diff --git a/src/struct.c b/src/struct.c
index 0768ddb82702..49c1b463999f 100644
--- a/src/struct.c
+++ b/src/struct.c
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ void AggregateDeclaration::semantic2(Scope *sc)
     if (!members)
         return;
 
+    if (scope && sizeok == SIZEOKfwd)   // Bugzilla 12531
+        semantic(NULL);
     if (scope)
     {
         error("has forward references");
diff --git a/test/compilable/fwdref12531.d b/test/compilable/fwdref12531.d
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3172e8ad2852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/compilable/fwdref12531.d
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// PERMUTE_ARGS:
+
+struct Node(T)
+{
+    T _val;
+}
+
+void foo()
+{
+    static struct Foo
+    {
+        Node!Foo* node;
+    }
+}