diff --git a/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp b/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
index b66bd064018..d1c7f7d25c3 100644
--- a/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
+++ b/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
@@ -493,6 +493,10 @@ void Verifier::visitAliaseeSubExpr(SmallPtrSet<const GlobalAlias *, 4> &Visited,
 
       Assert1(!GA2->mayBeOverridden(), "Alias cannot point to a weak alias",
               &GA);
+    } else {
+      // Only continue verifying subexpressions of GlobalAliases.
+      // Do not recurse into global initializers.
+      return;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/Verifier/alias.ll b/test/Verifier/alias.ll
index ff02a37bab9..d71a7cb2b6e 100644
--- a/test/Verifier/alias.ll
+++ b/test/Verifier/alias.ll
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ declare void @f()
 ; CHECK: Alias must point to a definition
 ; CHECK-NEXT: @ga
 
+; References to a global declaration from an initializer are OK.
+@gptr = global i32* @g
+@gptr_a = alias i32** @gptr
+; CHECK-NOT: Alias must point to a definition
 
 @test2_a = alias i32* @test2_b
 @test2_b = alias i32* @test2_a