diff --git a/src/misc/VarNames.jl b/src/misc/VarNames.jl
index 6899d53085..4b91639d16 100644
--- a/src/misc/VarNames.jl
+++ b/src/misc/VarNames.jl
@@ -312,14 +312,14 @@ _varnames_macro(args::VarNames...; kv...) = variable_names(args, Val(false)), kv
 
 function varnames_macro_code(f, base_args, s::Symbol, kv)
     quote
-        X, $(esc(s)) = $f($(kv...), $(base_args...), $(QuoteNode(s)))
+        X, $(esc(s)) = $f($(kv...), $(esc.(base_args)...), $(QuoteNode(s)))
         X
     end
 end
 
 function varnames_macro_code(f, base_args, s::Vector{Symbol}, kv)
     quote
-        X, ($(esc.(s)...),) = $f($(kv...), $(base_args...), $s)
+        X, ($(esc.(s)...),) = $f($(kv...), $(esc.(base_args)...), $s)
         X
     end
 end