diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index c587fa99..8778283d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - support $smarty.const.$foo syntax (messju, Monte)
     - remove E_NOTICE warnings from debug.tpl,
       escape modifier (Kanstantin, Monte)
     - don't count non-ascii chars in count_words modifier
diff --git a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 8bfc98b5..d283fede 100644
--- a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -1780,7 +1780,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
 			case 'const':
                 array_shift($indexes);
-				$compiled_ref = '(defined(\'' . substr($indexes[0],1) . '\') ? ' . substr($indexes[0],1) . ' : null)';
+				$compiled_ref = '(defined("' . substr($indexes[0],1) . '") ? ' . substr($indexes[0],1) . ' : null)';
                 break;
 
             default:
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 8bfc98b5..d283fede 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -1780,7 +1780,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
 			case 'const':
                 array_shift($indexes);
-				$compiled_ref = '(defined(\'' . substr($indexes[0],1) . '\') ? ' . substr($indexes[0],1) . ' : null)';
+				$compiled_ref = '(defined("' . substr($indexes[0],1) . '") ? ' . substr($indexes[0],1) . ' : null)';
                 break;
 
             default: