diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index 64fe23ccab..87da3dd193 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -646,7 +646,8 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) struct_init(mut struct_init ast.StructInit) ast.Type {
 				if field.has_default_expr || field.name in inited_fields {
 					continue
 				}
-				if field.typ.is_ptr() && !struct_init.has_update_expr && !c.pref.translated {
+				if field.typ.is_ptr() && !field.typ.has_flag(.shared_f)
+					&& !struct_init.has_update_expr && !c.pref.translated {
 					c.error('reference field `${type_sym.name}.$field.name` must be initialized',
 						struct_init.pos)
 				}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
index 13b7797e90..bafbce455b 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
@@ -5743,23 +5743,36 @@ fn (mut g Gen) type_default(typ_ ast.Type) string {
 		return '{0}'
 	}
 	// Always set pointers to 0
-	if typ.is_ptr() {
+	if typ.is_ptr() && !typ.has_flag(.shared_f) {
 		return '0'
 	}
 	sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(typ)
 	if sym.kind == .array {
-		elem_sym := g.typ(sym.array_info().elem_type)
+		elem_typ := sym.array_info().elem_type
+		elem_sym := g.typ(elem_typ)
 		mut elem_type_str := util.no_dots(elem_sym)
 		if elem_type_str.starts_with('C__') {
 			elem_type_str = elem_type_str[3..]
 		}
-		return '__new_array(0, 1, sizeof($elem_type_str))'
+		init_str := '__new_array(0, 1, sizeof($elem_type_str))'
+		if typ.has_flag(.shared_f) {
+			atyp := '__shared__Array_${g.table.get_type_symbol(elem_typ).cname}'
+			return '($atyp*)__dup_shared_array(&($atyp){.val = $init_str}, sizeof($atyp))'
+		} else {
+			return init_str
+		}
 	}
 	if sym.kind == .map {
 		info := sym.map_info()
 		key_typ := g.table.get_type_symbol(info.key_type)
 		hash_fn, key_eq_fn, clone_fn, free_fn := g.map_fn_ptrs(key_typ)
-		return 'new_map(sizeof(${g.typ(info.key_type)}), sizeof(${g.typ(info.value_type)}), $hash_fn, $key_eq_fn, $clone_fn, $free_fn)'
+		init_str := 'new_map(sizeof(${g.typ(info.key_type)}), sizeof(${g.typ(info.value_type)}), $hash_fn, $key_eq_fn, $clone_fn, $free_fn)'
+		if typ.has_flag(.shared_f) {
+			mtyp := '__shared__Map_${key_typ.cname}_${g.table.get_type_symbol(info.value_type).cname}'
+			return '($mtyp*)__dup_shared_map(&($mtyp){.val = $init_str}, sizeof($mtyp))'
+		} else {
+			return init_str
+		}
 	}
 	// User struct defined in another module.
 	// if typ.contains('__') {
@@ -5786,7 +5799,12 @@ fn (mut g Gen) type_default(typ_ ast.Type) string {
 		} else {
 			init_str += '0}'
 		}
-		return init_str
+		if typ.has_flag(.shared_f) {
+			styp := '__shared__${g.table.get_type_symbol(typ).cname}'
+			return '($styp*)__dup${styp}(&($styp){.val = $init_str}, sizeof($styp))'
+		} else {
+			return init_str
+		}
 	}
 	// if typ.ends_with('Fn') { // TODO
 	// return '0'
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/shared_elem_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/shared_elem_test.v
index 671d42aec5..c2b10f6be0 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/shared_elem_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/shared_elem_test.v
@@ -8,6 +8,18 @@ struct Abc {
 	i int
 }
 
+fn test_shared_struct_auto_struct() {
+	e := Abc{}
+	shared a := e.a
+	lock a {
+		a.n = 17
+	}
+	r := rlock a {
+		a.n
+	}
+	assert r == 17
+}
+
 fn test_shared_struct_in_struct() {
 	shared y := Xyz{
 		n: 7
@@ -50,6 +62,20 @@ struct Efg {
 	i int
 }
 
+fn test_shared_auto_init_array() {
+	e := Efg{}
+	shared a := e.a
+	lock a {
+		a << 23.0625
+		a << -133.25
+		a << 0.125
+	}
+	r := rlock a {
+		a[1]
+	}
+	assert r == -133.25
+}
+
 fn test_shared_array_in_struct() {
 	x := Efg{
 		a: [1.25, 2.75, 7, 13.0625]
@@ -76,6 +102,18 @@ struct Hjk {
 	i int
 }
 
+fn test_shared_auto_init_map() {
+	a := Hjk{}
+	shared m := a.m
+	lock m {
+		m['xcv'] = -31.125
+	}
+	r := rlock m {
+		m['xcv']
+	}
+	assert r == -31.125
+}
+
 fn test_shared_map_in_struct() {
 	x := Hjk{
 		m: map{