diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/image.h b/tools/qfcc/include/image.h
index 286b6be04..5e615ff20 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/image.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/image.h
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@ extern type_t type_sampled_image;
 
 void image_init_types (void);
 
-symbol_t *named_image_type (image_t *image, const type_t *htype,
-							const char *name);
-
+const type_t *create_image_type (image_t *image, const type_t *htype);
 const type_t *image_type (const type_t *type, const expr_t *params);
 const type_t *sampler_type (const type_t *type);
 
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-layout.c b/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-layout.c
index 8b9bd38ec..036b3995d 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-layout.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-layout.c
@@ -214,13 +214,7 @@ set_image_format (const type_t *type, const char *format)
 		} else {
 			error (0, "format already set");
 		}
-		int len = strlen (format);
-		char fmt[len + 1];
-		for (int i = 0; i < len + 1; i++) {
-			fmt[i] = tolower (format[i]);
-		}
-		auto sym = named_image_type (&image, htype, va (0, ".image:%s", fmt));
-		type = sym->type;
+		type = create_image_type (&image, htype);
 	}
 	if (array) {
 		type = array_type (type, count);
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-parse.y b/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-parse.y
index dcf8e5dfb..2d178ab04 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-parse.y
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/glsl-parse.y
@@ -1634,7 +1634,7 @@ find_image_sub (image_sub_t *sub, const char *str)
 	return nullptr;
 }
 
-static symbol_t *
+static const type_t *
 glsl_parse_image (const char *token, rua_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
 	static image_sub_t image_sub_type[] = {
@@ -1729,7 +1729,7 @@ glsl_parse_image (const char *token, rua_ctx_t *ctx)
 		goto invalid;
 	}
 
-	return named_image_type (&image, type.htype, token);
+	return create_image_type (&image, type.htype);
 invalid:
 	internal_error (0, "invalid image type: %s", token);
 }
@@ -1741,8 +1741,7 @@ glsl_process_keyword (rua_val_t *lval, keyword_t *keyword, const char *token,
 	if (keyword->value == GLSL_STRUCT) {
 		lval->op = token[0];
 	} else if (keyword->value == GLSL_TYPE_SPEC && !keyword->spec.type) {
-		auto sym = glsl_parse_image (token, ctx);
-		keyword->spec.type = sym->type;
+		keyword->spec.type = glsl_parse_image (token, ctx);
 		lval->spec = keyword->spec;
 	} else if (keyword->use_name) {
 		lval->string = keyword->name;
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/image.c b/tools/qfcc/source/image.c
index c88777582..475741122 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/image.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/image.c
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ image_handle_property (const type_t *type, const attribute_t *attr)
 	return type->handle.type->property (type, attr);
 }
 
-symbol_t *
-named_image_type (image_t *image, const type_t *htype, const char *name)
+const type_t *
+create_image_type (image_t *image, const type_t *htype)
 {
 	unsigned index = 0;
 	// slot 0 is never used
@@ -266,20 +266,14 @@ named_image_type (image_t *image, const type_t *htype, const char *name)
 		DARRAY_APPEND (&imageset, *image);
 	}
 
-	auto sym = new_symbol (name);
-	sym = find_handle (sym, &type_int);
-	//FIXME the type isn't chained yet and so doesn't need to be const, but
-	// symbols keep the type in a const pointer.
-	auto t = (type_t *) sym->type;
-	if (t->handle.extra) {
-		internal_error (0, "image type handle already set");
-	}
-	t->handle.type = htype;
-	t->handle.extra = index;
-	t->property = image_handle_property;
-	sym->type = find_type (sym->type);
-
-	return sym;
+	type_t type = {
+		.type = ev_int,
+		.meta = ty_handle,
+		.handle.type = htype,
+		.handle.extra = index,
+		.property = image_handle_property,
+	};
+	return find_type (&type);
 }
 
 const type_t *
@@ -395,8 +389,7 @@ image_type (const type_t *type, const expr_t *params)
 	if (err) {
 		return &type_int;
 	}
-	auto sym = named_image_type (&image, &type_image, nullptr);
-	return sym->type;
+	return create_image_type (&image, &type_image);
 }
 
 const type_t *
@@ -407,8 +400,7 @@ sampler_type (const type_t *type)
 		return &type_int;
 	}
 	auto image = imageset.a[type->handle.extra];
-	auto sym = named_image_type (&image, &type_sampled_image, nullptr);
-	return sym->type;
+	return create_image_type (&image, &type_sampled_image);
 }
 
 bool is_image (const type_t *type)