diff --git a/src/ast.c b/src/ast.c
index 76c109554bd57..b589fc6db8903 100644
--- a/src/ast.c
+++ b/src/ast.c
@@ -578,6 +578,11 @@ jl_value_t *jl_load_file_string(const char *text, char *filename)
     return jl_parse_eval_all(filename);
 }
 
+DLLEXPORT jl_value_t* jl_toggle_fieldref() {
+    value_t e = fl_applyn(0, symbol_value(symbol("jl-toggle-fieldref")));
+    return scm_to_julia(e,0);
+}
+
 // returns either an expression or a thunk
 jl_value_t *jl_expand(jl_value_t *expr)
 {
diff --git a/src/codegen.cpp b/src/codegen.cpp
index 358ace81ea058..33753b7ac4310 100644
--- a/src/codegen.cpp
+++ b/src/codegen.cpp
@@ -1291,7 +1291,13 @@ jl_value_t *jl_static_eval(jl_value_t *ex, void *ctx_, jl_module_t *mod,
                 }
                 else if (jl_array_dim0(e->args) == 3 && fptr == &jl_f_get_field) {
                     m = (jl_module_t*)jl_static_eval(jl_exprarg(e,1),ctx,mod,sp,ast,sparams,allow_alloc);
-                    s = (jl_sym_t*)jl_static_eval(jl_exprarg(e,2),ctx,mod,sp,ast,sparams,allow_alloc);
+                    if (jl_is_datatype(jl_exprarg(e,2)) &&
+                        ((jl_datatype_t*)jl_exprarg(e,2))->name == jl_fieldref_type->name) {
+                        jl_value_t *frv = jl_svecref(((jl_datatype_t*)jl_exprarg(e,2))->parameters, 0);
+                        s = (jl_sym_t*)jl_static_eval(frv,ctx,mod,sp,ast,sparams,allow_alloc);
+                    } else {
+                        s = (jl_sym_t*)jl_static_eval(jl_exprarg(e,2),ctx,mod,sp,ast,sparams,allow_alloc);
+                    }
                     if (m && jl_is_module(m) && s && jl_is_symbol(s)) {
                         jl_binding_t *b = jl_get_binding(m, s);
                         if (b && b->constp)
diff --git a/src/jlfrontend.scm b/src/jlfrontend.scm
index f565a6f298afd..d039d9915eb06 100644
--- a/src/jlfrontend.scm
+++ b/src/jlfrontend.scm
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@
                            e
                            (expand-toplevel-expr e))))))))))
 
+(define *fieldref* #f)
+(define (jl-toggle-fieldref)
+    (set! *fieldref* (eq? *fieldref* #f)))
+
 (define (jl-parser-current-lineno)
   (input-port-line (ts:port current-token-stream)))
 
diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index 42f672e9fc8cf..281c8bfb11909 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -1637,7 +1637,11 @@
 
    '|.|
    (lambda (e)
-     `(call (top getfield) ,(expand-forms (cadr e)) ,(expand-forms (caddr e))))
+    (cond
+     ((eq? *fieldref* #f)
+      `(call (top getfield) ,(expand-forms (cadr e)) ,(expand-forms (caddr e))))
+     (else
+      `(call (top getfield) ,(expand-forms (cadr e)) (call (top apply_type) (top FieldRef) ,(expand-forms (caddr e)))))))
 
    'in
    (lambda (e)
diff --git a/src/julia.h b/src/julia.h
index 20ae5bdfa7c38..a4a44046c9df6 100644
--- a/src/julia.h
+++ b/src/julia.h
@@ -1197,6 +1197,8 @@ DLLEXPORT int add_library_mapping(char *lib, void *hnd);
 DLLEXPORT const char *jl_lookup_soname(const char *pfx, size_t n);
 #endif
 
+DLLEXPORT jl_value_t* jl_toggle_fieldref();
+
 // compiler
 void jl_compile(jl_function_t *f);
 DLLEXPORT jl_value_t *jl_toplevel_eval(jl_value_t *v);