diff --git a/compiler/ccgtypes.nim b/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
index 8a60143fb..3a001ebf7 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
@@ -970,7 +970,8 @@ proc genTypeInfoAuxBase(m: BModule; typ, origType: PType;
     addf(m.s[cfsTypeInit3], "$1.flags = $2;$n", [name, rope(flags)])
   discard cgsym(m, "TNimType")
   if isDefined("nimTypeNames"):
-    var typename = typeToString(origType, preferName)
+    var typename = typeToString(if origType.typeInst != nil: origType.typeInst
+                                else: origType, preferName)
     if typename == "ref object" and origType.skipTypes(skipPtrs).sym != nil:
       typename = "anon ref object from " & $origType.skipTypes(skipPtrs).sym.info
     addf(m.s[cfsTypeInit3], "$1.name = $2;$n",