diff --git a/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection.cpp b/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection.cpp
index bf90792f81182..1ab37e01f45b2 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection.cpp
@@ -1922,13 +1922,15 @@ const StaticString s_ReflectionTypeAliasHandle("ReflectionTypeAliasHandle");
 
 // helper for __construct:
 // caller throws exception when return value is false
-static bool HHVM_METHOD(ReflectionTypeAlias, __init, const String& name) {
+static String HHVM_METHOD(ReflectionTypeAlias, __init, const String& name) {
   auto const typeAliasReq = Unit::loadTypeAlias(name.get());
 
-  if (!typeAliasReq) return false;
+  if (!typeAliasReq) {
+    return empty_string();
+  }
 
   ReflectionTypeAliasHandle::Get(this_)->setTypeAliasReq(typeAliasReq);
-  return true;
+  return String::attach(const_cast<StringData*>(typeAliasReq->name.get()));
 }
 
 static Array HHVM_METHOD(ReflectionTypeAlias, getTypeStructure) {
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection_hni.php b/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection_hni.php
index 6915a857d97fd..3241291a04a51 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection_hni.php
+++ b/hphp/runtime/ext/reflection/ext_reflection_hni.php
@@ -1142,11 +1142,11 @@ public function __construct(mixed $name_or_obj) {
     } else {
       $classname = $name_or_obj;
     }
-    if (!$this->__init($classname)) {
+    $name = $this->__init($classname);
+    if (!$name) {
       throw new ReflectionException("Class $classname does not exist");
     }
-
-    $this->name = $this->getName();
+    $this->name = $name;
   }
 
   <<__Native>>
@@ -2400,16 +2400,17 @@ class ReflectionTypeAlias implements Reflector {
    * @name      string  Name of the type alias.
    */
   final public function __construct(string $name) {
-    if (!$this->__init($name)) {
+    $n = $this->__init($name);
+    if (!$n) {
       throw new ReflectionException(
         "type alias {$name} does not exist");
     }
-    $this->name = $name;
+    $this->name = $n;
   }
 
   // helper for ctor
   <<__Native>>
-  private function __init(string $name): bool;
+  private function __init(string $name): string;
 
   /**
    * Get the TypeStructure that contains the full type information of
diff --git a/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php b/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c18e0974c5aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<?hh
+
+type MyType = void;
+
+$x = new ReflectionTypeAlias('mytype');
+echo $x->getName(), "\n";
diff --git a/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php.expect b/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php.expect
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3a2ef5da67c59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hphp/test/slow/reflection/ReflectionTypeAlias7.php.expect
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+MyType