diff --git a/dmd/expression.c b/dmd/expression.c
index 2e7c1255..b4647c12 100644
--- a/dmd/expression.c
+++ b/dmd/expression.c
@@ -3117,6 +3117,9 @@ StructLiteralExp::StructLiteralExp(Loc loc, StructDeclaration *sd, Expressions *
 #endif
     this->soffset = 0;
     this->fillHoles = 1;
+#if IN_LLVM
+    constType = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 Expression *StructLiteralExp::syntaxCopy()
diff --git a/dmd/expression.h b/dmd/expression.h
index 94f07f54..c4536907 100644
--- a/dmd/expression.h
+++ b/dmd/expression.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ struct DValue;
 namespace llvm {
     class Constant;
     class ConstantInt;
+    class StructType;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -537,6 +538,7 @@ struct StructLiteralExp : Expression
 #elif IN_LLVM
     DValue* toElem(IRState* irs);
     llvm::Constant *toConstElem(IRState *irs);
+    llvm::StructType *constType;
 #endif
 };
 
diff --git a/dmd/init.c b/dmd/init.c
index ae3b0848..9d05d4cd 100644
--- a/dmd/init.c
+++ b/dmd/init.c
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ StructInitializer::StructInitializer(Loc loc)
     : Initializer(loc)
 {
     ad = NULL;
+#if IN_LLVM
+    ltype = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 Initializer *StructInitializer::syntaxCopy()
diff --git a/dmd/init.h b/dmd/init.h
index aab5d043..1b893882 100644
--- a/dmd/init.h
+++ b/dmd/init.h
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ struct ExpInitializer;
 struct HdrGenState;
 #endif
 
+#if IN_LLVM
+namespace llvm {
+    class StructType;
+}
+#endif
+
 struct Initializer : Object
 {
     Loc loc;
@@ -91,6 +97,9 @@ struct StructInitializer : Initializer
 #endif
 
     StructInitializer *isStructInitializer() { return this; }
+#if IN_LLVM
+    llvm::StructType *ltype;
+#endif
 };
 
 struct ArrayInitializer : Initializer
diff --git a/dmd2/expression.c b/dmd2/expression.c
index 253c4176..05092314 100644
--- a/dmd2/expression.c
+++ b/dmd2/expression.c
@@ -3737,6 +3737,9 @@ StructLiteralExp::StructLiteralExp(Loc loc, StructDeclaration *sd, Expressions *
 #endif
     this->soffset = 0;
     this->fillHoles = 1;
+#if IN_LLVM
+    constType = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 Expression *StructLiteralExp::syntaxCopy()
diff --git a/dmd2/expression.h b/dmd2/expression.h
index 604bc428..7f0508ad 100644
--- a/dmd2/expression.h
+++ b/dmd2/expression.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ struct DValue;
 namespace llvm {
     class Constant;
     class ConstantInt;
+    class StructType;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -590,6 +591,7 @@ struct StructLiteralExp : Expression
 #elif IN_LLVM
     DValue* toElem(IRState* irs);
     llvm::Constant *toConstElem(IRState *irs);
+    llvm::StructType *constType;
 #endif
 };
 
diff --git a/dmd2/init.c b/dmd2/init.c
index b046b181..6a000220 100644
--- a/dmd2/init.c
+++ b/dmd2/init.c
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ StructInitializer::StructInitializer(Loc loc)
     : Initializer(loc)
 {
     ad = NULL;
+#if IN_LLVM
+    ltype = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 Initializer *StructInitializer::syntaxCopy()
diff --git a/dmd2/init.h b/dmd2/init.h
index d9038cca..d038dd9e 100644
--- a/dmd2/init.h
+++ b/dmd2/init.h
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ struct ArrayInitializer;
 struct ExpInitializer;
 struct HdrGenState;
 
+#if IN_LLVM
+namespace llvm {
+    class StructType;
+}
+#endif
+
 
 struct Initializer : Object
 {
@@ -91,6 +97,9 @@ struct StructInitializer : Initializer
 #endif
 
     StructInitializer *isStructInitializer() { return this; }
+#if IN_LLVM
+    llvm::StructType *ltype;
+#endif
 };
 
 struct ArrayInitializer : Initializer
diff --git a/gen/arrays.cpp b/gen/arrays.cpp
index 15b71b54..e95da271 100644
--- a/gen/arrays.cpp
+++ b/gen/arrays.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "gen/logger.h"
 #include "gen/dvalue.h"
 #include "ir/irmodule.h"
+#include "ir/irtypestruct.h"
 
 #include "gen/cl_options.h"
 
@@ -361,6 +362,85 @@ void DtoSetArray(DValue* array, LLValue* dim, LLValue* ptr)
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+// The function is almost identical copy of DtoConstArrayInitializer but it returns
+// initializer type not the initializer itself.
+// FIXME: is there any way to merge this next two functions?
+LLType* DtoConstArrayInitializerType(ArrayInitializer* arrinit)
+{
+    Type* arrty = arrinit->type->toBasetype();
+    if (arrty->ty != Tsarray)
+        return DtoType(arrinit->type);
+
+    TypeSArray* tsa = (TypeSArray*)arrty;
+    size_t arrlen = (size_t)tsa->dim->toInteger();
+
+    // get elem type
+    Type* elemty = arrty->nextOf();
+    LLType* llelemty = DtoTypeNotVoid(elemty);
+
+    // make sure the number of initializers is sane
+    if (arrinit->index.dim > arrlen || arrinit->dim > arrlen)
+    {
+        error(arrinit->loc, "too many initializers, %u, for array[%zu]", arrinit->index.dim, arrlen);
+        fatal();
+    }
+
+    // true if array elements differ in type, can happen with array of unions
+    bool mismatch = false;
+
+    // allocate room for types
+    std::vector<LLType*> types(arrlen, NULL);
+
+    // go through each initializer, they're not sorted by index by the frontend
+    size_t j = 0;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < arrinit->index.dim; i++)
+    {
+        // get index
+        Expression* idx = (Expression*)arrinit->index.data[i];
+
+        // idx can be null, then it's just the next element
+        if (idx)
+            j = idx->toInteger();
+        assert(j < arrlen);
+
+        // get value
+        Initializer* val = (Initializer*)arrinit->value.data[i];
+        assert(val);
+
+        LLType* c = DtoConstInitializerType(elemty, val);
+        assert(c);
+        if (c != llelemty)
+            mismatch = true;
+
+        types[j] = c;
+        j++;
+    }
+
+    // fill out any null entries still left with default type
+
+    // element default types
+    LLType* deftype = DtoConstInitializerType(elemty, 0);
+    bool mismatch2 =  (deftype != llelemty);
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < arrlen; i++)
+    {
+        if (types[i] != NULL)
+            continue;
+
+        types[i] = deftype;
+
+        if (mismatch2)
+            mismatch = true;
+    }
+
+    if (mismatch)
+        return LLStructType::get(gIR->context(), types); // FIXME should this pack?
+    else
+        return LLArrayType::get(deftype, arrlen);
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
 LLConstant* DtoConstArrayInitializer(ArrayInitializer* arrinit)
 {
     Logger::println("DtoConstArrayInitializer: %s | %s", arrinit->toChars(), arrinit->type->toChars());
@@ -469,7 +549,7 @@ LLConstant* DtoConstArrayInitializer(ArrayInitializer* arrinit)
 #if DMDV2
     if (arrty->ty == Tpointer)
         // we need to return pointer to the static array.
-        return gvar;
+        return DtoBitCast(gvar, DtoType(arrty));
 #endif
 
     LLConstant* idxs[2] = { DtoConstUint(0), DtoConstUint(0) };
@@ -477,7 +557,7 @@ LLConstant* DtoConstArrayInitializer(ArrayInitializer* arrinit)
     LLConstant* gep = llvm::ConstantExpr::getGetElementPtr(gvar,idxs,2);
     gep = llvm::ConstantExpr::getBitCast(gvar, getPtrToType(llelemty));
 
-    return DtoConstSlice(DtoConstSize_t(arrlen),gep);
+    return DtoConstSlice(DtoConstSize_t(arrlen), gep, arrty);
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/gen/arrays.h b/gen/arrays.h
index eb0dd9e4..409cf123 100644
--- a/gen/arrays.h
+++ b/gen/arrays.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ llvm::StructType* DtoArrayType(Type* arrayTy);
 llvm::StructType* DtoArrayType(LLType* elemTy);
 llvm::ArrayType* DtoStaticArrayType(Type* sarrayTy);
 
+LLType* DtoConstArrayInitializerType(ArrayInitializer* arrinit);
 LLConstant* DtoConstArrayInitializer(ArrayInitializer* si);
 LLConstant* DtoConstSlice(LLConstant* dim, LLConstant* ptr, Type *type = 0);
 
diff --git a/gen/declarations.cpp b/gen/declarations.cpp
index 4f704066..cfed3a1e 100644
--- a/gen/declarations.cpp
+++ b/gen/declarations.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "id.h"
 #include "mem.h"
 #include "template.h"
+#include "init.h"
 
 #include "gen/irstate.h"
 #include "gen/tollvm.h"
@@ -136,12 +137,10 @@ void VarDeclaration::codegen(Ir* p)
         ir.initialized = gIR->dmodule;
         std::string _name(mangle());
 
-        // build the initializer
-        LLConstant* initVal = DtoConstInitializer(loc, type, init);
-        ir.irGlobal->type = initVal->getType();
+        LLType *_type = DtoConstInitializerType(type, init);
 
         // create the global variable
-        LLGlobalVariable* gvar = new LLGlobalVariable(*gIR->module, initVal->getType(), _isconst,
+        LLGlobalVariable* gvar = new LLGlobalVariable(*gIR->module, _type, _isconst,
                                                       DtoLinkage(this), NULL, _name, 0, isThreadlocal());
         this->ir.irGlobal->value = gvar;
 
@@ -156,10 +155,6 @@ void VarDeclaration::codegen(Ir* p)
         if (nakedUse)
             gIR->usedArray.push_back(DtoBitCast(gvar, getVoidPtrType()));
 
-        // set the initializer if appropriate
-        assert(!ir.irGlobal->constInit);
-        ir.irGlobal->constInit = initVal;
-
         // assign the initializer
         if (!(storage_class & STCextern) && mustDefineSymbol(this))
         {
@@ -171,7 +166,12 @@ void VarDeclaration::codegen(Ir* p)
                 Logger::cout() << "init:   " << *initVal << '\n';
     #endif
             }
+            // build the initializer
+            LLConstant *initVal = DtoConstInitializer(loc, type, init);
 
+            // set the initializer
+            assert(!ir.irGlobal->constInit);
+            ir.irGlobal->constInit = initVal;
             gvar->setInitializer(initVal);
 
             #ifndef DISABLE_DEBUG_INFO
diff --git a/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp b/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
index 4c399797..5233f428 100644
--- a/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
+++ b/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
@@ -1255,6 +1255,60 @@ LLValue* DtoRawVarDeclaration(VarDeclaration* var, LLValue* addr)
 //      INITIALIZER HELPERS
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
 
+LLType* DtoConstInitializerType(Type* type, Initializer* init)
+{
+    if (type->ty == Ttypedef) {
+        TypeTypedef *td = (TypeTypedef*)type;
+        if (td->sym->init)
+            return DtoConstInitializerType(td->sym->basetype, td->sym->init);
+    }
+
+    type = type->toBasetype();
+    if (type->ty == Tsarray)
+    {
+        if (!init)
+        {
+            TypeSArray *tsa = (TypeSArray*)type;
+            LLType *llnext = DtoConstInitializerType(type->nextOf(), init);
+            return LLArrayType::get(llnext, tsa->dim->toUInteger());
+        }
+        else if (ArrayInitializer* ai = init->isArrayInitializer())
+        {
+            return DtoConstArrayInitializerType(ai);
+        }
+    }
+    else if (type->ty == Tstruct)
+    {
+        if (!init)
+        {
+        LdefaultInit:
+            TypeStruct *ts = (TypeStruct*)type;
+            DtoResolveStruct(ts->sym);
+            return ts->sym->ir.irStruct->getDefaultInit()->getType();
+        }
+        else if (ExpInitializer* ex = init->isExpInitializer())
+        {
+            if (ex->exp->op == TOKstructliteral) {
+                StructLiteralExp* le = (StructLiteralExp*)ex->exp;
+                if (!le->constType)
+                    le->constType = LLStructType::create(gIR->context(), std::string(type->toChars()) + "_init");
+                return le->constType;
+            } else if (ex->exp->op == TOKvar) {
+                if (((VarExp*)ex->exp)->var->isStaticStructInitDeclaration())
+                    goto LdefaultInit;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (StructInitializer* si = init->isStructInitializer())
+        {
+            if (!si->ltype)
+                si->ltype = LLStructType::create(gIR->context(), std::string(type->toChars()) + "_init");
+            return si->ltype;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return DtoTypeNotVoid(type);
+}
+
 LLConstant* DtoConstInitializer(Loc loc, Type* type, Initializer* init)
 {
     LLConstant* _init = 0; // may return zero
@@ -1266,7 +1320,7 @@ LLConstant* DtoConstInitializer(Loc loc, Type* type, Initializer* init)
     else if (ExpInitializer* ex = init->isExpInitializer())
     {
         Logger::println("const expression initializer");
-        _init = DtoConstExpInit(loc, type, ex->exp);;
+        _init = DtoConstExpInit(loc, type, ex->exp);
     }
     else if (StructInitializer* si = init->isStructInitializer())
     {
@@ -1282,7 +1336,7 @@ LLConstant* DtoConstInitializer(Loc loc, Type* type, Initializer* init)
     else if (init->isVoidInitializer())
     {
         Logger::println("const void initializer");
-        LLType* ty = DtoType(type);
+        LLType* ty = DtoTypeNotVoid(type);
         _init = LLConstant::getNullValue(ty);
     }
     else {
@@ -1797,4 +1851,3 @@ void callPostblit(Loc &loc, Expression *exp, LLValue *val)
     }
 }
 #endif
-
diff --git a/gen/llvmhelpers.h b/gen/llvmhelpers.h
index 08b4723e..9ca73ce3 100644
--- a/gen/llvmhelpers.h
+++ b/gen/llvmhelpers.h
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ DValue* DtoDeclarationExp(Dsymbol* declaration);
 LLValue* DtoRawVarDeclaration(VarDeclaration* var, LLValue* addr = 0);
 
 // initializer helpers
+LLType* DtoConstInitializerType(Type* type, Initializer* init);
 LLConstant* DtoConstInitializer(Loc loc, Type* type, Initializer* init);
 LLConstant* DtoConstExpInit(Loc loc, Type* t, Expression* exp);
 DValue* DtoInitializer(LLValue* target, Initializer* init);
diff --git a/gen/structs.cpp b/gen/structs.cpp
index c0aa374d..661e4d0e 100644
--- a/gen/structs.cpp
+++ b/gen/structs.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ size_t add_zeros(std::vector<llvm::Value*>& values, size_t diff)
     return values.size() - n;
 }
 
-std::vector<llvm::Value*> DtoStructLiteralValues(const StructDeclaration* sd, const std::vector<llvm::Value*>& inits)
+std::vector<llvm::Value*> DtoStructLiteralValues(const StructDeclaration* sd,
+                                                 const std::vector<llvm::Value*>& inits,
+                                                 bool isConst)
 {
     // get arrays 
     size_t nvars = sd->fields.dim;
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ std::vector<llvm::Value*> DtoStructLiteralValues(const StructDeclaration* sd, co
         assert(nextVar == var);
 
         // add any 0 padding needed before this field
-        if (os > lastoffset + lastsize)
+        if (!isConst && os > lastoffset + lastsize)
         {
             //printf("added %lu zeros\n", os - lastoffset - lastsize);
             add_zeros(values, os - lastoffset - lastsize);
diff --git a/gen/structs.h b/gen/structs.h
index f655e614..4056e958 100644
--- a/gen/structs.h
+++ b/gen/structs.h
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ void DtoResolveStruct(StructDeclaration* sd);
 LLConstant* DtoConstStructInitializer(StructInitializer* si);
 
 /// Build values for a struct literal.
-std::vector<llvm::Value*> DtoStructLiteralValues(const StructDeclaration* sd, const std::vector<llvm::Value*>& inits);
+std::vector<llvm::Value*> DtoStructLiteralValues(const StructDeclaration* sd,
+                                                 const std::vector<llvm::Value*>& inits,
+                                                 bool isConst = false);
 
 /// Returns a boolean=true if the two structs are equal.
 LLValue* DtoStructEquals(TOK op, DValue* lhs, DValue* rhs);
diff --git a/gen/toir.cpp b/gen/toir.cpp
index 3fa9e341..823db485 100644
--- a/gen/toir.cpp
+++ b/gen/toir.cpp
@@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@ LLConstant* AddrExp::toConstElem(IRState* p)
             vd->codegen(Type::sir);
             LLConstant* llc = llvm::dyn_cast<LLConstant>(vd->ir.getIrValue());
             assert(llc);
-            return llc;
+            return DtoBitCast(llc, DtoType(type));
         }
         // static function
         else if (FuncDeclaration* fd = vexp->var->isFuncDeclaration())
@@ -2883,15 +2883,22 @@ LLConstant* StructLiteralExp::toConstElem(IRState* p)
             inits[i] = exprs[i]->toConstElem(p);
 
     // vector of values to build aggregate from
-    std::vector<LLValue*> values = DtoStructLiteralValues(sd, inits);
+    std::vector<LLValue*> values = DtoStructLiteralValues(sd, inits, true);
 
     // we know those values are constants.. cast them
     std::vector<LLConstant*> constvals(values.size(), NULL);
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < values.size(); ++i)
+    std::vector<LLType*> types(values.size(), NULL);
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < values.size(); ++i) {
         constvals[i] = llvm::cast<LLConstant>(values[i]);
+        types[i] = values[i]->getType();
+    }
 
     // return constant struct
-    return LLConstantStruct::getAnon(gIR->context(), llvm::makeArrayRef(constvals), sd->ir.irStruct->packed);
+    if (!constType)
+        constType = LLStructType::get(gIR->context(), types);
+    else
+        constType->setBody(types);
+    return LLConstantStruct::get(constType, llvm::makeArrayRef(constvals));
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/ir/irclass.cpp b/ir/irclass.cpp
index f71f265d..94d41e40 100644
--- a/ir/irclass.cpp
+++ b/ir/irclass.cpp
@@ -308,13 +308,6 @@ void IrStruct::addBaseClassInits(
             inter_idx++;
         }
     }
-
-    // tail padding?
-    if (offset < base->structsize)
-    {
-        add_zeros(constants, base->structsize - offset);
-        offset = base->structsize;
-    }
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -346,6 +339,10 @@ std::vector<llvm::Constant*> IrStruct::createClassDefaultInitializer()
     // add data members recursively
     addBaseClassInits(constants, cd, offset, field_index);
 
+    // tail padding?
+    if (offset < cd->structsize)
+        add_zeros(constants, cd->structsize - offset);
+
     return constants;
 }
 
diff --git a/ir/irstruct.cpp b/ir/irstruct.cpp
index 36924a64..5befa67c 100644
--- a/ir/irstruct.cpp
+++ b/ir/irstruct.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 IrStruct::IrStruct(AggregateDeclaration* aggr)
 :   diCompositeType(NULL),
-    init_type(LLStructType::create(gIR->context(), std::string(aggr->toChars()) + "_init"))
+    init_type(LLStructType::create(gIR->context(), std::string(aggr->toPrettyChars()) + "_init"))
 {
     aggrdecl = aggr;
 
@@ -380,9 +380,22 @@ LLConstant * IrStruct::createStructInitializer(StructInitializer * si)
         add_zeros(constants, diff);
     }
 
+    // get initializer type
+    LLStructType* &ltype = si->ltype;
+    if (!ltype || ltype->isOpaque()) {
+        std::vector<LLConstant*>::iterator itr, end = constants.end();
+        std::vector<LLType*> types;
+        for (itr = constants.begin(); itr != end; ++itr)
+            types.push_back((*itr)->getType());
+        if (!ltype)
+            ltype = LLStructType::get(gIR->context(), types);
+        else
+            ltype->setBody(types);
+    }
+
     // build constant
     assert(!constants.empty());
-    llvm::Constant* c = LLConstantStruct::getAnon(gIR->context(), constants, packed);
+    llvm::Constant* c = LLConstantStruct::get(ltype, constants);
     IF_LOG Logger::cout() << "final struct initializer: " << *c << std::endl;
     return c;
 }