diff --git a/tools/widl/client.c b/tools/widl/client.c
index ba4962495de..d9338c0a68f 100644
--- a/tools/widl/client.c
+++ b/tools/widl/client.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static void write_function_stubs(type_t *iface, unsigned int *proc_offset, unsig
             }
         }
 
-        write_type(client, def->type, def, def->tname);
+        write_type(client, def->type, def);
         fprintf(client, " ");
         write_prefix_name(client, prefix_client, def);
         fprintf(client, "(\n");
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static void write_function_stubs(type_t *iface, unsigned int *proc_offset, unsig
         if (!is_void(def->type, NULL))
         {
             print_client("");
-            write_type(client, def->type, def, def->tname);
+            write_type(client, def->type, def);
             fprintf(client, " _RetVal;\n");
         }
 
diff --git a/tools/widl/header.c b/tools/widl/header.c
index faeadfb6b3c..24ce8a07259 100644
--- a/tools/widl/header.c
+++ b/tools/widl/header.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static void write_field(FILE *h, var_t *v)
   if (!v) return;
   if (v->type) {
     indent(h, 0);
-    write_type(h, v->type, NULL, v->tname);
+    write_type(h, v->type, NULL);
     if (get_name(v)) {
       fprintf(h, " ");
       write_pident(h, v);
@@ -220,14 +220,13 @@ static int needs_space_after(type_t *t)
   return t->kind == TKIND_ALIAS || ! is_ptr(t);
 }
 
-void write_type(FILE *h, type_t *t, const var_t *v, const char *n)
+void write_type(FILE *h, type_t *t, const var_t *v)
 {
   int c;
 
   if (t->is_const) fprintf(h, "const ");
 
-  if (n) fprintf(h, "%s", n);
-  else if (t->kind == TKIND_ALIAS) fprintf(h, "%s", t->name);
+  if (t->kind == TKIND_ALIAS) fprintf(h, "%s", t->name);
   else {
     if (t->sign > 0) fprintf(h, "signed ");
     else if (t->sign < 0) fprintf(h, "unsigned ");
@@ -279,7 +278,7 @@ void write_type(FILE *h, type_t *t, const var_t *v, const char *n)
       case RPC_FC_UP:
       case RPC_FC_FP:
       case RPC_FC_OP:
-        if (t->ref) write_type(h, t->ref, NULL, t->name);
+        if (t->ref) write_type(h, t->ref, NULL);
         fprintf(h, "%s*", needs_space_after(t->ref) ? " " : "");
         break;
       default:
@@ -359,7 +358,7 @@ void write_user_types(void)
 void write_typedef(type_t *type)
 {
   fprintf(header, "typedef ");
-  write_type(header, type->orig, NULL, NULL);
+  write_type(header, type->orig, NULL);
   fprintf(header, "%s%s;\n", needs_space_after(type->orig) ? " " : "", type->name);
 }
 
@@ -397,13 +396,13 @@ void write_expr(FILE *h, const expr_t *e, int brackets)
     break;
   case EXPR_CAST:
     fprintf(h, "(");
-    write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL, e->u.tref->name);
+    write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL);
     fprintf(h, ")");
     write_expr(h, e->ref, 1);
     break;
   case EXPR_SIZEOF:
     fprintf(h, "sizeof(");
-    write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL, e->u.tref->name);
+    write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL);
     fprintf(h, ")");
     break;
   case EXPR_SHL:
@@ -452,7 +451,7 @@ void write_constdef(const var_t *v)
 void write_externdef(const var_t *v)
 {
   fprintf(header, "extern const ");
-  write_type(header, v->type, NULL, v->tname);
+  write_type(header, v->type, NULL);
   if (get_name(v)) {
     fprintf(header, " ");
     write_pident(header, v);
@@ -580,7 +579,7 @@ void write_args(FILE *h, const var_list_t *args, const char *name, int method, i
         }
         else fprintf(h, ",");
     }
-    write_type(h, arg->type, arg, arg->tname);
+    write_type(h, arg->type, arg);
     if (arg->args)
     {
       fprintf(h, " (STDMETHODCALLTYPE *");
@@ -613,7 +612,7 @@ static void write_cpp_method_def(const type_t *iface)
     if (!is_callas(def->attrs)) {
       indent(header, 0);
       fprintf(header, "virtual ");
-      write_type(header, def->type, def, def->tname);
+      write_type(header, def->type, def);
       fprintf(header, " STDMETHODCALLTYPE ");
       write_name(header, def);
       fprintf(header, "(\n");
@@ -638,7 +637,7 @@ static void do_write_c_method_def(const type_t *iface, const char *name)
     const var_t *def = cur->def;
     if (!is_callas(def->attrs)) {
       indent(header, 0);
-      write_type(header, def->type, def, def->tname);
+      write_type(header, def->type, def);
       fprintf(header, " (STDMETHODCALLTYPE *");
       write_name(header, def);
       fprintf(header, ")(\n");
@@ -671,7 +670,7 @@ static void write_method_proto(const type_t *iface)
 
     if (!is_local(def->attrs)) {
       /* proxy prototype */
-      write_type(header, def->type, def, def->tname);
+      write_type(header, def->type, def);
       fprintf(header, " CALLBACK %s_", iface->name);
       write_name(header, def);
       fprintf(header, "_Proxy(\n");
@@ -694,14 +693,14 @@ static void write_method_proto(const type_t *iface)
       if (&m->entry != iface->funcs) {
         const var_t *mdef = m->def;
         /* proxy prototype - use local prototype */
-        write_type(header, mdef->type, mdef, mdef->tname);
+        write_type(header, mdef->type, mdef);
         fprintf(header, " CALLBACK %s_", iface->name);
         write_name(header, mdef);
         fprintf(header, "_Proxy(\n");
         write_args(header, m->args, iface->name, 1, TRUE);
         fprintf(header, ");\n");
         /* stub prototype - use remotable prototype */
-        write_type(header, def->type, def, def->tname);
+        write_type(header, def->type, def);
         fprintf(header, " __RPC_STUB %s_", iface->name);
         write_name(header, mdef);
         fprintf(header, "_Stub(\n");
@@ -720,7 +719,7 @@ static void write_function_proto(const type_t *iface, const func_t *fun, const c
   var_t *def = fun->def;
 
   /* FIXME: do we need to handle call_as? */
-  write_type(header, def->type, def, def->tname);
+  write_type(header, def->type, def);
   fprintf(header, " ");
   write_prefix_name(header, prefix, def);
   fprintf(header, "(\n");
diff --git a/tools/widl/header.h b/tools/widl/header.h
index ebf79175d01..4de10262c40 100644
--- a/tools/widl/header.h
+++ b/tools/widl/header.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ extern int is_non_void(const expr_list_t *list);
 extern void write_name(FILE *h, const var_t *v);
 extern void write_prefix_name(FILE *h, const char *prefix, const var_t *v);
 extern const char* get_name(const var_t *v);
-extern void write_type(FILE *h, type_t *t, const var_t *v, const char *n);
+extern void write_type(FILE *h, type_t *t, const var_t *v);
 extern int is_object(const attr_list_t *list);
 extern int is_local(const attr_list_t *list);
 extern const var_t *is_callas(const attr_list_t *list);
diff --git a/tools/widl/parser.y b/tools/widl/parser.y
index fc916d435c5..8c85565719c 100644
--- a/tools/widl/parser.y
+++ b/tools/widl/parser.y
@@ -297,12 +297,12 @@ int_statements:					{ $$ = NULL; }
 statement: ';'					{}
 	| constdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_constdef($1); } }
 	| cppquote				{}
-	| enumdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
+	| enumdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
 	| externdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_externdef($1); } }
 	| import				{}
-	| structdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
+	| structdef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
 	| typedef ';'				{}
-	| uniondef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
+	| uniondef ';'				{ if (!parse_only && do_header) { write_type(header, $1, NULL); fprintf(header, ";\n\n"); } }
 	;
 
 cppquote: tCPPQUOTE '(' aSTRING ')'		{ if (!parse_only && do_header) fprintf(header, "%s\n", $3); }
@@ -1240,7 +1240,6 @@ static var_t *make_var(char *name)
   v->ptr_level = 0;
   v->type = NULL;
   v->args = NULL;
-  v->tname = NULL;
   v->attrs = NULL;
   v->array = NULL;
   v->eval = NULL;
diff --git a/tools/widl/proxy.c b/tools/widl/proxy.c
index 2d6b75bb70f..6e0817a0687 100644
--- a/tools/widl/proxy.c
+++ b/tools/widl/proxy.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ static void gen_proxy(type_t *iface, const func_t *cur, int idx,
   unsigned int offset;
 
   indent = 0;
-  write_type(proxy, def->type, def, def->tname);
+  write_type(proxy, def->type, def);
   print_proxy( " STDMETHODCALLTYPE %s_", iface->name);
   write_name(proxy, def);
   print_proxy( "_Proxy(\n");
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ static void gen_proxy(type_t *iface, const func_t *cur, int idx,
   /* local variables */
   if (has_ret) {
     print_proxy( "" );
-    write_type(proxy, def->type, def, def->tname);
+    write_type(proxy, def->type, def);
     print_proxy( " _RetVal;\n");
   }
   print_proxy( "RPC_MESSAGE _RpcMessage;\n" );
diff --git a/tools/widl/typegen.c b/tools/widl/typegen.c
index b35a7d5c2d6..400cb0249e9 100644
--- a/tools/widl/typegen.c
+++ b/tools/widl/typegen.c
@@ -1842,7 +1842,7 @@ void print_phase_basetype(FILE *file, int indent, enum remoting_phase phase,
     if (phase == PHASE_MARSHAL)
     {
         print_file(file, indent, "*(");
-        write_type(file, var->type, NULL, var->tname);
+        write_type(file, var->type, NULL);
         if (var->ptr_level)
             fprintf(file, " *)_StubMsg.Buffer = *");
         else
@@ -1861,12 +1861,12 @@ void print_phase_basetype(FILE *file, int indent, enum remoting_phase phase,
             fprintf(file, " = (");
         else
             fprintf(file, " = *(");
-        write_type(file, var->type, NULL, var->tname);
+        write_type(file, var->type, NULL);
         fprintf(file, " *)_StubMsg.Buffer;\n");
     }
 
     print_file(file, indent, "_StubMsg.Buffer += sizeof(");
-    write_type(file, var->type, NULL, var->tname);
+    write_type(file, var->type, NULL);
     fprintf(file, ");\n");
 }
 
@@ -2214,13 +2214,13 @@ static void write_struct_expr(FILE *h, const expr_t *e, int brackets,
             break;
         case EXPR_CAST:
             fprintf(h, "(");
-            write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL, e->u.tref->name);
+            write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL);
             fprintf(h, ")");
             write_struct_expr(h, e->ref, 1, fields, structvar);
             break;
         case EXPR_SIZEOF:
             fprintf(h, "sizeof(");
-            write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL, e->u.tref->name);
+            write_type(h, e->u.tref, NULL);
             fprintf(h, ")");
             break;
         case EXPR_SHL:
@@ -2271,7 +2271,7 @@ void declare_stub_args( FILE *file, int indent, const func_t *func )
     if (!is_void(def->type, NULL))
     {
         print_file(file, indent, "");
-        write_type(file, def->type, def, def->tname);
+        write_type(file, def->type, def);
         fprintf(file, " _RetVal;\n");
     }
 
@@ -2293,14 +2293,14 @@ void declare_stub_args( FILE *file, int indent, const func_t *func )
         {
             int indirection;
             print_file(file, indent, "");
-            write_type(file, var->type, NULL, var->tname);
+            write_type(file, var->type, NULL);
             for (indirection = 0; indirection < var->ptr_level - 1; indirection++)
                 fprintf(file, "*");
             fprintf(file, " _W%u;\n", i++);
         }
 
         print_file(file, indent, "");
-        write_type(file, var->type, var, var->tname);
+        write_type(file, var->type, var);
         fprintf(file, " ");
         if (var->array) {
             fprintf(file, "( *");
diff --git a/tools/widl/typelib.c b/tools/widl/typelib.c
index 2f8708b973b..1e63e96bf8e 100644
--- a/tools/widl/typelib.c
+++ b/tools/widl/typelib.c
@@ -215,10 +215,11 @@ unsigned short get_type_vt(type_t *t)
 unsigned short get_var_vt(var_t *v)
 {
   unsigned short vt;
+  const char *tname = v->type->name;
 
-  chat("get_var_vt: %p tname %s\n", v, v->tname);
-  if (v->tname) {
-    vt = builtin_vt(v->tname);
+  chat("get_var_vt: var %p type->name %s\n", v, tname ? tname : "NULL");
+  if (tname) {
+    vt = builtin_vt(tname);
     if (vt) return vt;
   }
 
diff --git a/tools/widl/widltypes.h b/tools/widl/widltypes.h
index 8cb132087bc..15c5c1a717a 100644
--- a/tools/widl/widltypes.h
+++ b/tools/widl/widltypes.h
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ struct _var_t {
   array_dims_t *array;
   type_t *type;
   var_list_t *args;  /* for function pointers */
-  const char *tname;
   attr_list_t *attrs;
   expr_t *eval;
 
diff --git a/tools/widl/write_msft.c b/tools/widl/write_msft.c
index d3a5bf4a14c..6916128fd43 100644
--- a/tools/widl/write_msft.c
+++ b/tools/widl/write_msft.c
@@ -1068,7 +1068,8 @@ static int encode_var(
     if (!decoded_size) decoded_size = &scratch;
     *decoded_size = 0;
 
-    chat("encode_var: var %p var->tname %s var->type %p var->ptr_level %d var->type->ref %p\n", var, var->tname, var->type, var->ptr_level, var->type->ref);
+    chat("encode_var: var %p var->type %p var->type->name %s var->ptr_level %d var->type->ref %p\n",
+         var, var->type, var->type->name ? var->type->name : "NULL", var->ptr_level, var->type->ref);
     if(var->ptr_level) {
         int skip_ptr;
         var->ptr_level--;