diff --git a/cpp2rust/converter/converter.cpp b/cpp2rust/converter/converter.cpp
index 7a40fb153..68802115f 100644
--- a/cpp2rust/converter/converter.cpp
+++ b/cpp2rust/converter/converter.cpp
@@ -555,6 +555,25 @@ void Converter::ConvertVarDecl(clang::VarDecl *decl) {
   }
 
   HoistMaterializedTempBindings hoist_temps(*this);
+  if (decl->isLocalVarDecl() && !IsGlobalVar(decl) && decl->hasInit() &&
+      ReferencesVar(decl->getInit(), decl)) {
+    if (decl->getType()->isReferenceType()) {
+      llvm::report_fatal_error(
+          "self-referential initializer of a reference is not supported");
+    }
+    if (DefaultInitHasSideEffects(ctx_, decl->getType())) {
+      llvm::report_fatal_error("self-referential initializer of a variable "
+                               "whose default initialization has side effects "
+                               "is not supported");
+    }
+    hoisted_decls_.insert(decl);
+    if (ConvertVarDeclSkipInit(decl)) {
+      StrCat(token::kAssign, ConvertVarDefaultInit(decl), token::kSemiColon);
+    }
+    EmitHoistedInArmAssignment(decl);
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (!ConvertVarDeclSkipInit(decl)) {
     // Skip global variables declared extern
     return;
@@ -591,6 +610,10 @@ bool Converter::VisitVarDecl(clang::VarDecl *decl) {
   }
 
   if (IsGlobalVar(decl)) {
+    if (decl->hasInit() && ReferencesVar(decl->getInit(), decl)) {
+      llvm::report_fatal_error(
+          "self-referential initializer of a static variable is not supported");
+    }
     ConvertGlobalVarDecl(decl);
   } else {
     ConvertVarDecl(decl);
diff --git a/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.cpp b/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.cpp
index 97afa0a39..a4731e8b0 100644
--- a/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.cpp
+++ b/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.cpp
@@ -1579,6 +1579,48 @@ GetAllVars(const clang::Stmt *stmt) {
   return vars;
 }
 
+bool ReferencesVar(const clang::Stmt *stmt, const clang::VarDecl *var) {
+  if (!stmt) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (auto *decl_ref = clang::dyn_cast<clang::DeclRefExpr>(stmt)) {
+    return decl_ref->getDecl() == var;
+  }
+  if (clang::isa<clang::UnaryExprOrTypeTraitExpr>(stmt)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return std::ranges::any_of(stmt->children(), [var](const clang::Stmt *child) {
+    return ReferencesVar(child, var);
+  });
+}
+
+bool DefaultInitHasSideEffects(const clang::ASTContext &ctx,
+                               clang::QualType type) {
+  auto *record = ctx.getBaseElementType(type)->getAsCXXRecordDecl();
+  if (!record || record->hasTrivialDefaultConstructor()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (!record->hasDefaultConstructor() ||
+      record->hasUserProvidedDefaultConstructor()) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  for (const auto &base : record->bases()) {
+    if (DefaultInitHasSideEffects(ctx, base.getType())) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  for (auto *field : record->fields()) {
+    if (auto *init = field->getInClassInitializer()) {
+      if (init->HasSideEffects(ctx)) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    } else if (DefaultInitHasSideEffects(ctx, field->getType())) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 bool ReadsMemory(const clang::Stmt *stmt) {
   if (auto *cast = clang::dyn_cast<clang::ImplicitCastExpr>(stmt);
       cast && cast->getCastKind() == clang::CK_LValueToRValue) {
diff --git a/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.h b/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.h
index afce5742b..d0b91b2f9 100644
--- a/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.h
+++ b/cpp2rust/converter/converter_lib.h
@@ -279,6 +279,11 @@ clang::Expr *GetCallee(clang::CallExpr *expr);
 std::unordered_set<const clang::ValueDecl *>
 GetAllVars(const clang::Stmt *stmt);
 
+bool ReferencesVar(const clang::Stmt *stmt, const clang::VarDecl *var);
+
+bool DefaultInitHasSideEffects(const clang::ASTContext &ctx,
+                               clang::QualType type);
+
 bool ReferencesThis(const clang::Stmt *stmt);
 
 // Whether evaluating `stmt` reads a value from memory, e.g., a pointer.
diff --git a/tests/ub/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs b/tests/ub/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b374e835e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ub/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+extern crate libcc2rs;
+use libcc2rs::*;
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::io::prelude::*;
+use std::io::{Read, Seek, Write};
+use std::os::fd::AsFd;
+use std::rc::{Rc, Weak};
+#[derive(Clone, Record, ByteRepr, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+#[byte_size(8)]
+pub struct pair {
+    #[offset(0)]
+    pub a: i32,
+    #[offset(4)]
+    pub b: i32,
+}
+pub fn main() {
+    __cpp2rust_init_globals();
+    std::process::exit(main_0());
+}
+fn main_0() -> i32 {
+    let mut x: i32 = 0_i32;
+    x = (x + 1);
+    let mut p: pair = <pair>::default();
+    p = pair { a: 1, b: (p.a + 1) };
+    return (x + p.b);
+}
+pub fn __cpp2rust_init_globals() {}
diff --git a/tests/ub/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs b/tests/ub/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f33614c65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ub/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+extern crate libc;
+use libc::*;
+extern crate libcc2rs;
+use libcc2rs::*;
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::io::{Read, Seek, Write};
+use std::os::fd::{AsFd, FromRawFd, IntoRawFd};
+use std::rc::Rc;
+#[repr(C)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+pub struct pair {
+    pub a: i32,
+    pub b: i32,
+}
+pub fn main() {
+    unsafe {
+        __cpp2rust_init_globals();
+        std::process::exit(main_0() as i32);
+    }
+}
+unsafe fn main_0() -> i32 {
+    let mut x: i32 = 0_i32;
+    x = ((x) + (1));
+    let mut p: pair = <pair>::default();
+    p = pair {
+        a: 1,
+        b: ((p.a) + (1)),
+    };
+    return ((x) + (p.b));
+}
+pub unsafe fn __cpp2rust_init_globals() {}
diff --git a/tests/ub/self_referencing_initializer.cpp b/tests/ub/self_referencing_initializer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..901f4f6c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ub/self_referencing_initializer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// nondet-result
+
+struct pair {
+  int a;
+  int b;
+};
+
+int main() {
+  int x = x + 1;
+  pair p = {1, p.a + 1};
+  return x + p.b;
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs b/tests/unit/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80797122f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/out/refcount/self_referencing_initializer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+extern crate libcc2rs;
+use libcc2rs::*;
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::io::prelude::*;
+use std::io::{Read, Seek, Write};
+use std::os::fd::AsFd;
+use std::rc::{Rc, Weak};
+#[derive(Clone, Record, ByteRepr, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+#[byte_size(8)]
+pub struct list_head {
+    #[offset(0)]
+    #[byte_size(8)]
+    pub next: Ptr<list_head>,
+}
+#[derive(Clone, Record, ByteRepr, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+#[byte_size(16)]
+pub struct node {
+    #[offset(0)]
+    pub value: i32,
+    #[offset(8)]
+    #[byte_size(8)]
+    pub value_ptr: Ptr<i32>,
+}
+#[derive(Clone, Record, ByteRepr, VaArg, FnPtrArg)]
+#[byte_size(16)]
+pub struct node_with_defaults {
+    #[offset(0)]
+    #[byte_size(8)]
+    pub next: Ptr<node_with_defaults>,
+    #[offset(8)]
+    pub value: i32,
+}
+impl Default for node_with_defaults {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        node_with_defaults {
+            next: Ptr::<node_with_defaults>::null(),
+            value: 3,
+        }
+    }
+}
+pub fn init_0(mut l: Ptr<list_head>) -> Ptr<list_head> {
+    field!(l, next).write(Ptr::<list_head>::null());
+    return l;
+}
+pub fn main() {
+    __cpp2rust_init_globals();
+    std::process::exit(main_0());
+}
+fn main_0() -> i32 {
+    let list: Value<list_head> = <Value<list_head>>::default();
+    *list.borrow_mut() = list_head {
+        next: (list.as_pointer()),
+    };
+    assert!(({ { (*list.borrow()).next.clone() } } == { (list.as_pointer()) }));
+    let n: Value<node> = <Value<node>>::default();
+    *n.borrow_mut() = node {
+        value: 42,
+        value_ptr: (field_ptr!(n.as_pointer(), value)),
+    };
+    assert!(({ { (*n.borrow()).value_ptr.clone() } } == { (field_ptr!(n.as_pointer(), value)) }));
+    { (*n.borrow()).value_ptr.clone() }.write(7);
+    assert!(({ (*n.borrow()).value } == 7));
+    let arr: Value<Box<[list_head]>> = Rc::new(RefCell::new(
+        (0..2)
+            .map(|_| <list_head>::default())
+            .collect::<Box<[list_head]>>(),
+    ));
+    *arr.borrow_mut() = Box::new([
+        list_head {
+            next: ((arr.as_pointer() as Ptr<list_head>).offset(1)),
+        },
+        list_head {
+            next: ((arr.as_pointer() as Ptr<list_head>).offset(0)),
+        },
+    ]);
+    assert!(
+        ({ { (*arr.borrow())[(0) as usize].next.clone() } } == {
+            ((arr.as_pointer() as Ptr<list_head>).offset(1))
+        })
+    );
+    assert!(
+        ({ { (*arr.borrow())[(1) as usize].next.clone() } } == {
+            ((arr.as_pointer() as Ptr<list_head>).offset(0))
+        })
+    );
+    let d: Value<node_with_defaults> = <Value<node_with_defaults>>::default();
+    *d.borrow_mut() = node_with_defaults {
+        next: (d.as_pointer()),
+        value: 3,
+    };
+    assert!(({ { (*d.borrow()).next.clone() } } == { (d.as_pointer()) }));
+    assert!(({ (*d.borrow()).value } == 3));
+    let called: Value<list_head> = <Value<list_head>>::default();
+    *called.borrow_mut() = list_head {
+        next: ({ init_0((called.as_pointer())) }),
+    };
+    assert!(({ { (*called.borrow()).next.clone() } } == { (called.as_pointer()) }));
+    let mut size: usize = ::std::mem::size_of::<usize>();
+    assert!((size == ::std::mem::size_of::<usize>()));
+    return 0;
+}
+pub fn __cpp2rust_init_globals() {}
diff --git a/tests/unit/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs b/tests/unit/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c851c493b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/out/unsafe/self_referencing_initializer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+extern crate libc;
+use libc::*;
+extern crate libcc2rs;
+use libcc2rs::*;
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::io::{Read, Seek, Write};
+use std::os::fd::{AsFd, FromRawFd, IntoRawFd};
+use std::rc::Rc;
+#[repr(C)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+pub struct list_head {
+    pub next: *mut list_head,
+}
+#[repr(C)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, VaArg, FnPtrArg, Default)]
+pub struct node {
+    pub value: i32,
+    pub value_ptr: *mut i32,
+}
+#[repr(C)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, VaArg, FnPtrArg)]
+pub struct node_with_defaults {
+    pub next: *mut node_with_defaults,
+    pub value: i32,
+}
+impl Default for node_with_defaults {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        node_with_defaults {
+            next: std::ptr::null_mut(),
+            value: 3,
+        }
+    }
+}
+pub unsafe fn init_0(mut l: *mut list_head) -> *mut list_head {
+    (*l).next = std::ptr::null_mut();
+    return l;
+}
+pub fn main() {
+    unsafe {
+        __cpp2rust_init_globals();
+        std::process::exit(main_0() as i32);
+    }
+}
+unsafe fn main_0() -> i32 {
+    let mut list: list_head = <list_head>::default();
+    list = list_head {
+        next: (&mut list as *mut list_head),
+    };
+    assert!(((list.next) == (&mut list as *mut list_head)));
+    let mut n: node = <node>::default();
+    n = node {
+        value: 42,
+        value_ptr: (&mut n.value as *mut i32),
+    };
+    assert!(((n.value_ptr) == (&mut n.value as *mut i32)));
+    (*n.value_ptr) = 7;
+    assert!(((n.value) == (7)));
+    let mut arr: [list_head; 2] = [<list_head>::default(); 2];
+    arr = [
+        list_head {
+            next: (&mut arr[(1) as usize] as *mut list_head),
+        },
+        list_head {
+            next: (&mut arr[(0) as usize] as *mut list_head),
+        },
+    ];
+    assert!(((arr[(0) as usize].next) == (&mut arr[(1) as usize] as *mut list_head)));
+    assert!(((arr[(1) as usize].next) == (&mut arr[(0) as usize] as *mut list_head)));
+    let mut d: node_with_defaults = <node_with_defaults>::default();
+    d = node_with_defaults {
+        next: (&mut d as *mut node_with_defaults),
+        value: 3,
+    };
+    assert!(((d.next) == (&mut d as *mut node_with_defaults)));
+    assert!(((d.value) == (3)));
+    let mut called: list_head = <list_head>::default();
+    called = list_head {
+        next: (unsafe { init_0((&mut called as *mut list_head)) }),
+    };
+    assert!(((called.next) == (&mut called as *mut list_head)));
+    let mut size: usize = ::std::mem::size_of::<usize>();
+    assert!(((size) == (::std::mem::size_of::<usize>())));
+    return 0;
+}
+pub unsafe fn __cpp2rust_init_globals() {}
diff --git a/tests/unit/self_referencing_initializer.cpp b/tests/unit/self_referencing_initializer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27e318363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/self_referencing_initializer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#include <cassert>
+#include <cstddef>
+
+struct list_head {
+  list_head *next;
+};
+
+struct node {
+  int value;
+  int *value_ptr;
+};
+
+struct node_with_defaults {
+  node_with_defaults *next = nullptr;
+  int value = 3;
+};
+
+static list_head *init(list_head *l) {
+  l->next = nullptr;
+  return l;
+}
+
+int main() {
+  list_head list = {&list};
+  assert(list.next == &list);
+
+  node n = {42, &n.value};
+  assert(n.value_ptr == &n.value);
+  *n.value_ptr = 7;
+  assert(n.value == 7);
+
+  list_head arr[2] = {{&arr[1]}, {&arr[0]}};
+  assert(arr[0].next == &arr[1]);
+  assert(arr[1].next == &arr[0]);
+
+  node_with_defaults d{&d};
+  assert(d.next == &d);
+  assert(d.value == 3);
+
+  list_head called = {init(&called)};
+  assert(called.next == &called);
+
+  size_t size = sizeof(size);
+  assert(size == sizeof(size_t));
+
+  return 0;
+}