diff --git a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/DeclarationStubGenerator.kt b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/DeclarationStubGenerator.kt
index 417212f2566..3f85022cc51 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/DeclarationStubGenerator.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/DeclarationStubGenerator.kt
@@ -54,10 +54,11 @@ class DeclarationStubGenerator(
         constantValueGenerator.typeTranslator = typeTranslator
     }
 
-    fun generateEmptyModuleFragmentStub(descriptor: ModuleDescriptor, irBuiltIns: IrBuiltIns): IrModuleFragment =
-        IrModuleFragmentImpl(descriptor, irBuiltIns)
-
     fun generateOrGetEmptyExternalPackageFragmentStub(descriptor: PackageFragmentDescriptor): IrExternalPackageFragment {
+        val referenced = symbolTable.referenceExternalPackageFragment(descriptor)
+        if (referenced.isBound) {
+            return referenced.owner
+        }
         return symbolTable.declareExternalPackageFragment(descriptor)
     }
 
diff --git a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/SymbolTable.kt b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/SymbolTable.kt
index d2d756ed6e9..7a1da9e7527 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/SymbolTable.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/util/SymbolTable.kt
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ open class SymbolTable : ReferenceSymbolTable {
             currentScope?.dump() ?: "<none>"
     }
 
+    private val externalPackageFragmentTable = FlatSymbolTable<PackageFragmentDescriptor, IrExternalPackageFragment, IrExternalPackageFragmentSymbol>()
     private val classSymbolTable = FlatSymbolTable<ClassDescriptor, IrClass, IrClassSymbol>()
     private val constructorSymbolTable = FlatSymbolTable<ClassConstructorDescriptor, IrConstructor, IrConstructorSymbol>()
     private val enumEntrySymbolTable = FlatSymbolTable<ClassDescriptor, IrEnumEntry, IrEnumEntrySymbol>()
@@ -209,11 +210,17 @@ open class SymbolTable : ReferenceSymbolTable {
     private val variableSymbolTable = ScopedSymbolTable<VariableDescriptor, IrVariable, IrVariableSymbol>()
     private val scopedSymbolTables = listOf(valueParameterSymbolTable, variableSymbolTable, scopedTypeParameterSymbolTable)
 
-    fun declareFile(fileEntry: SourceManager.FileEntry, packageFragmentDescriptor: PackageFragmentDescriptor): IrFile =
-        IrFileImpl(fileEntry, IrFileSymbolImpl(packageFragmentDescriptor))
+    fun referenceExternalPackageFragment(descriptor: PackageFragmentDescriptor) =
+        externalPackageFragmentTable.referenced(descriptor) { IrExternalPackageFragmentSymbolImpl(descriptor) }
+
+    fun declareExternalPackageFragment(descriptor: PackageFragmentDescriptor): IrExternalPackageFragment {
+        return externalPackageFragmentTable.declare(
+            descriptor,
+            { IrExternalPackageFragmentSymbolImpl(descriptor) },
+            { IrExternalPackageFragmentImpl(it) }
+        )
+    }
 
-    fun declareExternalPackageFragment(packageFragmentDescriptor: PackageFragmentDescriptor): IrExternalPackageFragment =
-        IrExternalPackageFragmentImpl(IrExternalPackageFragmentSymbolImpl(packageFragmentDescriptor))
 
     fun declareAnonymousInitializer(
         startOffset: Int,