diff --git a/parse.y b/parse.y
index 32e4d15bb..d5c352583 100644
--- a/parse.y
+++ b/parse.y
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ description /* IEEE1800-2005: A.1.2 */
   | nature_declaration
   | package_declaration
   | discipline_declaration
-  | timeunits_declaration
+  | package_item
   | KK_attribute '(' IDENTIFIER ',' STRING ',' STRING ')'
       { perm_string tmp3 = lex_strings.make($3);
 	pform_set_type_attrib(tmp3, $5, $7);
@@ -2362,6 +2362,11 @@ struct_union_member /* IEEE 1800-2012 A.2.2.1 */
 	tmp->names .reset($3);
 	$$ = tmp;
       }
+  | error ';'
+      { yyerror(@2, "Error in struct/union member.");
+	yyerrok;
+	$$ = 0;
+      }
   ;
 
 case_item
diff --git a/parse_api.h b/parse_api.h
index e3526f348..e334c0443 100644
--- a/parse_api.h
+++ b/parse_api.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 class Module;
 class PPackage;
 class PUdp;
+class data_type_t;
 
 /*
  * These are maps of the modules and primitives parsed from the
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ class PUdp;
  */
 extern std::map<perm_string,Module*> pform_modules;
 extern std::map<perm_string,PUdp*>   pform_primitives;
+extern std::map<perm_string,data_type_t*> pform_typedefs;
 
 extern std::map<perm_string,PPackage*> pform_packages;
 extern void pform_dump(std::ostream&out, const PPackage*pac);
diff --git a/pform.cc b/pform.cc
index 4d2a03737..e67417ec5 100644
--- a/pform.cc
+++ b/pform.cc
@@ -46,12 +46,15 @@
 /*
  * The pform_modules is a map of the modules that have been defined in
  * the top level. This should not contain nested modules/programs.
+ * pform_primitives is similar, but for UDP primitives.
  */
 map<perm_string,Module*> pform_modules;
-/*
- */
 map<perm_string,PUdp*> pform_primitives;
 
+/*
+ * typedefs in the $root scope go here.
+ */
+map<perm_string,data_type_t*>pform_typedefs;
 
 std::string vlltype::get_fileline() const
 {
@@ -505,7 +508,13 @@ PWire*pform_get_make_wire_in_scope(perm_string name, NetNet::Type net_type, NetN
 
 void pform_set_typedef(perm_string name, data_type_t*data_type)
 {
-      data_type_t*&ref = lexical_scope->typedefs[name];
+	// If we are in a lexical scope (i.e. a package or module)
+	// then put the typedef into that scope. Otherwise, put it
+	// into the $root scope.
+      data_type_t*&ref = lexical_scope
+	    ? lexical_scope->typedefs[name]
+	    : pform_typedefs[name];
+
       ivl_assert(*data_type, ref == 0);
       ref = data_type;
 
@@ -514,15 +523,25 @@ void pform_set_typedef(perm_string name, data_type_t*data_type)
       }
 }
 
+static data_type_t* test_type_identifier_in_root(perm_string name)
+{
+      map<perm_string,data_type_t*>::iterator cur = pform_typedefs.find(name);
+      if (cur != pform_typedefs.end())
+	    return cur->second;
+      else
+	    return 0;
+}
+
 data_type_t* pform_test_type_identifier(const char*txt)
 {
-	// If there is no lexical_scope yet, then there is NO WAY the
-	// identifier can be a type_identifier.
-      if (lexical_scope == 0)
-	    return 0;
-
       perm_string name = lex_strings.make(txt);
 
+	// If there is no lexical_scope yet, then look only in the
+	// $root scope for typedefs.
+      if (lexical_scope == 0) {
+	    return test_type_identifier_in_root(name);
+      }
+
       LexicalScope*cur_scope = lexical_scope;
       do {
 	    map<perm_string,data_type_t*>::iterator cur;
@@ -552,6 +571,10 @@ data_type_t* pform_test_type_identifier(const char*txt)
 	    cur_scope = cur_scope->parent_scope();
       } while (cur_scope);
 
+	// See if there is a typedef in the $root scope.
+      if (data_type_t*tmp = test_type_identifier_in_root(name))
+	    return tmp;
+
       return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/pform_dump.cc b/pform_dump.cc
index fb2882123..b5ab2b348 100644
--- a/pform_dump.cc
+++ b/pform_dump.cc
@@ -170,7 +170,10 @@ void uarray_type_t::pform_dump(ostream&out, unsigned indent) const
 void struct_type_t::pform_dump(ostream&out, unsigned indent) const
 {
       out << setw(indent) << "" << "Struct " << (packed_flag?"packed":"unpacked")
-	  << " with " << members->size() << " members" << endl;
+	  << " with " << (members.get()==0? 0 : members->size()) << " members" << endl;
+      if (members.get()==0)
+	    return;
+
       for (list<struct_member_t*>::iterator cur = members->begin()
 		 ; cur != members->end() ; ++ cur) {
 	    struct_member_t*curp = *cur;
diff --git a/pform_struct_type.cc b/pform_struct_type.cc
index 60219524b..4a4d91251 100644
--- a/pform_struct_type.cc
+++ b/pform_struct_type.cc
@@ -26,8 +26,12 @@ ivl_variable_type_t struct_type_t::figure_packed_base_type(void) const
       if (! packed_flag)
 	    return IVL_VT_NO_TYPE;
 
+      if (members.get() == 0)
+	    return IVL_VT_NO_TYPE;
+
       ivl_variable_type_t base_type = IVL_VT_BOOL;
 
+      ivl_assert(*this, members.get());
       for (list<struct_member_t*>::iterator cur = members->begin()
 		 ; cur != members->end() ; ++ cur) {