diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 58ac5c7..7f5de25 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name = "TrixiBase"
 uuid = "9a0f1c46-06d5-4909-a5a3-ce25d3fa3284"
 authors = ["Michael Schlottke-Lakemper <michael@sloede.com>"]
-version = "0.1.11-DEV"
+version = "0.1.11"
 
 [deps]
 ChangePrecision = "3cb15238-376d-56a3-8042-d33272777c9a"
diff --git a/src/trixi_include.jl b/src/trixi_include.jl
index 00a7131..37f6f13 100644
--- a/src/trixi_include.jl
+++ b/src/trixi_include.jl
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ function replace_assignments(expr, recursive = false; kwargs...)
             for (key, val) in kwargs
                 if (x.head === Symbol("=") || x.head === :kw) &&
                    x.args[1] === Symbol(key)
-                    x.args[2] = :($val)
+                    # Symbols need to be quoted so that they are evaluated as values instead
+                    # of variable names in the included file.
+                    x.args[2] = val isa Symbol ? QuoteNode(val) : val
                     # dump(x)
                 end
             end
@@ -242,7 +244,8 @@ function replace_assignments(expr, recursive = false; kwargs...)
                 # `x = ...` in the file, which will also be replaced in the loop above.
                 for (key, val) in kwargs
                     if !(Symbol(key) in existing_kwargs)
-                        push!(x.args, Expr(:kw, Symbol(key), val))
+                        value = val isa Symbol ? QuoteNode(val) : val
+                        push!(x.args, Expr(:kw, Symbol(key), value))
                     end
                 end
             end
diff --git a/test/trixi_include.jl b/test/trixi_include.jl
index b41f389..67bc969 100644
--- a/test/trixi_include.jl
+++ b/test/trixi_include.jl
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@
                 @test x == 7
             end
 
+            @trixi_test_nowarn trixi_include(@__MODULE__, path, x = :symbol)
+
+            if VERSION >= v"1.12"
+                mod = @__MODULE__
+                @test (@invokelatest mod.x) === :symbol
+            else
+                @test x === :symbol
+            end
+
             # Verify default version (that includes in `Main`)
             @trixi_test_nowarn trixi_include(path, x = 11)
             if VERSION >= v"1.12"
@@ -196,6 +205,20 @@
                     @test y == 20 # Overridden from nested file
                     @test z == 30 # Overridden from top file
                 end
+
+                # Test a Symbol override that is only assigned in the nested file.
+                # This covers the branch where missing kwargs are injected
+                # into the nested `trixi_include` call.
+                @test_warn "assignments" trixi_include(@__MODULE__, path2;
+                                                       x = :symbol,
+                                                       replace_assignments_recursive = true)
+                if VERSION >= v"1.12"
+                    mod = @__MODULE__
+                    @test (@invokelatest mod.x) === :symbol
+                else
+                    @test x === :symbol
+                end
+
                 # Test that kwargs are NOT passed recursively
                 @trixi_test_nowarn trixi_include(@__MODULE__, path2;
                                                  x = 10, y = 20, z = 30,
@@ -255,6 +278,16 @@
                     @test a == 500  # Top-level override wins over nested explicit kwarg
                     @test b == 600  # Passed through to nested file
                 end
+
+                # Test overwriting an existing nested kwarg with a Symbol.
+                @trixi_test_nowarn trixi_include(@__MODULE__, path4; a = :symbol,
+                                                 replace_assignments_recursive = true)
+                if VERSION >= v"1.12"
+                    mod = @__MODULE__
+                    @test (@invokelatest mod.a) === :symbol
+                else
+                    @test a === :symbol
+                end
             end
         end