diff --git a/compiler/semmagic.nim b/compiler/semmagic.nim
index d8be85273..c6cf63767 100644
--- a/compiler/semmagic.nim
+++ b/compiler/semmagic.nim
@@ -578,9 +578,9 @@ proc magicsAfterOverloadResolution(c: PContext, n: PNode,
       n[0].sym.magic = mSubU
     result = n
   of mPrivateAccess:
-    let sym = n[1].typ[0].sym
-    assert sym != nil
-    c.currentScope.allowPrivateAccess.add sym
+    var t = n[1].typ[0]
+    if t.kind in {tyRef, tyPtr}: t = t[0]
+    c.currentScope.allowPrivateAccess.add t.sym
     result = newNodeIT(nkEmpty, n.info, getSysType(c.graph, n.info, tyVoid))
   else:
     result = n
diff --git a/compiler/suggest.nim b/compiler/suggest.nim
index 7a2c0d964..f3add0849 100644
--- a/compiler/suggest.nim
+++ b/compiler/suggest.nim
@@ -258,7 +258,9 @@ proc fieldVisible*(c: PContext, f: PSym): bool {.inline.} =
     for module in c.friendModules:
       if fmoduleId == module.id: return true
     if f.kind == skField:
-      let symObj = f.owner
+      var symObj = f.owner
+      if symObj.typ.kind in {tyRef, tyPtr}:
+        symObj = symObj.typ[0].sym
       for scope in allScopes(c.currentScope):
         for sym in scope.allowPrivateAccess:
           if symObj.id == sym.id: return true
diff --git a/lib/std/importutils.nim b/lib/std/importutils.nim
index 4efe0e140..f7a3cbd03 100644
--- a/lib/std/importutils.nim
+++ b/lib/std/importutils.nim
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ when defined(nimImportutilsExample):
     x1: int # private
   proc initFoo*(): auto = Foo()
 
-proc privateAccess*(t: typedesc) {.magic: "PrivateAccess".} =
+proc privateAccess*(t: typedesc[object|ref|ptr]) {.magic: "PrivateAccess".} =
   ## Enables access to private fields of `t` in current scope.
   runnableExamples("-d:nimImportutilsExample"):
     # here we're importing a module containing:
diff --git a/testament/lib/stdtest/testutils.nim b/testament/lib/stdtest/testutils.nim
index 35423de17..44048adbd 100644
--- a/testament/lib/stdtest/testutils.nim
+++ b/testament/lib/stdtest/testutils.nim
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import std/private/miscdollars
 from std/os import getEnv
+import std/[macros, genasts]
 
 template flakyAssert*(cond: untyped, msg = "", notifySuccess = true) =
   ## API to deal with flaky or failing tests. This avoids disabling entire tests
@@ -89,3 +90,22 @@ template reject*(a) =
 template disableVm*(body) =
   when nimvm: discard
   else: body
+
+template typeOrVoid[T](a: T): type =
+  # FACTOR with asyncjs.typeOrVoid
+  T
+
+macro assertAll*(body) =
+  ## works in VM, unlike `check`, `require`
+  runnableExamples:
+    assertAll:
+      1+1 == 2
+      var a = @[1, 2] # statements work
+      a.len == 2
+  # remove this once these support VM, pending #10129 (closed but not yet fixed)
+  result = newStmtList()
+  for a in body:
+    result.add genAst(a) do:
+      # better than: `when not compiles(typeof(a)):`
+      when typeOrVoid(a) is void: a
+      else: doAssert a
diff --git a/tests/importalls/mt1.nim b/tests/importalls/mt1.nim
index 87c4eff16..b7983945c 100644
--- a/tests/importalls/mt1.nim
+++ b/tests/importalls/mt1.nim
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ doAssert m.m3p1 == 2
 ## field access
 import std/importutils
 privateAccess(Foo5)
-# var x = Foo5(z1: "foo", z2: m.kg1)
-# doAssert x.z1 == "foo"
+var x = Foo5(z1: "foo", z2: m.kg1)
+doAssert x.z1 == "foo"
 
 var f0: Foo5
 f0.z3 = 3
diff --git a/tests/stdlib/mimportutils.nim b/tests/stdlib/mimportutils.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2b185cd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stdlib/mimportutils.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+type
+  A* = object
+    a0*: int
+    ha1: float
+  B = object
+    b0*: int
+    hb1: float
+  C* = ref object
+    c0: int
+    hc1: float
+  D* = ptr object
+    d0: int
+    hd1: float
+  PA* = ref A
+  PtA* = ptr A
+
+proc initB*(): B = B()
diff --git a/tests/stdlib/timportutils.nim b/tests/stdlib/timportutils.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37e2b7102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stdlib/timportutils.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+import std/importutils
+import stdtest/testutils
+import mimportutils
+
+template main =
+  block: # privateAccess
+    assertAll:
+      var a: A
+      var b = initB() # B is private
+      compiles(a.a0)
+      compiles(b.b0)
+      not compiles(a.ha1)
+      not compiles(b.hb1)
+
+    block:
+      assertAll:
+        privateAccess A
+        compiles(a.ha1)
+        a.ha1 == 0.0
+        not compiles(a.hb1)
+        privateAccess b.typeof
+        b.hb1 = 3
+        type B2 = b.typeof
+        let b2 = B2(b0: 4, hb1: 5)
+        b.hb1 == 3
+        b2 == B2(b0: 4, hb1: 5)
+
+    assertAll:
+      not compiles(a.ha1)
+      not compiles(b.hb1)
+
+    block:
+      assertAll:
+        not compiles(C(c0: 1, hc1: 2))
+        privateAccess C
+        let c = C(c0: 1, hc1: 2)
+        c.hc1 == 2
+
+    block:
+      assertAll:
+        privateAccess PA
+        var pa = PA(a0: 1, ha1: 2)
+        pa.ha1 == 2
+        pa.ha1 = 3
+        pa.ha1 == 3
+
+    block:
+      assertAll:
+        var a = A(a0: 1)
+        var a2 = a.addr
+        not compiles(a2.ha1)
+        privateAccess PtA
+        a2.type is PtA
+        a2.ha1 = 2
+        a2.ha1 == 2
+        a.ha1 = 3
+        a2.ha1 == 3
+
+    block:
+      disableVm:
+        assertAll:
+          var a = A.create()
+          defer: dealloc(a)
+          a is PtA
+          a.typeof is PtA
+          not compiles(a.ha1)
+          privateAccess a.typeof
+          a.ha1 = 2
+          a.ha1 == 2
+          a[].ha1 = 3
+          a.ha1 == 3
+
+    block:
+      disableVm:
+        assertAll:
+          var a = A.create()
+          defer: dealloc(a)
+          privateAccess PtA
+          a.ha1 == 0
+
+static: main()
+main()
diff --git a/tests/stdlib/ttestutils.nim b/tests/stdlib/ttestutils.nim
index 7e39c9ae3..0d789cd76 100644
--- a/tests/stdlib/ttestutils.nim
+++ b/tests/stdlib/ttestutils.nim
@@ -1,11 +1,24 @@
 import stdtest/testutils
 
-block: # greedyOrderedSubsetLines
-  doAssert greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na3", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4")
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a3\na1", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4") # out of order
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4") # a5 not in lhs
+block: # assertAll
+  assertAll:
+    1+1 == 2
+    var a = 3
+    a == 3
 
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\nprefix:a5")
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\na5:suffix")
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\nprefix:a5")
-  doAssert not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\na5:suffix")
+  doAssertRaises(AssertionDefect):
+    assertAll:
+      1+1 == 2
+      var a = 3
+      a == 4
+
+block: # greedyOrderedSubsetLines
+  assertAll:
+    greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na3", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4")
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a3\na1", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4") # out of order
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4") # a5 not in lhs
+
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\nprefix:a5")
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a1\na5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\na5:suffix")
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\nprefix:a5")
+    not greedyOrderedSubsetLines("a5", "a0\na1\na2\na3\na4\na5:suffix")