diff --git a/mypy/fixup.py b/mypy/fixup.py
index 5854797dfc0d..91d8dcdfb783 100644
--- a/mypy/fixup.py
+++ b/mypy/fixup.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from mypy.nodes import (
     MypyFile, SymbolNode, SymbolTable, SymbolTableNode,
     TypeInfo, FuncDef, OverloadedFuncDef, Decorator, Var,
-    TypeVarExpr, ClassDef,
+    TypeVarExpr, ClassDef, Block,
     LDEF, MDEF, GDEF
 )
 from mypy.types import (
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ def visit_symbol_table(self, symtab: SymbolTable) -> None:
                         value.type_override = stnode.type_override
                     elif not self.quick_and_dirty:
                         assert stnode is not None, "Could not find cross-ref %s" % (cross_ref,)
+                    else:
+                        # We have a missing crossref in quick mode, need to put something
+                        value.node = stale_info()
+                        if value.type_override is not None:
+                            value.type_override.accept(self.type_fixer)
             else:
                 if isinstance(value.node, TypeInfo):
                     # TypeInfo has no accept().  TODO: Add it?
@@ -162,6 +167,10 @@ def visit_instance(self, inst: Instance) -> None:
             for base in inst.type.bases:
                 if base.type is NOT_READY:
                     base.accept(self)
+        else:
+            # Looks like a missing TypeInfo in quick mode, put something there
+            assert self.quick_and_dirty, "Should never get here in normal mode"
+            inst.type = stale_info()
         for a in inst.args:
             a.accept(self)
 
@@ -267,12 +276,23 @@ def lookup_qualified_stnode(modules: Dict[str, MypyFile], name: str,
             return None
         key = rest.pop()
         if key not in names:
+            if not quick_and_dirty:
+                assert key in names, "Cannot find %s for %s" % (key, name)
             return None
-        elif not quick_and_dirty:
-            assert key in names, "Cannot find %s for %s" % (key, name)
         stnode = names[key]
         if not rest:
             return stnode
         node = stnode.node
         assert isinstance(node, TypeInfo)
         names = node.names
+
+
+def stale_info() -> TypeInfo:
+    suggestion = "<stale cache: consider running mypy without --quick>"
+    dummy_def = ClassDef(suggestion, Block([]))
+    dummy_def.fullname = suggestion
+
+    info = TypeInfo(SymbolTable(), dummy_def, "<stale>")
+    info.mro = [info]
+    info.bases = []
+    return info
diff --git a/mypy/nodes.py b/mypy/nodes.py
index 0088808c8c58..8e0d23ffe3a9 100644
--- a/mypy/nodes.py
+++ b/mypy/nodes.py
@@ -2228,7 +2228,10 @@ class FakeInfo(TypeInfo):
     #    pass cleanly.
     # 2. If NOT_READY value is accidentally used somewhere, it will be obvious where the value
     #    is from, whereas a 'None' value could come from anywhere.
-    def __getattr__(self, attr: str) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    def __getattribute__(self, attr: str) -> None:
         raise AssertionError('De-serialization failure: TypeInfo not fixed')
 
 
diff --git a/mypy/types.py b/mypy/types.py
index 8de44cc69da7..c17bb063f5fb 100644
--- a/mypy/types.py
+++ b/mypy/types.py
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ class Instance(Type):
 
     def __init__(self, typ: mypy.nodes.TypeInfo, args: List[Type],
                  line: int = -1, column: int = -1, erased: bool = False) -> None:
-        assert(typ is None or typ.fullname() not in ["builtins.Any", "typing.Any"])
+        assert(typ is NOT_READY or typ.fullname() not in ["builtins.Any", "typing.Any"])
         self.type = typ
         self.args = args
         self.erased = erased
@@ -1796,8 +1796,10 @@ def union_items(typ: Type) -> List[Type]:
         return [typ]
 
 
+names = globals().copy()
+names.pop('NOT_READY', None)
 deserialize_map = {
     key: obj.deserialize  # type: ignore
-    for key, obj in globals().items()
+    for key, obj in names.items()
     if isinstance(obj, type) and issubclass(obj, Type) and obj is not Type
 }