diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
index 08c47d07f83..c63480faa2d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
@@ -446,7 +446,9 @@ reswitch:
 		n->op = ODOT;
 		// fall through
 	case ODOT:
-		l = typecheck(&n->left, Erv|Etype);
+		typecheck(&n->left, Erv|Etype);
+		defaultlit(&n->left, T);
+		l = n->left;
 		if((t = l->type) == T)
 			goto error;
 		if(n->right->op != ONAME) {
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug241.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug241.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..172b3742e54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug241.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// errchk $G $D/$F.go
+
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+const c = 3
+var x = c.String()	// ERROR "String"
+