diff --git a/src/compile.c b/src/compile.c
index 44479e37..849e2f1d 100644
--- a/src/compile.c
+++ b/src/compile.c
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ block gen_destructure(block var, block matcher, block body) {
   if (body.first && body.first->op == TOP)
     top = inst_block(block_take(&body));
 
-  return BLOCK(top, gen_op_simple(DUP), var, bind_matcher(matcher, body));
+  return BLOCK(top, gen_op_simple(DUP), gen_subexp(var), gen_op_simple(POP), bind_matcher(matcher, body));
 }
 
 // Like gen_var_binding(), but bind `break`'s wildcard unbound variable
diff --git a/tests/jq.test b/tests/jq.test
index f510a917..47b842c4 100644
--- a/tests/jq.test
+++ b/tests/jq.test
@@ -1356,3 +1356,9 @@ IN(range(5;20); range(10))
 null
 true
 
+# Regression test for #1347
+(.a as $x | .b) = "b"
+{"a":null,"b":null}
+{"a":null,"b":"b"}
+
+