diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
index 0034e8b2d9ac..547ceb292055 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Definitions.scala
@@ -455,8 +455,9 @@ class Definitions {
     ScalaPackageClass, tpnme.Nothing, AbstractFinal, List(AnyType))
   def NothingType: TypeRef = NothingClass.typeRef
   @tu lazy val NullClass: ClassSymbol = {
-    val parent = if ctx.explicitNulls then AnyType else ObjectType
-    enterCompleteClassSymbol(ScalaPackageClass, tpnme.Null, AbstractFinal, parent :: Nil)
+    // When explicit-nulls is enabled, Null becomes a direct subtype of Any and Matchable
+    val parents = if ctx.explicitNulls then AnyType :: MatchableType :: Nil else ObjectType :: Nil
+    enterCompleteClassSymbol(ScalaPackageClass, tpnme.Null, AbstractFinal, parents)
   }
   def NullType: TypeRef = NullClass.typeRef
 
diff --git a/tests/explicit-nulls/neg/basic.scala b/tests/explicit-nulls/neg/basic.scala
index cafe4b156d85..66284de4a9f9 100644
--- a/tests/explicit-nulls/neg/basic.scala
+++ b/tests/explicit-nulls/neg/basic.scala
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ class Basic {
   val any1: Any  = null
   val any2: Any  = n
 
+  val matchable1: Matchable = null
+  val matchable2: Matchable = n
+
   val s1: String = null // error
   val s2: String = n // error
   val s3: String | Null = null
diff --git a/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/matchable.scala b/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/matchable.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..928f8e33934f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/matchable.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+def foo1[T <: Matchable](t: T) = t match { case t: Null => () }
+
+def foo2[T <: Matchable](t: T) = t match { case null => () }
\ No newline at end of file