diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/expr_call.c b/tools/qfcc/source/expr_call.c
index 50f631661..855a9c96e 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/expr_call.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/expr_call.c
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ check_arg_types (const expr_t **arguments, const type_t **arg_types,
 					err = param_mismatch (e, i + 1, fexpr->symbol->name,
 										  t, param_type);
 				}
-			} else {
+			} else if (!is_reference (param_type)) {
 				if (!type_assignable (param_type, t)) {
 					err = param_mismatch (e, i + 1, fexpr->symbol->name,
 										  param_type, t);
@@ -236,7 +236,14 @@ build_call_scope (symbol_t *fsym, const expr_t **arguments)
 		}
 		auto psym = new_symbol (p->name);
 		psym->sy_type = sy_expr;
-		psym->expr = arguments[i];
+		auto arg_type = get_type (arguments[i]);
+		if (is_reference (p->type) && !is_reference (arg_type)) {
+			psym->expr = address_expr (arguments[i], nullptr);
+		} else if (!is_reference (p->type) && is_reference (arg_type)) {
+			psym->expr = pointer_deref (arguments[i]);
+		} else {
+			psym->expr = arguments[i];
+		}
 		symtab_addsymbol (params, psym);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
index 8c839a4ed..4e5a361e8 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
@@ -604,19 +604,19 @@ check_type (const type_t *type, callparm_t param, unsigned *cost, bool promote)
 	if (!type) {
 		return false;
 	}
-	if (type == param.type) {
+	if (type_same (type, param.type)) {
 		return true;
 	}
 	if (is_reference (type)) {
 		// pass by references is a free conversion, but no promotion
-		return dereference_type (type) == param.type;
+		return type_same (dereference_type (type), param.type);
 	}
 	if (is_reference (param.type)) {
 		// dereferencing a reference is free so long as there's no
 		// promotion, otherwise there's the promotion cost
 		param.type = dereference_type (param.type);
 	}
-	if (type == param.type) {
+	if (type_same (type, param.type)) {
 		return true;
 	}
 	int ret = obj_types_assignable (type, param.type);