diff --git a/src/core/chuck_scan.cpp b/src/core/chuck_scan.cpp
index 5d2b02a64..158c80787 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_scan.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck_scan.cpp
@@ -3082,16 +3082,21 @@ t_CKBOOL type_engine_scan2_func_def( Chuck_Env * env, a_Func_Def f )
 
     // make a new type for the function
     type = env->context->new_Chuck_Type( env );
+    // type id
     type->xid = te_function;
-    type->base_name = "[function]";
+    // type size
     type->size = sizeof(void *);
-
+    // function type name; this will be updated later in this function once we have more info (e.g., value_ref)
+    type->base_name = "[fun]";
     // 1.5.4.3 (ge) add ref; was: type->parent_type = env->ckt_function;
     // part of #2024-func-call-update
-    CK_SAFE_REF_ASSIGN(type->parent_type,env->ckt_function);
+    CK_SAFE_REF_ASSIGN(type->parent_type, env->ckt_function);
     // 1.5.4.3 (ge) add ref; was: type->func_bridge = func;
-    // part of #2024-func-call-update
+    // part of #2024-func-call-update | TODO: break cycle?
     CK_SAFE_REF_ASSIGN(type->func_bridge, func);
+    // 1.5.4.3 (ge) add func to type reference
+    // part of #2024-func-call-update | TODO: break cycle?
+    CK_SAFE_REF_ASSIGN(func->type_ref, type);
 
     // make new value, with potential overloaded name
     value = env->context->new_Chuck_Value( type, func_name );
@@ -3409,10 +3414,13 @@ t_CKBOOL type_engine_scan2_func_def( Chuck_Env * env, a_Func_Def f )
     assert( f->code == NULL || f->code->s_type == ae_stmt_code );
     if( f->code && !type_engine_scan2_code_segment( env, &f->code->stmt_code, FALSE ) )
     {
-        EM_error2( 0, "...in function '%s'", func->signature().c_str() ); // S_name(f->name) );
+        EM_error2( 0, "...in function '%s'", func->signature(FALSE,FALSE).c_str() ); // S_name(f->name) );
         goto error;
     }
 
+    // update the function-specific type's name | 1.5.4.3 (ge) added
+    type->base_name = "[fun]" + func->signature(FALSE,FALSE);
+
     // pop the value stack
     env->curr->value.pop();
     // clear the env's function definition
diff --git a/src/core/chuck_type.cpp b/src/core/chuck_type.cpp
index 617790cb0..39c7b735f 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_type.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck_type.cpp
@@ -9316,7 +9316,9 @@ Chuck_Type * Chuck_Func::type() const
 string Chuck_Func::signature( t_CKBOOL incFuncDef, t_CKBOOL incRetType ) const
 {
     // check we have the necessary info
-    if( !value_ref || !def() || !def()->ret_type )
+    // 1.5.4.3 (ge) added conditional check on ret_type
+    // to allow this function to be used pre-typecheck
+    if( !value_ref || !def() || (incRetType && !def()->ret_type) )
         return "[function signature missing info]";
 
     // check if a member func
diff --git a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-1.txt b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-1.txt
index 9faaf555a..27e2281c8 100644
--- a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-1.txt
+++ b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-1.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-error-string-func-concat-1.ck:17:9: error: cannot perform '+' on string and '[function]'
+error-string-func-concat-1.ck:17:9: error: cannot perform '+' on string and '[fun]Foo.getFoo()'
 [17] <<< " " + f.getFoo >>>;
              ^
 error-string-func-concat-1.ck:17:13: error: ...(hint: to call the function, add '()' and any arguments)
diff --git a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-2.txt b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-2.txt
index 608c30e2a..e58b6696d 100644
--- a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-2.txt
+++ b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-2.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-error-string-func-concat-2.ck:12:9: error: cannot perform '+' on '[function]' and string
+error-string-func-concat-2.ck:12:9: error: cannot perform '+' on '[fun]Foo.bar()' and string
 [12] Foo.bar + " ";
              ^
 error-string-func-concat-2.ck:12:5: error: ...(hint: to call the function, add '()' and any arguments)
diff --git a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-3.txt b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-3.txt
index 1e72f2f68..0d135403f 100644
--- a/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-3.txt
+++ b/src/test/06-Errors/error-string-func-concat-3.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-error-string-func-concat-3.ck:9:5: error: cannot perform '+' on '[function]' and string
+error-string-func-concat-3.ck:9:5: error: cannot perform '+' on '[fun]foo()' and string
 [9] foo + "";
         ^
 error-string-func-concat-3.ck:9:1: error: ...(hint: to call the function, add '()' and any arguments)