diff --git a/src/pkg/gob/decode.go b/src/pkg/gob/decode.go
index 9bbe1286e04..60c0e10ceae 100644
--- a/src/pkg/gob/decode.go
+++ b/src/pkg/gob/decode.go
@@ -467,20 +467,17 @@ func allocate(rtyp reflect.Type, p uintptr, indir int) uintptr {
 // decodeSingle decodes a top-level value that is not a struct and stores it through p.
 // Such values are preceded by a zero, making them have the memory layout of a
 // struct field (although with an illegal field number).
-func (dec *Decoder) decodeSingle(engine *decEngine, ut *userTypeInfo, p uintptr) (err os.Error) {
-	indir := ut.indir
-	if ut.isGobDecoder {
-		indir = int(ut.decIndir)
-	}
-	p = allocate(ut.base, p, indir)
+func (dec *Decoder) decodeSingle(engine *decEngine, ut *userTypeInfo, basep uintptr) (err os.Error) {
 	state := dec.newDecoderState(&dec.buf)
 	state.fieldnum = singletonField
-	basep := p
 	delta := int(state.decodeUint())
 	if delta != 0 {
 		errorf("decode: corrupted data: non-zero delta for singleton")
 	}
 	instr := &engine.instr[singletonField]
+	if instr.indir != ut.indir {
+		return os.NewError("gob: internal error: inconsistent indirection")
+	}
 	ptr := unsafe.Pointer(basep) // offset will be zero
 	if instr.indir > 1 {
 		ptr = decIndirect(ptr, instr.indir)
@@ -1069,10 +1066,7 @@ func (dec *Decoder) typeString(remoteId typeId) string {
 // compileSingle compiles the decoder engine for a non-struct top-level value, including
 // GobDecoders.
 func (dec *Decoder) compileSingle(remoteId typeId, ut *userTypeInfo) (engine *decEngine, err os.Error) {
-	rt := ut.base
-	if ut.isGobDecoder {
-		rt = ut.user
-	}
+	rt := ut.user
 	engine = new(decEngine)
 	engine.instr = make([]decInstr, 1) // one item
 	name := rt.String()                // best we can do
@@ -1202,7 +1196,7 @@ func (dec *Decoder) decodeValue(wireId typeId, val reflect.Value) {
 		dec.decodeIgnoredValue(wireId)
 		return
 	}
-	// Dereference down to the underlying struct type.
+	// Dereference down to the underlying type.
 	ut := userType(val.Type())
 	base := ut.base
 	var enginePtr **decEngine
diff --git a/src/pkg/gob/gobencdec_test.go b/src/pkg/gob/gobencdec_test.go
index 371a43c8f54..01addbe2359 100644
--- a/src/pkg/gob/gobencdec_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/gob/gobencdec_test.go
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ func TestGobEncoderNonStructSingleton(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("decode error:", err)
 	}
 	if x != 1234 {
-		t.Errorf("expected 1234 got %c", x)
+		t.Errorf("expected 1234 got %d", x)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -488,3 +488,40 @@ func TestGobEncoderIgnoreNilEncoder(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected x.G = nil, got %v", x.G)
 	}
 }
+
+type gobDecoderBug0 struct {
+	foo, bar string
+}
+
+func (br *gobDecoderBug0) String() string {
+	return br.foo + "-" + br.bar
+}
+
+func (br *gobDecoderBug0) GobEncode() ([]byte, os.Error) {
+	return []byte(br.String()), nil
+}
+
+func (br *gobDecoderBug0) GobDecode(b []byte) os.Error {
+	br.foo = "foo"
+	br.bar = "bar"
+	return nil
+}
+
+// This was a bug: the receiver has a different indirection level
+// than the variable.
+func TestGobEncoderExtraIndirect(t *testing.T) {
+	gdb := &gobDecoderBug0{"foo", "bar"}
+	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	e := NewEncoder(buf)
+	if err := e.Encode(gdb); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("encode: %v", err)
+	}
+	d := NewDecoder(buf)
+	var got *gobDecoderBug0
+	if err := d.Decode(&got); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got.foo != gdb.foo || got.bar != gdb.bar {
+		t.Errorf("got = %q, want %q", got, gdb)
+	}
+}