diff --git a/src/lib/bitfield.ml b/src/lib/bitfield.ml
index 4d3d7029c..72458cadf 100644
--- a/src/lib/bitfield.ml
+++ b/src/lib/bitfield.ml
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ let register_field_setter typ_name field order range =
     String.concat "\n"
       [
         Printf.sprintf "function %s (r_ref, v) = {" fun_id;
-        "  r = __deref(r_ref);";
+        "  let r = __deref(r_ref);";
         Printf.sprintf "  (*r_ref) = %s(r, v)" update_fun_id;
         "}";
       ]
diff --git a/test/typecheck/pass/issue434.sail b/test/typecheck/pass/issue434.sail
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..610e04f81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/typecheck/pass/issue434.sail
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+default Order dec
+
+$include <prelude.sail>
+
+$option -strict_var
+
+bitfield b : bits(64) = {
+  B : 0
+}