diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/expr.h b/tools/qfcc/include/expr.h
index 11c67663e..fffdf189f 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/expr.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/expr.h
@@ -58,4 +58,5 @@ expr_t *binary_expr (int op, expr_t *e1, expr_t *e2);
 expr_t *unary_expr (int op, expr_t *e);
 expr_t *function_expr (expr_t *e1, expr_t *e2);
 
+def_t *emit_statement (opcode_t *op, def_t *var_a, def_t *var_b, def_t *var_c);
 void emit_expr (expr_t *e);
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c b/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
index 6f8498f7e..17cbe9515 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
@@ -712,6 +712,18 @@ emit_assign_expr (expr_t *e)
 		op = PR_Opcode_Find ("=", 5, def_a, def_b, def_b);
 		emit_statement (op, def_b, def_a, 0);
 	} else {
+		if (def_a->initialized) {
+			if (options.cow) {
+				int size = type_size [def_a->type->type];
+				int ofs = PR_NewLocation (def_a->type);
+				memcpy (pr_globals + ofs, pr_globals + def_a->ofs, size);
+				def_a->ofs = ofs;
+				def_a->initialized = 0;
+			} else {
+				fprintf (stderr, "%s:%d: assignment to constant %s\n",
+						 strings + e->file, e->line, def_a->name);
+			}
+		}
 		def_b = emit_sub_expr (e->e.expr.e2, def_a);
 	}
 	return def_b;
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
index 776cd9edd..1d79dc4dc 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@ opt_initializer
 	: /*empty*/
 	| '=' const
 		{
+			if (pr_scope) {
+				def_t *imm = PR_ReuseConstant ($2, 0);
+				opcode_t *op = PR_Opcode_Find ("=", 5, imm, imm, current_def);
+				emit_statement (op, imm, current_def, 0);
+			} else {
+				current_def = PR_ReuseConstant ($2,  current_def);
+			}
 		}
 	| '=' '#' const
 		{