diff --git a/src/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp b/src/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
index 92b68d703a..1fcaeae2c5 100644
--- a/src/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
+++ b/src/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
@@ -12367,7 +12367,7 @@ static PClass *NativeNameToClass(int _clsname, PClass *desttype)
 	if (clsname != NAME_None)
 	{
 		cls = PClass::FindClass(clsname);
-		if (cls != nullptr && (cls->VMType == nullptr || !cls->IsDescendantOf(desttype)))
+		if (cls != nullptr && (cls->VMType == nullptr || (desttype != nullptr && !cls->IsDescendantOf(desttype))))
 		{
 			// does not match required parameters or is invalid.
 			return nullptr;
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/engine/base.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/engine/base.zs
index 70710d7dee..fa212ba38f 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/engine/base.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/engine/base.zs
@@ -771,6 +771,7 @@ class Object native
 	private native static bool CheckDeprecatedFlags(Object obj, int index);
 	
 	native static Name ValidateNameIndex(int index);
+	static class<Object> FindClass(Name cls, class<Object> baseType = null) { return BuiltinNameToClass(cls, baseType); }
 
 	native static uint MSTime();
 	native static double MSTimeF();