diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/bimport.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/bimport.go
index 34cb70d9c8..d6a25515df 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/bimport.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/bimport.go
@@ -404,12 +404,10 @@ func (p *importer) newtyp(etype EType) *Type {
 // importtype declares that pt, an imported named type, has underlying type t.
 func (p *importer) importtype(pt, t *Type) {
 	if pt.Etype == TFORW {
-		n := pt.nod
 		copytype(pt.nod, t)
-		pt.nod = n // unzero nod
 		pt.Sym.Importdef = importpkg
 		pt.Sym.Lastlineno = lineno
-		declare(n, PEXTERN)
+		declare(pt.nod, PEXTERN)
 		checkwidth(pt)
 	} else {
 		// pt.Orig and t must be identical.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
index 4923c3ec8a..180bd70cc1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
@@ -3566,7 +3566,7 @@ func copytype(n *Node, t *Type) {
 	}
 	t.methods = Fields{}
 	t.allMethods = Fields{}
-	t.nod = nil
+	t.nod = n
 	t.SetDeferwidth(false)
 	t.ptrTo = ptrTo
 	t.sliceOf = sliceOf