diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
index d68e3d3ffa..fabb8bda52 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
@@ -452,9 +452,9 @@ fn (f &Fmt) type_to_str(t table.Type) string {
 	mut res := f.table.type_to_str(t)
 	// type_ptr => &type
 	if res.ends_with('_ptr') {
-		res = res[0..res.len - 4]
+		res = res[0 .. res.len - 4]
 		start_pos := 2 * res.count('[]')
-		res = res[0..start_pos] + '&' + res[start_pos..res.len]
+		res = res[0 .. start_pos] + '&' + res[start_pos .. res.len]
 	}
 	return res.replace(f.cur_mod + '.', '')
 }
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/tests/optional_keep.vv b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/optional_keep.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..407db36f13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/optional_keep.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pub fn test() ?&SomeType {
+}
+
+struct SomeType {
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/table/atypes.v b/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
index 903f288ba2..6146ee18dc 100644
--- a/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
+++ b/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
@@ -631,13 +631,13 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 			res = '[]' + res
 		}
 	}
-	if type_is(t, .optional) {
-		res = '?' + res
-	}
 	nr_muls := type_nr_muls(t)
 	if nr_muls > 0 {
 		res = strings.repeat(`&`, nr_muls) + res
 	}
+	if type_is(t, .optional) {
+		res = '?' + res
+	}
 	/*
 	if res.starts_with(cur_mod +'.') {
 	res = res[cur_mod.len+1.. ]