--- gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-var-cp.exp	(/mirrors/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
+++ gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-var-cp.exp	(/patches/gdb/path_3_5_references/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ mi_prepare_inline_tests $srcfile
 mi_run_inline_test reference_update
 mi_run_inline_test base_in_reference
 mi_run_inline_test reference_to_pointer
+mi_run_inline_test reference_to_struct
 
 mi_gdb_exit
 return 0
--- gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-var-cp.cc	(/mirrors/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
+++ gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-var-cp.cc	(/patches/gdb/path_3_5_references/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
@@ -96,10 +96,30 @@ int reference_to_pointer ()
   /*: END: reference_to_pointer :*/
 }
 
+int reference_to_struct ()
+{
+  /*: BEGIN: reference_to_struct :*/
+  S s;
+  S& r = s;
+  /*:
+    mi_create_varobj S s "create varobj for s"
+    mi_create_varobj R r "create varobj for s"
+    mi_gdb_test "-var-show-attributes S" \
+	"\\^done,attr=\"noneditable\"" \
+	"check attributes of S"
+    mi_gdb_test "-var-show-attributes R" \
+	"\\^done,attr=\"noneditable\"" \
+	"check attributes of R"
+    :*/
+  return 99;
+  /*: END: reference_to_struct :*/
+}
+
 int main ()
 {
   reference_update_tests ();
   base_in_reference_test_main ();
   reference_to_pointer ();
+  reference_to_struct ();
   return 0;
 }
--- gdb/varobj.c	(/mirrors/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
+++ gdb/varobj.c	(/patches/gdb/path_3_5_references/gdb_mainline)	(revision 3171)
@@ -176,6 +176,8 @@ static struct cleanup *make_cleanup_free
 
 static struct type *get_type (struct varobj *var);
 
+static struct type *get_value_type (struct varobj *var);
+
 static struct type *get_type_deref (struct varobj *var);
 
 static struct type *get_target_type (struct type *);
@@ -1459,6 +1461,35 @@ get_type (struct varobj *var)
   return type;
 }
 
+/* Return the type of the value that's stored in VAR,
+   or that would have being stored there if the
+   value were accessible.  
+
+   This differs from VAR->type in that VAR->type is always
+   the true type of the expession in the source language.
+   The return value of this function is the type we're
+   actually storing in varobj, and using for displaying
+   the values and for comparing previous and new values.
+
+   For example, top-level references are always stripped.  */
+static struct type *
+get_value_type (struct varobj *var)
+{
+  struct type *type;
+
+  if (var->value)
+    type = value_type (var->value);
+  else
+    type = var->type;
+
+  if (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_REF)
+    type = get_target_type (type);
+
+  type = check_typedef (type);
+
+  return type;
+}
+
 /* This returns the type of the variable, dereferencing references, pointers
    and references to pointers, too. */
 static struct type *
@@ -2020,7 +2051,7 @@ c_type_of_child (struct varobj *parent, 
 static int
 c_variable_editable (struct varobj *var)
 {
-  switch (TYPE_CODE (get_type (var)))
+  switch (TYPE_CODE (get_value_type (var)))
     {
     case TYPE_CODE_STRUCT:
     case TYPE_CODE_UNION: