diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
index 7546ab240..d7d883e0b 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
@@ -685,7 +685,22 @@ static const type_t * __attribute__((pure))
 select_type (gentype_t *gentype, const type_t *param_type)
 {
 	for (auto t = gentype->valid_types; t && *t; t++) {
-		if (*t == param_type || type_promotes (*t, param_type)) {
+		if (*t == param_type) {
+			return *t;
+		}
+		if (is_reference (*t) && dereference_type (*t) == param_type) {
+			// pass value by reference: no promotion
+			return *t;
+		}
+		auto pt = param_type;
+		if (is_reference (pt)) {
+			// pass reference by value: promotion ok
+			pt = dereference_type (pt);
+		}
+		if (*t == pt) {
+			return *t;
+		}
+		if (type_promotes (*t, pt)) {
 			return *t;
 		}
 	}
@@ -695,13 +710,28 @@ select_type (gentype_t *gentype, const type_t *param_type)
 static bool
 check_type (const type_t *type, const type_t *param_type, unsigned *cost)
 {
-	if (type != param_type) {
-		if (type_promotes (type, param_type)) {
-			*cost += 1;
-		} else {
-			return false;
-		}
+	if (!type) {
+		return false;
 	}
+	if (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;
+	}
+	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) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	if (!type_promotes (type, param_type)) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	*cost += 1;
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/type.c b/tools/qfcc/source/type.c
index e7fe935d4..0edf63526 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/type.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/type.c
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ print_type_str (dstring_t *str, const type_t *type)
 							return;
 						}
 					}
-					dasprintf (str, "(*");
+					dasprintf (str, "(%c", type->fldptr.deref ? '&' : '*');
 					print_type_str (str, type->fldptr.type);
 					dasprintf (str, ")");
 					return;