diff --git a/src/typesystem.rs b/src/typesystem.rs
index 0464632cb4..2a9bd3f4e4 100644
--- a/src/typesystem.rs
+++ b/src/typesystem.rs
@@ -701,6 +701,10 @@ impl DataTypeInformation {
         let inner_type_size = inner_type_info.get_size_in_bits(index);
         let arr_size = self.get_size_in_bits(index);
 
+        if inner_type_size == 0 {
+            return None;
+        }
+
         Some((arr_size / inner_type_size) as usize)
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/validation.rs b/src/validation.rs
index d42f7ca71c..ec948f745b 100644
--- a/src/validation.rs
+++ b/src/validation.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,15 @@ impl<'s, T: AnnotationMap> ValidationContext<'s, T> {
         }
     }
 
+    fn with_optional_qualifier(&self, qualifier: Option<&'s str>) -> Self {
+        ValidationContext {
+            annotations: self.annotations,
+            index: self.index,
+            qualifier,
+            is_call: self.is_call,
+        }
+    }
+
     fn find_pou(&self, stmt: &AstNode) -> Option<&PouIndexEntry> {
         self.annotations.get_call_name(stmt).and_then(|pou_name| {
             self.index
diff --git a/src/validation/array.rs b/src/validation/array.rs
index 8e591c6871..d96bf767c2 100644
--- a/src/validation/array.rs
+++ b/src/validation/array.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ fn validate_array<T: AnnotationMap>(
     let len_lhs = lhs_type.get_array_length(context.index).unwrap_or(0);
     let len_rhs = statement_to_array_length(stmt_rhs);
 
+    if len_lhs == 0 {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if len_lhs < len_rhs {
         let name = lhs_type.get_name();
         let location = stmt_rhs.get_location();
diff --git a/src/validation/tests/snapshots/rusty__validation__tests__variable_validation_tests__type_initializers_in_structs_are_validated.snap b/src/validation/tests/snapshots/rusty__validation__tests__variable_validation_tests__type_initializers_in_structs_are_validated.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e5529788e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/validation/tests/snapshots/rusty__validation__tests__variable_validation_tests__type_initializers_in_structs_are_validated.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+source: src/validation/tests/variable_validation_tests.rs
+expression: diagnostics
+---
+error: Could not resolve reference to xxx
+  ┌─ <internal>:7:41
+  │
+7 │             unknown_reference : foo := (xxx := 1);
+  │                                         ^^^ Could not resolve reference to xxx
+
+error: Array assignments must be surrounded with `[]`
+  ┌─ <internal>:8:62
+  │
+8 │             invalid_array_assignment : ARRAY[0..1] OF INT := 0;
+  │                                                              ^ Array assignments must be surrounded with `[]`
+
+
diff --git a/src/validation/tests/variable_validation_tests.rs b/src/validation/tests/variable_validation_tests.rs
index 1317ac49a3..27a3c4af7a 100644
--- a/src/validation/tests/variable_validation_tests.rs
+++ b/src/validation/tests/variable_validation_tests.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+use crate::test_utils::tests::parse_and_validate_buffered;
 use crate::{assert_validation_snapshot, test_utils::tests::parse_and_validate};
+use insta::assert_snapshot;
 
 #[test]
 fn uninitialized_constants_fall_back_to_the_default() {
@@ -360,3 +362,21 @@ mod overflows {
         assert_validation_snapshot!(diagnostics);
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn type_initializers_in_structs_are_validated() {
+    let diagnostics = parse_and_validate_buffered(
+        "
+        TYPE foo : STRUCT
+            x : DINT;
+        END_STRUCT END_TYPE
+
+        TYPE MyStruct: STRUCT
+            unknown_reference : foo := (xxx := 1);
+            invalid_array_assignment : ARRAY[0..1] OF INT := 0;
+        END_STRUCT END_TYPE
+        ",
+    );
+
+    assert_snapshot!(diagnostics);
+}
diff --git a/src/validation/types.rs b/src/validation/types.rs
index b85ad9a60b..af27651df1 100644
--- a/src/validation/types.rs
+++ b/src/validation/types.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ pub fn visit_data_type<T: AnnotationMap>(
 ) {
     validate_data_type(validator, data_type, location);
 
+    let context = &context.with_optional_qualifier(data_type.get_name());
     match data_type {
         DataType::StructType { variables, .. } => {
             variables.iter().for_each(|v| visit_variable(validator, v, context))
diff --git a/src/validation/variable.rs b/src/validation/variable.rs
index 234f95f74f..75723101a4 100644
--- a/src/validation/variable.rs
+++ b/src/validation/variable.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ pub fn visit_variable<T: AnnotationMap>(
     context: &ValidationContext<T>,
 ) {
     validate_variable(validator, variable, context);
-
     visit_data_type_declaration(validator, &variable.data_type_declaration, context);
 }