diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.h b/kernel/rtlil.h
index 999b60fd7..471aa5e5f 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.h
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ namespace RTLIL
 		constexpr StaticIdString(StaticId id, const IdString &id_str) : id_str(id_str), id(id) {}
 		constexpr inline operator const IdString &() const { return id_str; }
 		constexpr inline int index() const { return static_cast<short>(id); }
+		constexpr inline const IdString &id_string() const { return id_str; }
 
 		const IdString &id_str;
 		const StaticId id;
@@ -343,6 +344,8 @@ struct RTLIL::IdString
 		*this = id;
 	}
 
+	constexpr inline const IdString &id_string() const { return *this; }
+
 	inline const char *c_str() const {
 		return global_id_storage_.at(index_);
 	}
diff --git a/passes/cmds/example_dt.cc b/passes/cmds/example_dt.cc
index b10f50502..7d1c42a79 100644
--- a/passes/cmds/example_dt.cc
+++ b/passes/cmds/example_dt.cc
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ struct ExampleDtPass : public Pass
 			auto enqueue = [&](DriveSpec const &spec) {
 				int index = queue(spec);
 				if (index == GetSize(graph_nodes))
-					graph_nodes.emplace_back(compute_graph.add(ID($pending), index).index());
+					graph_nodes.emplace_back(compute_graph.add(ID($pending).id_string(), index).index());
 				//if (index >= GetSize(graph_nodes))
 				return compute_graph[graph_nodes[index]];
 			};