diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/symtab.h b/tools/qfcc/include/symtab.h
index 626d7a484..f338077eb 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/symtab.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/symtab.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ typedef enum vis_e {
 } vis_t;
 
 typedef enum {
+	sy_name,					///< just a name (referent tbd)
 	sy_var,						///< symbol refers to a variable
 	sy_const,					///< symbol refers to a constant
 	sy_type,					///< symbol refers to a type
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/expr_assign.c b/tools/qfcc/source/expr_assign.c
index 730396dfa..f6071a9f4 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/expr_assign.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/expr_assign.c
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ check_valid_lvalue (expr_t *expr)
 	switch (expr->type) {
 		case ex_symbol:
 			switch (expr->e.symbol->sy_type) {
+				case sy_name:
+					break;
 				case sy_var:
 					return 0;
 				case sy_const:
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
index 5ec3ad2f2..3e05a55e5 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
@@ -650,6 +650,7 @@ struct_decl
 				$<spec>0.type = type_default;
 			$1->type = append_type ($1->type, $<spec>0.type);
 			$1->type = find_type ($1->type);
+			$1->sy_type = sy_var;
 			symtab_addsymbol (current_symtab, $1);
 		}
 	| var_decl
@@ -658,6 +659,7 @@ struct_decl
 				$<spec>0.type = type_default;
 			$1->type = append_type ($1->type, $<spec>0.type);
 			$1->type = find_type ($1->type);
+			$1->sy_type = sy_var;
 			symtab_addsymbol (current_symtab, $1);
 		}
 	| var_decl ':' expr		%prec COMMA		{}
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/struct.c b/tools/qfcc/source/struct.c
index 4cb81fa74..ddf30f8ea 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/struct.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/struct.c
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ make_structure (const char *name, int su, struct_def_t *defs, type_t *type)
 		strct = new_symtab (0, stab_struct);
 	while (defs->name) {
 		field = new_symbol_type (defs->name, defs->type);
+		field->sy_type = sy_var;
 		if (!symtab_addsymbol (strct, field))
 			internal_error (0, "duplicate symbol: %s", defs->name);
 		defs++;
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/symtab.c b/tools/qfcc/source/symtab.c
index 3e18cf615..f26a690e7 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/symtab.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/symtab.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ static symtab_t *symtabs_freelist;
 static symbol_t *symbols_freelist;
 
 static const char *sy_type_names[] = {
+	"sy_name",
 	"sy_var",
 	"sy_const",
 	"sy_type",
@@ -234,5 +235,6 @@ make_symbol (const char *name, type_t *type, defspace_t *space,
 		sym->s.def = new_def (name, type, space, storage);
 		reloc_attach_relocs (relocs, &sym->s.def->relocs);
 	}
+	sym->sy_type = sy_var;
 	return sym;
 }