diff --git a/lib/nodes.js b/lib/nodes.js
index 8b0c961e..4400601f 100644
--- a/lib/nodes.js
+++ b/lib/nodes.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 (function(){
-  var AccessorNode, ArrayNode, AssignNode, BaseNode, CallNode, ClassNode, ClosureNode, CodeNode, CommentNode, CurryNode, ExistenceNode, Expressions, ExtendsNode, ForNode, IDENTIFIER, IfNode, IndexNode, LiteralNode, ObjectNode, OpNode, ParentheticalNode, PushNode, RangeNode, ReturnNode, Scope, SliceNode, SplatNode, TAB, TRAILING_WHITESPACE, ThrowNode, TryNode, UTILITIES, ValueNode, WhileNode, compact, del, flatten, helpers, literal, merge, statement, utility;
+  var AccessorNode, ArrayNode, AssignNode, BaseNode, CallNode, ClassNode, ClosureNode, CodeNode, CommentNode, CurryNode, ExistenceNode, Expressions, ExtendsNode, ForNode, IDENTIFIER, IS_STRING, IfNode, IndexNode, LiteralNode, ObjectNode, OpNode, ParentheticalNode, PushNode, RangeNode, ReturnNode, Scope, SliceNode, SplatNode, TAB, TRAILING_WHITESPACE, ThrowNode, TryNode, UTILITIES, ValueNode, WhileNode, compact, del, flatten, helpers, literal, merge, statement, utility;
   var __extends = function(child, parent) {
     var ctor = function(){ };
     ctor.prototype = parent.prototype;
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@
     // See the [ECMAScript Harmony Wiki](http://wiki.ecmascript.org/doku.php?id=harmony:destructuring)
     // for details.
     AssignNode.prototype.compile_pattern_match = function compile_pattern_match(o) {
-      var _a, _b, _c, access_class, assigns, code, i, idx, obj, oindex, olength, splat, val, val_var, value;
+      var _a, _b, _c, access_class, assigns, code, i, idx, is_string, obj, oindex, olength, splat, val, val_var, value;
       val_var = o.scope.free_variable();
       value = this.value.is_statement() ? ClosureNode.wrap(this.value) : this.value;
       assigns = [("" + this.tab + val_var + " = " + (value.compile(o)) + ";")];
@@ -943,7 +943,8 @@
           obj = _c[0];
           idx = _c[1];
         }
-        access_class = this.variable.is_array() ? IndexNode : AccessorNode;
+        is_string = idx.value && idx.value.match(IS_STRING);
+        access_class = is_string || this.variable.is_array() ? IndexNode : AccessorNode;
         if (obj instanceof SplatNode && !splat) {
           val = literal(obj.compile_value(o, val_var, (oindex = this.variable.base.objects.indexOf(obj)), (olength = this.variable.base.objects.length) - oindex - 1));
           splat = true;
@@ -1755,6 +1756,8 @@
   TRAILING_WHITESPACE = /\s+$/gm;
   // Keep this identifier regex in sync with the Lexer.
   IDENTIFIER = /^[a-zA-Z\$_](\w|\$)*$/;
+  // Is a literal value a string?
+  IS_STRING = /^['"]/;
   // Utility Functions
   // -----------------
   // Handy helper for a generating LiteralNode.
diff --git a/src/nodes.coffee b/src/nodes.coffee
index 739f4a21..f8c938a2 100644
--- a/src/nodes.coffee
+++ b/src/nodes.coffee
@@ -692,7 +692,8 @@ exports.AssignNode: class AssignNode extends BaseNode
     for obj, i in @variable.base.objects
       idx: i
       [obj, idx]: [obj.value, obj.variable.base] if @variable.is_object()
-      access_class: if @variable.is_array() then IndexNode else AccessorNode
+      is_string: idx.value and idx.value.match IS_STRING
+      access_class: if is_string or @variable.is_array() then IndexNode else AccessorNode
       if obj instanceof SplatNode and not splat
         val: literal(obj.compile_value(o, val_var,
           (oindex: @variable.base.objects.indexOf(obj)),
@@ -1331,6 +1332,9 @@ TRAILING_WHITESPACE: /\s+$/gm
 # Keep this identifier regex in sync with the Lexer.
 IDENTIFIER: /^[a-zA-Z\$_](\w|\$)*$/
 
+# Is a literal value a string?
+IS_STRING: /^['"]/
+
 # Utility Functions
 # -----------------
 
diff --git a/test/test_pattern_matching.coffee b/test/test_pattern_matching.coffee
index e82edccc..b6959830 100644
--- a/test/test_pattern_matching.coffee
+++ b/test/test_pattern_matching.coffee
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ ok c is 30
 person: {
   name: "Moe"
   family: {
-    brother: {
+    'elder-brother': {
       addresses: [
         "first"
         {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ person: {
   }
 }
 
-{name: a, family: {brother: {addresses: [one, {city: b}]}}}: person
+{name: a, family: {'elder-brother': {addresses: [one, {city: b}]}}}: person
 
 ok a is "Moe"
 ok b is "Moquasset NY, 10021"