diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/issue3250.txtar b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/issue3250.txtar
index 55546225e89..f5fba6bdf53 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/issue3250.txtar
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/issue3250.txtar
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ exec cue mod init
 # passes - with module
 exec cue export -t foo .:foo
 
-# fails - with module
-# TODO fix this case
-! exec cue export -t foo foo.cue
+# passes - with module
+# (failed previously due to #3250).
+exec cue export -t foo foo.cue
 
 -- foo.cue --
 @if(foo)
diff --git a/cue/load/loader_common.go b/cue/load/loader_common.go
index 703f2fbd218..677aed37b04 100644
--- a/cue/load/loader_common.go
+++ b/cue/load/loader_common.go
@@ -266,9 +266,11 @@ func (fp *fileProcessor) add(root string, file *build.File, mode importMode) {
 
 	if !fp.c.AllCUEFiles {
 		tagIsSet := fp.tagger.tagIsSet
-		if p.Module != fp.c.Module {
+		if p.Module != "" && p.Module != fp.c.Module {
 			// The file is outside the main module so treat all build tag keys as unset.
-			// TODO also consider packages explicitly specified on the command line.
+			// Note that if there's no module, we don't consider it to be outside
+			// the main module, because otherwise @if tags in non-package files
+			// explicitly specified on the command line will not work.
 			tagIsSet = func(string) bool {
 				return false
 			}