Index: generic/xotcl.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r2b53035875b4732d2ce3c161004eae6ccc5de104 -r187492dd9e893c1afcb30ca671e94bb4ea25fef1
--- generic/xotcl.c	(.../xotcl.c)	(revision 2b53035875b4732d2ce3c161004eae6ccc5de104)
+++ generic/xotcl.c	(.../xotcl.c)	(revision 187492dd9e893c1afcb30ca671e94bb4ea25fef1)
@@ -1761,7 +1761,13 @@
     DECR_REF_COUNT(key);
 
 #if defined(PRE85)
+# if FORWARD_COMPATIBLE
+    if (!forwardCompatibleMode) {
+      newVar->nsPtr = (Namespace *)ns;
+    }
+# else
     newVar->nsPtr = (Namespace *)ns;
+# endif
 #endif
     *varPtr = (Tcl_Var)newVar;
   }