diff --git a/drivers/acpi/scan.c b/drivers/acpi/scan.c
index e6ce262b5d449673932c6c49fa1f41bbc8cb8436..464ee6ea8c61ad0efe22039773ef3fceb72fc439 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/scan.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/scan.c
@@ -677,9 +677,8 @@ acpi_bus_extract_wakeup_device_power_package(struct acpi_device *device,
 	device->wakeup.resources.count = package->package.count - 2;
 	for (i = 0; i < device->wakeup.resources.count; i++) {
 		element = &(package->package.elements[i + 2]);
-		if (element->type != ACPI_TYPE_ANY) {
+		if (element->type != ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_REFERENCE)
 			return AE_BAD_DATA;
-		}
 
 		device->wakeup.resources.handles[i] = element->reference.handle;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/utilities/utcopy.c b/drivers/acpi/utilities/utcopy.c
index 4e9a62b34aeff7e05c626897f5c92e284b6d837c..2a57c2c2c782bdcb90f3d4441e2245f05de68503 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/utilities/utcopy.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/utilities/utcopy.c
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@
 
 #include <acpi/acpi.h>
 #include <acpi/amlcode.h>
+#include <acpi/acnamesp.h>
+
 
 #define _COMPONENT          ACPI_UTILITIES
 ACPI_MODULE_NAME("utcopy")
@@ -172,22 +174,21 @@ acpi_ut_copy_isimple_to_esimple(union acpi_operand_object *internal_object,
 
 	case ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_REFERENCE:
 
-		/*
-		 * This is an object reference.  Attempt to dereference it.
-		 */
+		/* This is an object reference. */
+
 		switch (internal_object->reference.opcode) {
 		case AML_INT_NAMEPATH_OP:
 
 			/* For namepath, return the object handle ("reference") */
 
 		default:
-			/*
-			 * Use the object type of "Any" to indicate a reference
-			 * to object containing a handle to an ACPI named object.
-			 */
-			external_object->type = ACPI_TYPE_ANY;
+
+			/* We are referring to the namespace node */
+
 			external_object->reference.handle =
 			    internal_object->reference.node;
+			external_object->reference.actual_type =
+			    acpi_ns_get_type(internal_object->reference.node);
 			break;
 		}
 		break;
@@ -460,6 +461,7 @@ acpi_ut_copy_esimple_to_isimple(union acpi_object *external_object,
 	case ACPI_TYPE_STRING:
 	case ACPI_TYPE_BUFFER:
 	case ACPI_TYPE_INTEGER:
+	case ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_REFERENCE:
 
 		internal_object = acpi_ut_create_internal_object((u8)
 								 external_object->
@@ -469,6 +471,11 @@ acpi_ut_copy_esimple_to_isimple(union acpi_object *external_object,
 		}
 		break;
 
+	case ACPI_TYPE_ANY:	/* This is the case for a NULL object */
+
+		*ret_internal_object = NULL;
+		return_ACPI_STATUS(AE_OK);
+
 	default:
 		/* All other types are not supported */
 
@@ -522,6 +529,15 @@ acpi_ut_copy_esimple_to_isimple(union acpi_object *external_object,
 		internal_object->integer.value = external_object->integer.value;
 		break;
 
+	case ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_REFERENCE:
+
+		/* TBD: should validate incoming handle */
+
+		internal_object->reference.opcode = AML_INT_NAMEPATH_OP;
+		internal_object->reference.node =
+		    external_object->reference.handle;
+		break;
+
 	default:
 		/* Other types can't get here */
 		break;
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/utils.c b/drivers/acpi/utils.c
index 44ea60cf21c09c00adc1135394decbb4af2faa1d..1009261438187d90e201f08ae4fd08d937a92bc1 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/utils.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/utils.c
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ acpi_evaluate_reference(acpi_handle handle,
 
 		element = &(package->package.elements[i]);
 
-		if (element->type != ACPI_TYPE_ANY) {
+		if (element->type != ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_REFERENCE) {
 			status = AE_BAD_DATA;
 			printk(KERN_ERR PREFIX
 				    "Expecting a [Reference] package element, found type %X\n",