diff --git a/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_typecheck_expr.cpp b/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_typecheck_expr.cpp
index 941871d5cd3..5cc8b6f9f50 100644
--- a/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_typecheck_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_typecheck_expr.cpp
@@ -254,10 +254,14 @@ void java_bytecode_typecheckt::typecheck_expr_member(member_exprt &expr)
     {
       // member doesn't exist. In this case struct_type should be an opaque
       // stub, and we'll add the member to it.
-      components
+      symbolt &symbol_table_type=
+        symbol_table.lookup("java::"+id2string(struct_type.get_tag()));
+      auto &add_to_components=
+        to_struct_type(symbol_table_type.type).components();
+      add_to_components
         .push_back(struct_typet::componentt(component_name, expr.type()));
-      components.back().set_base_name(component_name);
-      components.back().set_pretty_name(component_name);
+      add_to_components.back().set_base_name(component_name);
+      add_to_components.back().set_pretty_name(component_name);
       return;
     }