diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cd0d295b..56a43cfa 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # <angular/> 0.9.7 sonic-cream (in-progress) #
 
+### Bug Fixes
+- Fixed failed assignments of form obj[0].name=value (issue #169)
 
 
 # <angular/> 0.9.6 night-vision (2010-12-06) #
diff --git a/src/parser.js b/src/parser.js
index 992696ee..621b0045 100644
--- a/src/parser.js
+++ b/src/parser.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ var OPERATORS = {
     '/':function(self, a,b){return a/b;},
     '%':function(self, a,b){return a%b;},
     '^':function(self, a,b){return a^b;},
-    '=':function(self, a,b){return setter(self, a, b);},
+    '=':noop,
     '==':function(self, a,b){return a==b;},
     '!=':function(self, a,b){return a!=b;},
     '<':function(self, a,b){return a<b;},
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ function lex(text, parseStringsForObjects){
   function readIdent() {
     var ident = "";
     var start = index;
+    var fn;
     while (index < text.length) {
       var ch = text.charAt(index);
       if (ch == '.' || isIdent(ch) || isNumber(ch)) {
@@ -151,12 +152,17 @@ function lex(text, parseStringsForObjects){
       }
       index++;
     }
-    var fn = OPERATORS[ident];
-    if (!fn) {
-      fn = getterFn(ident);
-      fn.isAssignable = ident;
-    }
-    tokens.push({index:start, text:ident, fn:fn, json: OPERATORS[ident]});
+    fn = OPERATORS[ident];
+    tokens.push({
+      index:start, 
+      text:ident, 
+      json: fn,
+      fn:fn||extend(getterFn(ident), {
+        assign:function(self, value){
+          return setter(self, ident, value);
+        }
+      })
+    });
   }
   
   function readString(quote) {
@@ -384,14 +390,17 @@ function parser(text, json){
 
   function assignment(){
     var left = logicalOR();
+    var right;
     var token;
     if (token = expect('=')) {
-      if (!left.isAssignable) {
+      if (!left.assign) {
         throwError("implies assignment but [" +
           text.substring(0, token.index) + "] can not be assigned to", token);
       }
-      var ident = function(){return left.isAssignable;};
-      return binaryFn(ident, token.fn, logicalOR());
+      right = logicalOR();
+      return function(self){
+        return left.assign(self, right(self));
+      };
     } else {
       return left;
     }
@@ -518,28 +527,28 @@ function parser(text, json){
   function fieldAccess(object) {
     var field = expect().text;
     var getter = getterFn(field);
-    var fn = function (self){
+    return extend(function (self){
       return getter(object(self));
-    };
-    fn.isAssignable = field;
-    return fn;
+    }, {
+      assign:function(self, value){
+        return setter(object(self), field, value);
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   function objectIndex(obj) {
     var indexFn = expression();
     consume(']');
-    if (expect('=')) {
-      var rhs = expression();
-      return function (self){
-        return obj(self)[indexFn(self)] = rhs(self);
-      };
-    } else {
-      return function (self){
+    return extend(
+      function (self){
         var o = obj(self);
         var i = indexFn(self);
         return (o) ? o[i] : _undefined;
-      };
-    }
+      }, {
+        assign:function(self, value){
+          return obj(self)[indexFn(self)] = value;
+        }
+      });
   }
 
   function functionCall(fn) {
diff --git a/test/ParserSpec.js b/test/ParserSpec.js
index 06cec2b3..c26125da 100644
--- a/test/ParserSpec.js
+++ b/test/ParserSpec.js
@@ -413,4 +413,12 @@ describe('parser', function() {
     expect(scope.$eval("a=undefined")).not.toBeDefined();
     expect(scope.$get("a")).not.toBeDefined();
   });
+  
+  it('should allow assignment after array dereference', function(){
+    scope = angular.scope();
+    scope.obj = [{}];
+    scope.$eval('obj[0].name=1');
+    expect(scope.obj.name).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(scope.obj[0].name).toEqual(1);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/testabilityPatch.js b/test/testabilityPatch.js
index ea5c8ab7..d389ae19 100644
--- a/test/testabilityPatch.js
+++ b/test/testabilityPatch.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ if (window.jstestdriver) {
 }
 
 beforeEach(function(){
+  // This is to reset parsers global cache of expressions.
+  compileCache = {};
   this.addMatchers({
     toBeInvalid: function(){
       var element = jqLite(this.actual);
diff --git a/test/widgetsSpec.js b/test/widgetsSpec.js
index ceec2c90..7253c26f 100644
--- a/test/widgetsSpec.js
+++ b/test/widgetsSpec.js
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ describe("widget", function(){
         expect(scope.$get('name')).toEqual('Kai');
         expect(scope.$get('count')).toEqual(2);
       });
+      
+      it('should allow complex refernce binding', function(){
+        compile('<div ng:init="obj={abc:{}}">'+
+                  '<input type="Text" name="obj[\'abc\'].name" value="Misko""/>'+
+                '</div>');
+        expect(scope.obj['abc'].name).toEqual('Misko');
+      });
 
       describe("ng:format", function(){