diff --git a/cue/context.go b/cue/context.go
index 29c50a1a0..947987d89 100644
--- a/cue/context.go
+++ b/cue/context.go
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ type context struct {
 	inSum        int
 	cycleErr     bool
 
-	noManifest bool
-
 	// for debug strings
 	nodeRefs map[scope]string
 
diff --git a/cue/evaluator.go b/cue/evaluator.go
index 48ff71c51..703879a8d 100644
--- a/cue/evaluator.go
+++ b/cue/evaluator.go
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ package cue
 
 func (c *context) manifest(v value) evaluated {
 	evaluated := v.evalPartial(c)
-	if c.noManifest {
-		return evaluated
-	}
 outer:
 	switch x := evaluated.(type) {
 	case *disjunction:
diff --git a/cue/resolve_test.go b/cue/resolve_test.go
index d9137021d..1c3ee9ff1 100644
--- a/cue/resolve_test.go
+++ b/cue/resolve_test.go
@@ -2733,6 +2733,23 @@ func TestFullEval(t *testing.T) {
 			`c: <9>C{C{[=~"^Q*$"]: <10>(_: string)->int}, C{(C{[=~"^[a-s]*$"]: <11>(_: string)->int} & C{[=~"^[m-z]*?"]: <12>(_: string)->int})}, QQ: 3}, ` +
 			`D :: <13>C{[=~"^[a-s]*$"]: <14>(_: string)->int, [=~"^[m-z]*?"]: <15>(_: string)->int, }, ` +
 			`d: <16>C{[=~"^[a-s]*$"]: <17>(_: string)->int, [=~"^[m-z]*?"]: <18>(_: string)->int, aaa: 4}}`,
+	}, {
+		in: `
+		Task :: {
+			{
+				op:          "pull"
+				tag:         *"latest" | string
+				refToTag:    tag
+				tagExpr: tag + "dd"
+				tagInString: "\(tag)"
+			} | {
+				op: "scratch"
+			}
+		}
+
+		foo: Task & {"op": "pull"}
+		`,
+		out: `<0>{Task :: (<1>C{op: "pull", tag: (*"latest" | string), refToTag: <1>.tag, tagExpr: (<1>.tag + "dd"), tagInString: ""+<1>.tag+""} | <2>C{op: "scratch"}), foo: <3>C{op: "pull", tag: "latest", refToTag: "latest", tagExpr: "latestdd", tagInString: "latest"}}`,
 	}}
 	rewriteHelper(t, testCases, evalFull)
 }
diff --git a/cue/types_test.go b/cue/types_test.go
index 0b7dcd738..31eb4a6ef 100644
--- a/cue/types_test.go
+++ b/cue/types_test.go
@@ -1843,6 +1843,21 @@ func TestMashalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		f: >=1.1 & <=1.1
 		`,
 		json: `{"a":1,"b":1,"c":2,"d":1,"e":1,"f":1.1}`,
+	}, {
+		value: `
+		Task :: {
+			{
+				op:          "pull"
+				tag:         *"latest" | string
+				tagInString: tag + "dd"
+			} | {
+				op: "scratch"
+			}
+		}
+
+		foo: Task & {"op": "pull"}
+		`,
+		json: `{"foo":{"op":"pull","tag":"latest","tagInString":"latestdd"}}`,
 	}}
 	for i, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%d/%v", i, tc.value), func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/cue/value.go b/cue/value.go
index 27aeb7e5b..7ad98e7dc 100644
--- a/cue/value.go
+++ b/cue/value.go
@@ -1624,11 +1624,6 @@ func (x *disjunction) normalize(ctx *context, src source) mVal {
 	}
 	k := 0
 
-	// manifesting values should be disabled for recursive evaluation as
-	// these values may still be bound to another value later on, for instance
-	// when the result of this value is unified with another value.
-	noManifest := ctx.noManifest
-	ctx.noManifest = true
 	hasMarked := false
 	var markedErr *bottom
 outer:
@@ -1673,7 +1668,6 @@ outer:
 		x.values[k] = dValue{&bottom{}, true}
 		k++
 	}
-	ctx.noManifest = noManifest
 
 	switch k {
 	case 0: