When no module is interpreted, ghci doesn't know ($!) anymore:

$ ghci -ignore-dot-ghci
GHCi, version 7.2.1: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/  :? for help
Loading package ghc-prim ... linking ... done.
Loading package integer-gmp ... linking ... done.
Loading package base ... linking ... done.
Loading package ffi-1.0 ... linking ... done.
Prelude> const 3 $! 5

<interactive>:0:9:
    Not in scope: `$!'
    Perhaps you meant one of these:
      `$' (imported from Prelude), `!!' (imported from Prelude)

The same happens when only compiled modules are loaded, but it's there when there's an interpreted module loaded. The same behaviour is exhibited by HEAD.