diff --git a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-tests.factor b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-tests.factor
index ad53dc487b..10a7b50ebb 100644
--- a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-tests.factor
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ TYPEDEF: char MyFunkyChar
 [ f ] [ pointer: char c-type pointer: MyFunkyChar c-type = ] unit-test
 [ { char* ascii } ] [ pointer: MyFunkyChar c-type ] unit-test
 
+TYPEDEF: MyFunkyChar MyFunkyTypedef
+
+[ { char* ascii } ] [ pointer: MyFunkyTypedef c-type ] unit-test
+
+TYPEDEF: MyFunkyChar* MyFunkyString
+
+[ { char* ascii } ] [ MyFunkyString c-type ] unit-test
+
 TYPEDEF: char* MyString
 
 [ t ] [ char* c-type MyString          c-type = ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
index 316377dc27..3255d16d80 100644
--- a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ CONSTANT: primitive-types
 : special-pointer-type ( type -- special-type )
     dup c-type-word? [
         dup "pointer-c-type" word-prop
-        [ ] [ resolve-pointer-typedef "pointer-c-type" word-prop ] ?if
+        [ ] [ "c-type" word-prop special-pointer-type ] ?if
     ] [ drop f ] if ;
 
 : primitive-pointer-type? ( type -- ? )