diff --git a/elab_expr.cc b/elab_expr.cc
index 73fa40048..bbd8d0c08 100644
--- a/elab_expr.cc
+++ b/elab_expr.cc
@@ -4979,7 +4979,15 @@ NetExpr* PEIdent::elaborate_expr_(Design*des, NetScope*scope,
 						expr, {});
 	    }
 
-	    ivl_assert(*this, sr.path_tail.empty());
+	    if (! sr.path_tail.empty()) {
+		  cerr << get_fileline() << ": error: Variable "
+		       << sr.path_head
+		       << " does not have a field named: "
+		       << sr.path_tail << "." << endl;
+	          des->errors += 1;
+		  return 0;
+	    }
+
 	    NetExpr*tmp = elaborate_expr_net(des, scope, sr.net, sr.scope,
                                              expr_wid, flags);
 
diff --git a/ivtest/gold/br_gh1173.gold b/ivtest/gold/br_gh1173.gold
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dee9651d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ivtest/gold/br_gh1173.gold
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+./ivltests/br_gh1173.v:9: error: Variable id_3 does not have a field named: id_2.
+./ivltests/br_gh1173.v:9: error: Unable to elaborate r-value: id_3.id_2
+2 error(s) during elaboration.
diff --git a/ivtest/ivltests/br_gh1173.v b/ivtest/ivltests/br_gh1173.v
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de7dcc3ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ivtest/ivltests/br_gh1173.v
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+module module_0 (
+    id_2,
+    id_3,
+    id_18,
+);
+  inout id_18;
+  input id_3;
+  inout id_2;
+  assign id_18 = id_3.id_2;
+endmodule
diff --git a/ivtest/regress-vlg.list b/ivtest/regress-vlg.list
index c8861ab1a..e0886094c 100644
--- a/ivtest/regress-vlg.list
+++ b/ivtest/regress-vlg.list
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ br_gh889		normal,-gspecify	ivltests gold=br_gh889.gold
 br_gh956a		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh956a.gold
 br_gh956b		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh956b.gold
 br_gh1117		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh1117.gold
+br_gh1173		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh1173.gold
 br_gh1175a		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh1175a.gold
 br_gh1175b		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh1175b.gold
 br_gh1175c		CE			ivltests gold=br_gh1175c.gold