diff --git a/benten/cwl/recordtype.py b/benten/cwl/recordtype.py
index 8bb3901..4c6ac7c 100644
--- a/benten/cwl/recordtype.py
+++ b/benten/cwl/recordtype.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2019 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
+#  Copyright (c) 2019-2020 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
 
 from typing import Dict
 
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ def __init__(self, name: str, doc: str, fields: Dict[str, 'CWLFieldType']):
         self.required_fields = set((k for k, v in self.fields.items() if v.required))
         self.all_fields = set(self.fields.keys())
 
+    def init(self):
+        self.required_fields = set((k for k, v in self.fields.items() if v.required))
+        self.all_fields = set(self.fields.keys())
+
     def check(self, node, node_key: str=None, map_sp: MapSubjectPredicate=None) -> TypeCheck:
 
         if node is None:
diff --git a/benten/cwl/specification.py b/benten/cwl/specification.py
index 1a4cb57..63bd14d 100644
--- a/benten/cwl/specification.py
+++ b/benten/cwl/specification.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Code to load the CWL specification from JSON and represent it as a
 set of types"""
 
-#  Copyright (c) 2019 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
+#  Copyright (c) 2019-2020 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
 
 import json
 
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ def parse_record(schema, lang_model):
         for field in schema.get("fields") for k, v in [parse_field(field, lang_model)]
     })
 
+    lang_model[record_name].init()
+
     return lang_model.get(record_name)
 
 
diff --git a/benten/version.py b/benten/version.py
index febbe00..898f55f 100644
--- a/benten/version.py
+++ b/benten/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2019 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
+#  Copyright (c) 2019-2020 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
 
-__version__ = "2019.12.06"
+__version__ = "2020.01.21"
diff --git a/tests/test_language_specification.py b/tests/test_language_specification.py
index 89a7092..96970ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_language_specification.py
+++ b/tests/test_language_specification.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2019 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
+#  Copyright (c) 2019-2020 Seven Bridges. See LICENSE
 
 import pathlib
 
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ def test_load_language_specification():
     assert "steps" in lang_model["Workflow"].fields
     assert lang_model["Workflow"].fields["steps"].required
 
+    # Ensure type is properly initialized after forward construction
+    assert "entry" in lang_model["Dirent"].required_fields
+
 
 def test_forward_reference_resolution():
     type_dict = parse_schema(schema_fname)