diff --git a/guix/build/compile.scm b/guix/build/compile.scm
index 3ce0ecede5..c4dbb6e34c 100644
--- a/guix/build/compile.scm
+++ b/guix/build/compile.scm
@@ -194,6 +194,11 @@ files are for HOST, a GNU triplet such as \"x86_64-linux-gnu\"."
   (with-augmented-search-path %load-path source-directory
     (with-augmented-search-path %load-compiled-path build-directory
       (with-fluids ((*current-warning-prefix* ""))
+        ;; Make sure the compiler's modules are loaded before 'with-target'
+        ;; (since 'with-target' influences the .go loader), and before
+        ;; starting to compile files in parallel.
+        (compile #f)
+
         (with-target host
           (lambda ()
             ;; FIXME: To work around <https://bugs.gnu.org/15602>, we first
@@ -202,10 +207,6 @@ files are for HOST, a GNU triplet such as \"x86_64-linux-gnu\"."
                         #:report-load report-load
                         #:debug-port debug-port)
 
-            ;; Make sure compilation related modules are loaded before
-            ;; starting to compile files in parallel.
-            (compile #f)
-
             ;; XXX: Don't use too many workers to work around the insane
             ;; memory requirements of the compiler in Guile 2.2.2:
             ;; <https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guile-devel/2017-05/msg00033.html>.