diff --git a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/types/IrTypeSystemContext.kt b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/types/IrTypeSystemContext.kt
index 59e52ff08c5..5f4463887ca 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/types/IrTypeSystemContext.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/ir.tree/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/ir/types/IrTypeSystemContext.kt
@@ -140,8 +140,13 @@ interface IrTypeSystemContext : TypeSystemContext, TypeSystemCommonSuperTypesCon
     override fun TypeArgumentMarker.getVariance(): TypeVariance =
         (this as? IrTypeProjection)?.variance?.convertVariance() ?: TypeVariance.OUT
 
-    override fun TypeArgumentMarker.replaceType(newType: KotlinTypeMarker): TypeArgumentMarker =
-        IrTypeProjectionImpl(newType as IrType, (this as IrTypeProjection).variance)
+    override fun TypeArgumentMarker.replaceType(newType: KotlinTypeMarker): TypeArgumentMarker {
+        require(this is IrTypeArgument)
+        return when (this) {
+            is IrStarProjection -> this
+            is IrTypeProjection -> IrTypeProjectionImpl(newType as IrType, this.variance)
+        }
+    }
 
     override fun TypeArgumentMarker.getType() = (this as IrTypeProjection).type