diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/const.c b/src/cmd/gc/const.c
index abdd424394..15c760b3a6 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/const.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/const.c
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ evconst(Node *n)
 			n->diag = 1;
 		}
 		return;
-	
+
 	case TUP(OADD, CTINT):
 	case TUP(OADD, CTRUNE):
 		mpaddfixfix(v.u.xval, rv.u.xval, 0);
@@ -668,6 +668,7 @@ evconst(Node *n)
 			n->diag = 1;
 		}
 		return;
+
 	case TUP(OADD, CTCPLX):
 		mpaddfltflt(&v.u.cval->real, &rv.u.cval->real);
 		mpaddfltflt(&v.u.cval->imag, &rv.u.cval->imag);
@@ -943,7 +944,7 @@ nodlit(Val v)
 		n->type = idealstring;
 		break;
 	case CTBOOL:
-		n->type = types[TBOOL];
+		n->type = idealbool;
 		break;
 	case CTINT:
 	case CTRUNE:
@@ -1032,7 +1033,7 @@ defaultlit(Node **np, Type *t)
 			defaultlit(&n->left, t);
 			defaultlit(&n->right, t);
 		}
-		if(n->type == types[TBOOL] || n->type == idealstring)
+		if(n->type == idealbool || n->type == idealstring)
 			n->type = types[n->type->etype];
 		else
 			n->type = n->left->type;
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/export.c b/src/cmd/gc/export.c
index 1eb4c2280c..bbed8ae36e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/export.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/export.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ reexportdep(Node *n)
 
 	case OLITERAL:
 		t = n->type;
-		if(t != types[n->type->etype] && t != idealstring) {
+		if(t != types[n->type->etype] && t != idealbool && t != idealstring) {
 			if(isptr[t->etype])
 				t = t->type;
 			if (t && t->sym && t->sym->def && t->sym->pkg != localpkg  && t->sym->pkg != builtinpkg) {
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/fmt.c b/src/cmd/gc/fmt.c
index b942ed6082..093b276f07 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/fmt.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/fmt.c
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ typefmt(Fmt *fp, Type *t)
 	}
 
 	if(t->etype < nelem(basicnames) && basicnames[t->etype] != nil) {
-		if(fmtmode == FErr && t == idealstring)
+		if(fmtmode == FErr && (t == idealbool || t == idealstring))
 			fmtstrcpy(fp, "ideal ");
 		return fmtstrcpy(fp, basicnames[t->etype]);
 	}
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ exprfmt(Fmt *f, Node *n, int prec)
 			return fmtprint(f, "%S", n->sym);
 		if(n->val.ctype == CTNIL)
 			n = n->orig; // if this node was a nil decorated with at type, print the original naked nil
-		if(n->type != types[n->type->etype] && n->type != idealstring) {
+		if(n->type != types[n->type->etype] && n->type != idealbool && n->type != idealstring) {
 			// Need parens when type begins with what might
 			// be misinterpreted as a unary operator: * or <-.
 			if(isptr[n->type->etype] || (n->type->etype == TCHAN && n->type->chan == Crecv))
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/go.h b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
index 8141b96869..fcbea2cd90 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/go.h
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
@@ -775,6 +775,7 @@ EXTERN	Idir*	idirs;
 
 EXTERN	Type*	types[NTYPE];
 EXTERN	Type*	idealstring;
+EXTERN	Type*	idealbool;
 EXTERN	Type*	bytetype;
 EXTERN	Type*	runetype;
 EXTERN	Type*	errortype;
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/lex.c b/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
index 56f34fde7f..e880b2f34c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
@@ -1824,16 +1824,17 @@ lexinit(void)
 	// this is the ideal form
 	// (the type of x in const x = "hello").
 	idealstring = typ(TSTRING);
+	idealbool = typ(TBOOL);
 
 	s = pkglookup("true", builtinpkg);
 	s->def = nodbool(1);
 	s->def->sym = lookup("true");
-	s->def->type = types[TBOOL];
+	s->def->type = idealbool;
 
 	s = pkglookup("false", builtinpkg);
 	s->def = nodbool(0);
 	s->def->sym = lookup("false");
-	s->def->type = types[TBOOL];
+	s->def->type = idealbool;
 
 	s = lookup("_");
 	s->block = -100;
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/subr.c b/src/cmd/gc/subr.c
index 74041fdced..5621ed9d34 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/subr.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/subr.c
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ nodbool(int b)
 	c = nodintconst(0);
 	c->val.ctype = CTBOOL;
 	c->val.u.bval = b;
-	c->type = types[TBOOL];
+	c->type = idealbool;
 	return c;
 }
 
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ isideal(Type *t)
 {
 	if(t == T)
 		return 0;
-	if(t == idealstring)
+	if(t == idealstring || t == idealbool)
 		return 1;
 	switch(t->etype) {
 	case TNIL:
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug285.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug285.go
index 6b0099b8db..0a8a0f09e6 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/bug285.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug285.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ func main() {
 	type B bool
 	b := B(false)
 	mb := make(map[B]int)
+	mb[false] = 42 // this should work: false is assignment compatible with B
 	mb[b] = 42
 
 	type Z int
diff --git a/test/named.go b/test/named.go
index 9b8e10ba22..d0330ab238 100644
--- a/test/named.go
+++ b/test/named.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ func asString(String) {}
 
 func (Map) M() {}
 
+
 // These functions check at run time that the default type
 // (in the absence of any implicit conversion hints)
 // is the given type.
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ func isString(x interface{}) { _ = x.(String) }
 func main() {
 	var (
 		a     Array
-		b     Bool   = Bool(true)
+		b     Bool   = true
 		c     Chan   = make(Chan)
 		f     Float  = 1
 		i     Int    = 1
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ func main() {
 	isBool(b)
 	asBool(!b)
 	isBool(!b)
+	asBool(true)
 	asBool(*&b)
 	isBool(*&b)
 	asBool(Bool(true))
diff --git a/test/named1.go b/test/named1.go
index 8be7292ca9..ca9da0fa31 100644
--- a/test/named1.go
+++ b/test/named1.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type String string
 
 func main() {
 	var (
-		b    Bool = Bool(true)
+		b    Bool = true
 		i, j int
 		c    = make(chan int)
 		m    = make(Map)
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	asBool(b)
 	asBool(!b)
-	asBool(true) // ERROR "cannot use.*type bool.*as type Bool"
+	asBool(true)
 	asBool(*&b)
 	asBool(Bool(true))
 	asBool(1 != 2) // ERROR "cannot use.*type bool.*as type Bool"