diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/literal/collections/list.md b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/literal/collections/list.md
index 15f385fa88..4e487a75a6 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/literal/collections/list.md
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/literal/collections/list.md
@@ -38,6 +38,21 @@ reveal_type(x[0].__name__)  # revealed: Unknown | str
 reveal_type([1, (1, 2), (1, 2, 3)])
 ```
 
+## Invariant generic elements
+
+We take care not to promote invariant generics:
+
+```py
+from typing import Literal
+
+def _(a: list[Literal[1]], b: Literal[2]):
+    c = [a]
+    reveal_type(c)  # revealed: list[Unknown | list[Literal[1]]]
+
+    d = [(a, b)]
+    reveal_type(d)  # revealed: list[Unknown | tuple[list[Literal[1]], int]]
+```
+
 ## List comprehensions
 
 ```py
diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types.rs b/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types.rs
index 477bf9aa11..bffabd57f2 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types.rs
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types.rs
@@ -6648,7 +6648,7 @@ impl<'db> Type<'db> {
         tcx: TypeContext<'db>,
         visitor: &ApplyTypeMappingVisitor<'db>,
     ) -> Type<'db> {
-        match self {
+        let ty = match self {
             Type::TypeVar(bound_typevar) => match type_mapping {
                 TypeMapping::Specialization(specialization) => {
                     specialization.get(db, bound_typevar).unwrap_or(self)
@@ -6837,6 +6837,15 @@ impl<'db> Type<'db> {
             | Type::BoundSuper(_)
             | Type::SpecialForm(_)
             | Type::KnownInstance(_) => self,
+        };
+
+        match type_mapping {
+            TypeMapping::PromoteLiterals => {
+                // It is only sound to promote to a supertype (i.e. it is unsound to promote
+                // invariant generics).
+                if self.is_subtype_of(db, ty) { ty } else { self }
+            }
+            _ => ty,
         }
     }