diff --git a/fluid/Fl_Menu_Type.cxx b/fluid/Fl_Menu_Type.cxx
index d63e15962..2bca9c59f 100644
--- a/fluid/Fl_Menu_Type.cxx
+++ b/fluid/Fl_Menu_Type.cxx
@@ -211,10 +211,14 @@ void Fl_Menu_Item_Type::write_static() {
     write_c("\n}\n");
     if (k) {
       write_c("void %s::%s(Fl_Menu_* o, %s v) {\n", k, cn, ut);
-      write_c("  ((%s*)(o->", k);
+      write_c("  ((%s*)(o", k);
       Fl_Type* t = parent; while (t->is_menu_item()) t = t->parent;
-      for (t = t->parent; t && t->is_widget() && !is_class(); t = t->parent) write_c("parent()->");
-      write_c("user_data()))->%s_i(o,v);\n}\n", cn);
+      Fl_Type *q = 0;
+      for (t = t->parent; t && t->is_widget() && !is_class(); q = t, t = t->parent) 
+        write_c("->parent()");
+      if (!q || strcmp(q->type_name(), "widget_class"))
+        write_c("->user_data()");
+      write_c("))->%s_i(o,v);\n}\n", cn);
     }
   }
   if (image) {