diff --git a/src/dobjtype.cpp b/src/dobjtype.cpp
index 4354e0885..09a3b1c94 100644
--- a/src/dobjtype.cpp
+++ b/src/dobjtype.cpp
@@ -2457,6 +2457,26 @@ PNativeStruct::PNativeStruct(FName name)
 	HasNativeFields = true;
 }
 
+//==========================================================================
+//
+// NewNativeStruct
+// Returns a PNativeStruct for the given name and container, making sure not to
+// create duplicates.
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+PNativeStruct *NewNativeStruct(FName name, PTypeBase *outer)
+{
+	size_t bucket;
+	PType *stype = TypeTable.FindType(RUNTIME_CLASS(PNativeStruct), (intptr_t)outer, (intptr_t)name, &bucket);
+	if (stype == NULL)
+	{
+		stype = new PStruct(name, outer);
+		TypeTable.AddType(stype, RUNTIME_CLASS(PNativeStruct), (intptr_t)outer, (intptr_t)name, bucket);
+	}
+	return static_cast<PNativeStruct *>(stype);
+}
+
 /* PField *****************************************************************/
 
 IMPLEMENT_CLASS(PField, false, false, false, false)
diff --git a/src/dobjtype.h b/src/dobjtype.h
index be192225b..6134bbf90 100644
--- a/src/dobjtype.h
+++ b/src/dobjtype.h
@@ -922,6 +922,7 @@ PPointer *NewPointer(PType *type, bool isconst = false);
 PClassPointer *NewClassPointer(PClass *restrict);
 PEnum *NewEnum(FName name, PTypeBase *outer);
 PStruct *NewStruct(FName name, PTypeBase *outer);
+PNativeStruct *NewNativeStruct(FName name, PTypeBase *outer);
 PPrototype *NewPrototype(const TArray<PType *> &rettypes, const TArray<PType *> &argtypes);
 
 // Built-in types -----------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 9a955a03e..8987aed6c 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -1858,7 +1858,7 @@ void FLevelLocals::AddScroller (int secnum)
 
 void G_InitLevelLocalsForScript()
 {
-	PStruct *lstruct = NewStruct("LevelLocals", nullptr);
+	PStruct *lstruct = NewNativeStruct("LevelLocals", nullptr);
 	PField *levelf = new PField("level", lstruct, VARF_Native | VARF_Static, (intptr_t)&level);
 	GlobalSymbols.AddSymbol(levelf);
 
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.cpp b/src/p_mobj.cpp
index 1066d985a..a97ed61c5 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.cpp
+++ b/src/p_mobj.cpp
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ void AActor::InitNativeFields()
 	PType *TypeActor = NewPointer(RUNTIME_CLASS(AActor));
 	PType *TypeActorClass = NewClassPointer(RUNTIME_CLASS(AActor));
 	PType *TypeInventory = NewPointer(RUNTIME_CLASS(AInventory));
-	PType *TypePlayer = NewPointer(NewStruct("Player", nullptr));
-	auto TypeSector = NewPointer(NewStruct("Sector", nullptr));
+	PType *TypePlayer = NewPointer(NewNativeStruct("Player", nullptr));
+	auto TypeSector = NewPointer(NewNativeStruct("Sector", nullptr));
 	PType *array5 = NewArray(TypeSInt32, 5);
 
 	auto meta = RUNTIME_CLASS(AActor);
diff --git a/src/p_user.cpp b/src/p_user.cpp
index ad0bb6ba4..6d34037f1 100644
--- a/src/p_user.cpp
+++ b/src/p_user.cpp
@@ -3137,7 +3137,7 @@ bool P_IsPlayerTotallyFrozen(const player_t *player)
 
 void P_InitPlayerForScript()
 {
-	PStruct *pstruct = NewStruct("Player", nullptr);
+	PStruct *pstruct = NewNativeStruct("Player", nullptr);
 	pstruct->Size = sizeof(player_t);
 	pstruct->Align = alignof(player_t);
 	PArray *parray = NewArray(pstruct, MAXPLAYERS);
diff --git a/src/scripting/thingdef_data.cpp b/src/scripting/thingdef_data.cpp
index cdb896902..5e8338a27 100644
--- a/src/scripting/thingdef_data.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/thingdef_data.cpp
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ void InitThingdef()
 {
 	PType *TypeActor = NewPointer(RUNTIME_CLASS(AActor));
 
-	PStruct *sstruct = NewStruct("Sector", nullptr);
+	PStruct *sstruct = NewNativeStruct("Sector", nullptr);
 	auto sptr = NewPointer(sstruct);
 	sstruct->AddNativeField("soundtarget", TypeActor, myoffsetof(sector_t, SoundTarget));
 
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
index 9682066b9..81b1c5ef6 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ PType *ZCCCompiler::ResolveUserType(ZCC_BasicType *type, PSymbolTable *symt)
 		{
 			return TypeSInt32;	// hack this to an integer until we can resolve the enum mess.
 		}
-		if (ptype->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(PClass)))
+		if (ptype->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(PNativeStruct)))	// native structs and classes cannot be instantiated, they always get used as reference.
 		{
 			return NewPointer(ptype, type->isconst);
 		}