diff --git a/src/lib/go/ast.go b/src/lib/go/ast.go
index 79e14484b59..9ee88c3696b 100644
--- a/src/lib/go/ast.go
+++ b/src/lib/go/ast.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ type (
 	// An Ident node represents an identifier.
 	Ident struct {
 		token.Position;  // identifier position
-		Lit []byte;  // identifier string (e.g. foobar)
+		Value string;  // identifier string (e.g. foobar)
 	};
 
 	// An Ellipsis node stands for the "..." type in a
@@ -142,25 +142,25 @@ type (
 	// An IntLit node represents an integer literal.
 	IntLit struct {
 		token.Position;  // int literal position
-		Lit []byte;  // literal string; e.g. 42 or 0x7f
+		Value []byte;  // literal string; e.g. 42 or 0x7f
 	};
 
 	// A FloatLit node represents a floating-point literal.
 	FloatLit struct {
 		token.Position;  // float literal position
-		Lit []byte;  // literal string; e.g. 3.14 or 1e-9
+		Value []byte;  // literal string; e.g. 3.14 or 1e-9
 	};
 
 	// A CharLit node represents a character literal.
 	CharLit struct {
 		token.Position;  // char literal position
-		Lit []byte;  // literal string, including quotes; e.g. 'a' or '\x7f'
+		Value []byte;  // literal string, including quotes; e.g. 'a' or '\x7f'
 	};
 
 	// A StringLit node represents a string literal.
 	StringLit struct {
 		token.Position;  // string literal position
-		Lit []byte;  // literal string, including quotes; e.g. "foo" or `\m\n\o`
+		Value []byte;  // literal string, including quotes; e.g. "foo" or `\m\n\o`
 	};
 
 	// A StringList node represents a sequence of adjacent string literals.
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ type (
 	};
 
 	// A UnaryExpr node represents a unary expression.
-	// Unary "*" expressions are represented via DerefExpr nodes.
+	// Unary "*" expressions are represented via StarExpr nodes.
 	//
 	UnaryExpr struct {
 		token.Position;  // position of Op
diff --git a/src/lib/go/parser.go b/src/lib/go/parser.go
index 39aeb5c1594..038b27266b0 100644
--- a/src/lib/go/parser.go
+++ b/src/lib/go/parser.go
@@ -229,12 +229,12 @@ func (p *parser) parseDeclaration() ast.Decl;
 
 func (p *parser) parseIdent() *ast.Ident {
 	if p.tok == token.IDENT {
-		x := &ast.Ident{p.pos, p.lit};
+		x := &ast.Ident{p.pos, string(p.lit)};
 		p.next();
 		return x;
 	}
 	p.expect(token.IDENT);  // use expect() error handling
-	return &ast.Ident{p.pos, [0]byte{}};
+	return &ast.Ident{p.pos, ""};
 }
 
 
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ func (p *parser) makeIdentList(list *vector.Vector) []*ast.Ident {
 		if !is_ident {
 			pos := list.At(i).(ast.Expr).Pos();
 			p.error_expected(pos, "identifier");
-			idents[i] = &ast.Ident{pos, []byte{}};
+			idents[i] = &ast.Ident{pos, ""};
 		}
 		idents[i] = ident;
 	}
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ func (p *parser) parseSelectorOrTypeAssertion(x ast.Expr) ast.Expr {
 	var typ ast.Expr;
 	if p.tok == token.TYPE {
 		// special case for type switch
-		typ = &ast.Ident{p.pos, p.lit};
+		typ = &ast.Ident{p.pos, "type"};
 		p.next();
 	} else {
 		typ = p.parseType();
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@ func parseImportSpec(p *parser, doc ast.Comments) ast.Spec {
 
 	var ident *ast.Ident;
 	if p.tok == token.PERIOD {
-		ident = &ast.Ident{p.pos, []byte{'.'}};
+		ident = &ast.Ident{p.pos, "."};
 		p.next();
 	} else if p.tok == token.IDENT {
 		ident = p.parseIdent();