2 files changed, 24 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
index 87bf79d722b..2ee7f53ffa8 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use rustc_hir::def::{self, CtorKind, CtorOf, DefKind};
 use rustc_hir::def_id::{DefId, CRATE_DEF_INDEX, LOCAL_CRATE};
 use rustc_hir::PrimTy;
 use rustc_session::parse::feature_err;
+use rustc_span::edition::Edition;
 use rustc_span::hygiene::MacroKind;
 use rustc_span::lev_distance::find_best_match_for_name;
 use rustc_span::symbol::{kw, sym, Ident, Symbol};
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ impl<'a: 'ast, 'ast> LateResolutionVisitor<'a, '_, 'ast> {
         let is_enum_variant = &|res| matches!(res, Res::Def(DefKind::Variant, _));
 
         // Make the base error.
-        let expected = source.descr_expected();
+        let mut expected = source.descr_expected();
         let path_str = Segment::names_to_string(path);
         let item_str = path.last().unwrap().ident;
         let (base_msg, fallback_label, base_span, could_be_expr) = if let Some(res) = res {
@@ -166,6 +167,15 @@ impl<'a: 'ast, 'ast> LateResolutionVisitor<'a, '_, 'ast> {
             let (mod_prefix, mod_str) = if path.len() == 1 {
                 (String::new(), "this scope".to_string())
             } else if path.len() == 2 && path[0].ident.name == kw::PathRoot {
+                if self.r.session.edition() > Edition::Edition2015 {
+                    // In edition 2018 onwards, the `::foo` syntax may only pull from the extern prelude
+                    // which overrides all other expectations of item type
+                    expected = "crate";
+                    (String::new(), "the list of imported crates".to_string())
+                } else {
+                    (String::new(), "the crate root".to_string())
+                }
+            } else if path.len() == 2 && path[0].ident.name == kw::Crate {
                 (String::new(), "the crate root".to_string())
             } else {
                 let mod_path = &path[..path.len() - 1];
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/lib.rs b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/lib.rs
index 7aee718bfa9..2ce54658c0b 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/lib.rs
@@ -2433,8 +2433,10 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                                     Applicability::MaybeIncorrect,
                                 )),
                             )
-                        } else {
+                        } else if self.session.edition() == Edition::Edition2015 {
                             (format!("maybe a missing crate `{}`?", ident), None)
+                        } else {
+                            (format!("could not find `{}` in the crate root", ident), None)
                         }
                     } else if i == 0 {
                         if ident
@@ -2450,10 +2452,16 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                         }
                     } else {
                         let parent = path[i - 1].ident.name;
-                        let parent = if parent == kw::PathRoot {
-                            "crate root".to_owned()
-                        } else {
-                            format!("`{}`", parent)
+                        let parent = match parent {
+                            // ::foo is mounted at the crate root for 2015, and is the extern
+                            // prelude for 2018+
+                            kw::PathRoot if self.session.edition() > Edition::Edition2015 => {
+                                "the list of imported crates".to_owned()
+                            }
+                            kw::PathRoot | kw::Crate => "the crate root".to_owned(),
+                            _ => {
+                                format!("`{}`", parent)
+                            }
                         };
 
                         let mut msg = format!("could not find `{}` in {}", ident, parent);