diff --git a/src/rustc/middle/trans/datum.rs b/src/rustc/middle/trans/datum.rs
index 5e11cdd4794..700ac402a8a 100644
--- a/src/rustc/middle/trans/datum.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/middle/trans/datum.rs
@@ -651,6 +651,41 @@ impl Datum {
                     }
                 };
             }
+            ty::ty_class(did, ref substs) => {
+                // Check whether this struct is a newtype struct.
+                let fields = ty::class_items_as_fields(ccx.tcx, did, substs);
+                if fields.len() != 1 || fields[0].ident !=
+                    syntax::parse::token::special_idents::unnamed_field {
+                    return None;
+                }
+
+                let ty = fields[0].mt.ty;
+                return match self.mode {
+                    ByRef => {
+                        // Recast lv.val as a pointer to the newtype rather
+                        // than a pointer to the struct type.
+                        // XXX: This isn't correct for structs with
+                        // destructors.
+                        Some(Datum {
+                            val: GEPi(bcx, self.val, [0, 0, 0]),
+                            ty: ty,
+                            mode: ByRef,
+                            source: FromLvalue
+                        })
+                    }
+                    ByValue => {
+                        // Actually, this case cannot happen right now,
+                        // because structs are never immediate. But in
+                        // principle, newtype'd immediate values should be
+                        // immediate, and in that case the * would be a no-op
+                        // except for changing the type, so I am putting this
+                        // code in place here to do the right thing if this
+                        // change ever goes through.
+                        assert ty::type_is_immediate(ty);
+                        Some(Datum {ty: ty, ..self})
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             _ => { // not derefable.
                 return None;
             }
diff --git a/src/rustc/middle/ty.rs b/src/rustc/middle/ty.rs
index 8767c4c6253..4391388331c 100644
--- a/src/rustc/middle/ty.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/middle/ty.rs
@@ -2597,6 +2597,16 @@ fn deref_sty(cx: ctxt, sty: &sty, expl: bool) -> Option<mt> {
         }
       }
 
+      ty_class(did, ref substs) => {
+        let fields = class_items_as_fields(cx, did, substs);
+        if fields.len() == 1 && fields[0].ident ==
+                syntax::parse::token::special_idents::unnamed_field {
+            Some({ty: fields[0].mt.ty, mutbl: ast::m_imm})
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+      }
+
       _ => None
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rustc/middle/typeck/check.rs b/src/rustc/middle/typeck/check.rs
index b29e85643f1..8a74a8ed48b 100644
--- a/src/rustc/middle/typeck/check.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/middle/typeck/check.rs
@@ -1768,6 +1768,12 @@ fn check_expr_with_unifier(fcx: @fn_ctxt,
                          with a single variant which has a \
                          single argument");
                   }
+                  ty::ty_class(*) => {
+                    tcx.sess.span_err(
+                        expr.span,
+                        ~"can only dereference structs with one anonymous \
+                          field");
+                  }
                   _ => {
                     tcx.sess.span_err(
                         expr.span,
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/struct-deref.rs b/src/test/run-pass/struct-deref.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..74726f3c867
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/struct-deref.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+struct Foo(int);
+
+fn main() {
+    let x: Foo = Foo(2);
+    assert *x == 2;
+}
+