diff --git a/interpret.h b/interpret.h
index cc6e02a..a3ce4d4 100644
--- a/interpret.h
+++ b/interpret.h
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ uninitialized_scalar:
 					(*lhs)->type = Node_var;	/* in case was Node_var_new */
 					lhs = & ((*lhs)->var_value);	/* extra level of indirection */
 				} else
-					fatal(_("cannot assign to arbitrary elements of SYMTAB"));
+					warning(_("deprecated assignment to arbitrary element of SYMTAB [%.*s]"), (int) t2->stlen, t2->stptr);
 			}
 
 			assert(set_idx == NULL);
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ mod:
 					(*lhs)->type = Node_var;	/* in case was Node_var_new */
 					lhs = & ((*lhs)->var_value);	/* extra level of indirection */
 				} else
-					fatal(_("cannot assign to arbitrary elements of SYMTAB"));
+					warning(_("deprecated assignment to arbitrary element of SYMTAB [%.*s]"), (int) t2->stlen, t2->stptr);
 			}
 
 			unref(*lhs);