheticExprMVar mvarId)
+        (pure (Key.other, #[]))
+        (pure (Key.star, #[]))
 | _                  => pure (Key.other, #[])
 
 private abbrev getMatchKeyArgs (e : Expr) : MetaM (Key × Array Expr) :=
diff --git a/tests/lean/run/frontend1.lean b/tests/lean/run/frontend1.lean
index 4ab4ce0e5c..2037a8fbc0 100644
--- a/tests/lean/run/frontend1.lean
+++ b/tests/lean/run/frontend1.lean
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ def zero := 0
 def one := 1
 def two := 2
 -- set_option trace.Elab.app true
--- set_option trace.Elab true
 
 def act1 : IO String :=
 pure "hello"
 
+#eval run "#check HasAdd.add"
 #eval run "#check [zero, one, two]"
 #eval run "#check id $ Nat.succ one"
 #eval run "#check HasAdd.add one two"
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pure "hello"
 
 #eval run
 "universe u universe v
+ export HasToString (toString)
  section namespace foo.bla end bla end foo
  variable (p q : Prop)
  variable (_ b : _)
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ pure "hello"
  #check m
  #check Type
  #check Prop
+ #check toString zero
  #check id Nat.zero (α := Nat)
  #check id _ (α := Nat)
  #check id Nat.zero