diff --git a/compiler/vm.nim b/compiler/vm.nim
index 246d9d4d23..ba14f2d51b 100644
--- a/compiler/vm.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm.nim
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ proc rawExecute(c: PCtx, start: int, tos: PStackFrame): TFullReg =
     of opcLdObj:
       # a = b.c
       decodeBC(rkNode)
-      let src = regs[rb].node
+      let src = if regs[rb].kind == rkNode: regs[rb].node else: regs[rb].nodeAddr[]
       case src.kind
       of nkEmpty..nkNilLit:
         # for nkPtrLit, this could be supported in the future, use something like:
diff --git a/tests/vm/t17039.nim b/tests/vm/t17039.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f92c93f30a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/vm/t17039.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+type
+  Obj1 = object
+    case kind: bool
+    of false:
+      field: seq[int]
+    else: discard
+
+static:
+  var obj1 = Obj1()
+  obj1.field.add(@[])