diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/tests/symbol_registration_keep.vv b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/symbol_registration_keep.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..66b201d78e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/symbol_registration_keep.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+module analyzer
+
+import os
+
+const (
+	mut_struct_keyword     = 'mut:'
+	pub_struct_keyword     = 'pub:'
+	pub_mut_struct_keyword = 'pub mut:'
+	global_struct_keyword  = '__global:'
+)
+
+struct SymbolRegistration {
+mut:
+	store       &Store = &Store(0)
+	cursor      TreeCursor
+	module_name string
+	src_text    []byte
+	// skips the local scopes and registers only
+	// the top-level ones regardless of its
+	// visibility
+	is_import          bool
+	is_script          bool
+	first_var_decl_pos C.TSRange
+}
+
+fn (mut sr SymbolRegistration) struct_field_decl(field_access SymbolAccess, field_decl_node C.TSNode) &Symbol {
+	field_type_node := field_decl_node.child_by_field_name('type')
+	field_name_node := field_decl_node.child_by_field_name('name')
+	field_typ := sr.store.find_symbol_by_type_node(field_type_node, sr.src_text) or { void_type }
+	return &Symbol{
+		name: field_name_node.get_text(sr.src_text)
+		kind: .field
+		range: field_name_node.range()
+		access: field_access
+		return_type: field_typ
+		is_top_level: true
+		file_path: sr.store.cur_file_path
+		file_version: sr.store.cur_version
+	}
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/expr.v b/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
index 914fe956f9..df55eae3b3 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/expr.v
@@ -492,6 +492,8 @@ fn (mut p Parser) infix_expr(left ast.Expr) ast.Expr {
 	// allow `x := <-ch or {...}` to handle closed channel
 	if op == .arrow {
 		if p.tok.kind == .key_orelse {
+			was_inside_or_expr := p.inside_or_expr
+			p.inside_or_expr = true
 			p.next()
 			p.open_scope()
 			p.scope.register(ast.Var{
@@ -505,6 +507,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) infix_expr(left ast.Expr) ast.Expr {
 			or_stmts = p.parse_block_no_scope(false)
 			or_pos = or_pos.extend(p.prev_tok.position())
 			p.close_scope()
+			p.inside_or_expr = was_inside_or_expr
 		}
 		if p.tok.kind == .question {
 			p.next()
@@ -595,6 +598,8 @@ fn (mut p Parser) prefix_expr() ast.Expr {
 	// allow `x := <-ch or {...}` to handle closed channel
 	if op == .arrow {
 		if p.tok.kind == .key_orelse {
+			was_inside_or_expr := p.inside_or_expr
+			p.inside_or_expr = true
 			p.next()
 			p.open_scope()
 			p.scope.register(ast.Var{
@@ -608,6 +613,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) prefix_expr() ast.Expr {
 			or_stmts = p.parse_block_no_scope(false)
 			or_pos = or_pos.extend(p.prev_tok.position())
 			p.close_scope()
+			p.inside_or_expr = was_inside_or_expr
 		}
 		if p.tok.kind == .question {
 			p.next()
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index 6d4ef106a1..bfdcd0d006 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -2338,6 +2338,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) index_expr(left ast.Expr) ast.IndexExpr {
 		// a[i] or { ... }
 		if p.tok.kind == .key_orelse {
 			was_inside_or_expr := p.inside_or_expr
+			p.inside_or_expr = true
 			or_pos = p.tok.position()
 			p.next()
 			p.open_scope()
@@ -2442,6 +2443,8 @@ fn (mut p Parser) dot_expr(left ast.Expr) ast.Expr {
 		mut or_kind := ast.OrKind.absent
 		mut or_pos := p.tok.position()
 		if p.tok.kind == .key_orelse {
+			was_inside_or_expr := p.inside_or_expr
+			p.inside_or_expr = true
 			p.next()
 			p.open_scope()
 			p.scope.register(ast.Var{
@@ -2455,6 +2458,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) dot_expr(left ast.Expr) ast.Expr {
 			or_stmts = p.parse_block_no_scope(false)
 			or_pos = or_pos.extend(p.prev_tok.position())
 			p.close_scope()
+			p.inside_or_expr = was_inside_or_expr
 		}
 		// `foo()?`
 		if p.tok.kind == .question {