diff --git a/compiler/semexprs.nim b/compiler/semexprs.nim
index d8e90a5896..b9b1d0f99b 100755
--- a/compiler/semexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/semexprs.nim
@@ -663,6 +663,9 @@ proc builtinFieldAccess(c: PContext, n: PNode, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
     elif efAllowType notin flags: 
       GlobalError(n.sons[0].info, errATypeHasNoValue)
       return
+    # reset to prevent 'nil' bug: see "tests/reject/tenumitems.nim":
+    ty = n.sons[0].Typ
+      
   ty = skipTypes(ty, {tyGenericInst, tyVar, tyPtr, tyRef})
   var check: PNode = nil
   if ty.kind == tyObject: 
diff --git a/tests/reject/tenumitems.nim b/tests/reject/tenumitems.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a0497fd59f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/reject/tenumitems.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+discard """
+  line: 7
+  errormsg: "a type has no value"
+"""
+
+type a = enum b,c,d
+a.items()
+
+