diff --git a/regression/cpp/Apple_extensions1/test.desc b/regression/cpp/Apple_extensions1/test.desc
index a15d05875dc..a003b07b93c 100644
--- a/regression/cpp/Apple_extensions1/test.desc
+++ b/regression/cpp/Apple_extensions1/test.desc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-KNOWNBUG
+CORE
 main.cpp
 
 ^EXIT=0$
@@ -6,5 +6,3 @@ main.cpp
 --
 ^warning: ignoring
 ^CONVERSION ERROR$
---
-This is being tracked in #1647.
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_type.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_type.cpp
index 8c94f0dbb27..68b93d1fe03 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_type.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_type.cpp
@@ -252,6 +252,9 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_type(typet &type)
   {
     // This is an Apple extension for lambda-like constructs.
     // http://thirdcog.eu/pwcblocks/
+    // we just treat them as references to functions
+    type.id(ID_frontend_pointer);
+    typecheck_type(type);
   }
   else if(type.id()==ID_nullptr)
   {