diff --git a/src/services/refactors/helpers.ts b/src/services/refactors/helpers.ts
index 9779b8559f89b..2f748dc69d202 100644
--- a/src/services/refactors/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/services/refactors/helpers.ts
@@ -81,8 +81,14 @@ export function addTargetFileImports(
             importAdder.addVerbatimImport(Debug.checkDefined(declaration ?? findAncestor(symbol.declarations?.[0], isAnyImportOrRequireStatement)));
         }
         else if (targetSymbol.parent === undefined) {
-            Debug.assert(declaration !== undefined, "expected module symbol to have a declaration");
-            importAdder.addImportForModuleSymbol(symbol, isValidTypeOnlyUseSite, declaration);
+            if (targetSymbol.flags & SymbolFlags.Module) {
+                Debug.assert(declaration !== undefined, "expected module symbol to have a declaration");
+                importAdder.addImportForModuleSymbol(symbol, isValidTypeOnlyUseSite, declaration);
+            }
+            else {
+                // If the target symbol has no parent but isn't a module, fall back to verbatim import
+                importAdder.addVerbatimImport(Debug.checkDefined(declaration ?? findAncestor(symbol.declarations?.[0], isAnyImportOrRequireStatement)));
+            }
         }
         else {
             importAdder.addImportFromExportedSymbol(targetSymbol, isValidTypeOnlyUseSite, declaration);
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/moveToNewFileSymbolWithoutParent.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/moveToNewFileSymbolWithoutParent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ea38f3227bff3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/moveToNewFileSymbolWithoutParent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/// <reference path='fourslash.ts' />
+
+// Test case to reproduce the debug assertion failure
+// When moving symbols that don't have a parent but aren't modules
+// This reproduces the scenario with symbols exported separately from declaration
+
+// @Filename: /lib.ts
+////const Component = function() { return "component"; };
+////export { Component };
+
+// @Filename: /main.ts
+////import { Component } from "./lib";
+////[|function useComponent() {
+////    return Component();
+////}|]
+
+verify.moveToNewFile({
+    newFileContents: {
+        "/main.ts": ``,
+        "/useComponent.ts": `import { Component } from "./lib";
+
+function useComponent() {
+    return Component();
+}
+`
+    }
+});
\ No newline at end of file