diff --git a/vlib/compiler/expression.v b/vlib/compiler/expression.v
index 6017af8bee..ab81f8228e 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/expression.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/expression.v
@@ -902,6 +902,13 @@ fn (p mut Parser) factor() string {
 			if p.peek() == .str {
 				return p.map_init()
 			}
+			peek2 := p.tokens[p.token_idx + 1]
+			if p.peek() == .name && peek2.tok == .colon {
+				if !p.expected_type.ends_with('Config') {
+					p.error('short struct initialization syntax only works with structs that end with `Config`')
+				}
+				return p.struct_init(p.expected_type)
+			}
 			// { user | name :'new name' }
 			return p.assoc()
 		}
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v b/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
index db1a5ebef9..f7d3988084 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
@@ -488,7 +488,9 @@ fn (p mut Parser) gen_struct_init(typ string, t &Type) bool {
 	if typ == 'tm' {
 		p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len - 1] = ''
 	}
-	p.next()
+	if p.tok != .lcbr {
+		p.next()
+	}
 	p.check(.lcbr)
 	ptr := typ.contains('*')
 	// `user := User{foo:bar}` => `User user = (User){ .foo = bar}`
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/struct.v b/vlib/compiler/struct.v
index 951c69a11a..e5fefb931f 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/struct.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/struct.v
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) struct_decl(generic_param_types []string) {
 	// p.fgenln('//kek')
 }
 // `User{ foo: bar }`
+// tok == struct name
 fn (p mut Parser) struct_init(typ_ string) string {
 	p.is_struct_init = true
 	mut typ := typ_