We report a pitfall deriving from the assumption of metastatic disease based upon seemingly identical histology in a pulmonary lesion and in the esophagus. In a 60-year-old patient, cT1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was found. One of the two pulmonary nodules was histologically diagnosed as metastasis. When esophageal perforation occurred during palliative therapy, esophagectomy became necessary together with the right lower lobectomy for the removal of the remaining pulmonary lesion. Definitive histology showed pT1N0 cancer of the esophagus, primary esophageal sarcoma and pT4N0 bronchogenic carcinoma. The other pulmonary lesion was re-evaluated and defined as intralobar M1 of bronchogenic carcinoma.