diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/AstChecker.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/AstChecker.kt
index 8eabe17ec..88561462e 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/AstChecker.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/AstChecker.kt
@@ -1053,9 +1053,8 @@ internal class AstChecker(private val program: Program,
         if(dtxVar!=null && dtxVar != DataType.UBYTE && dtxVar != DataType.BYTE)
             errors.err("array indexing is limited to byte size 0..255", arrayIndexedExpression.position)
 
-        // check type of array indexer
-        if(arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexVar==null && arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexNum==null)
-            errors.err("array indexing can only be done with a number or a variable, or a simple binary expression, but not an arbitrary expression. Use a temp var?", arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.position)
+        if(arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression!=null)
+            throw FatalAstException("array indexer should have been replaced with a temp var @ ${arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.position}")
 
         super.visit(arrayIndexedExpression)
     }
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/StatementReorderer.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/StatementReorderer.kt
index 8e77622db..0fc240fc0 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/StatementReorderer.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/processing/StatementReorderer.kt
@@ -72,18 +72,19 @@ internal class StatementReorderer(val program: Program, val errors: ErrorReporte
     }
 
     override fun after(arrayIndexedExpression: ArrayIndexedExpression, parent: Node): Iterable<IAstModification> {
-        val expr = arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression
-        if (expr is NumericLiteralValue) {
-            arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexNum = expr
-            arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression = null
-        }
-        else if (expr is IdentifierReference) {
-            arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexVar = expr
-            arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression = null
-        }
-        else if(expr is BinaryExpression) {
-            if((expr.left is NumericLiteralValue || expr.left is IdentifierReference) &&
-                    (expr.right is NumericLiteralValue || expr.right is IdentifierReference)) {
+        when (val expr = arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression) {
+            is NumericLiteralValue -> {
+                arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexNum = expr
+                arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression = null
+                return noModifications
+            }
+            is IdentifierReference -> {
+                arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.indexVar = expr
+                arrayIndexedExpression.indexer.origExpression = null
+                return noModifications
+            }
+            is Expression -> {
+                // replace complex indexing with a temp variable
                 val modifications = mutableListOf<IAstModification>()
                 val indexerVarName = "prog8_autovar_index"
                 val block = expr.definingBlock()
@@ -107,9 +108,8 @@ internal class StatementReorderer(val program: Program, val errors: ErrorReporte
 
                 return modifications
             }
+            else -> return noModifications
         }
-
-        return noModifications
     }
 
     override fun after(whenStatement: WhenStatement, parent: Node): Iterable<IAstModification> {
diff --git a/examples/sprites.p8 b/examples/sprites.p8
index 28fded526..90598dff7 100644
--- a/examples/sprites.p8
+++ b/examples/sprites.p8
@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ main {
         ubyte @zp i
         for i in 0 to 7 {
             c64.SPRPTR[i] = $0a00 / 64
-            ubyte twoi = i*2
-            c64.SPXY[twoi] = 50+25*i
-            twoi++
-            c64.SPXY[twoi] = rnd()
+            c64.SPXY[i*2] = 50+25*i
+            c64.SPXY[i*2+1] = rnd()
         }
 
         c64.SPENA = 255                ; enable all sprites