diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
index 62fbd21f0ab..a697bb57fce 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.cpp.ICPPASTCastExpression;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.cpp.ICPPASTPointerToMember;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.cpp.ICPPClassType;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ParserLanguage;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.ASTNode;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.c.CFunction;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.c.CVisitor;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.parser.ParserException;
@@ -1872,7 +1873,11 @@ public class AST2Tests extends AST2BaseTest {
                 .getInitializer()).getInitializers();
         IASTName name_y2 = ((ICASTFieldDesignator) ((ICASTDesignatedInitializer) initializers1[0])
                 .getDesignators()[0]).getName();
-        IASTName name_x2 = ((ICASTFieldDesignator) ((ICASTDesignatedInitializer) initializers1[1])
+		
+		// test bug 87649
+		assertEquals(((ASTNode)(ICASTDesignatedInitializer) initializers1[0]).getLength(), 7);
+		
+		IASTName name_x2 = ((ICASTFieldDesignator) ((ICASTDesignatedInitializer) initializers1[1])
                 .getDesignators()[0]).getName();
 
         IASTSimpleDeclaration point = (IASTSimpleDeclaration) ((IASTDeclarationStatement) statements[1])
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
index 6e9f671dda1..ba8852fc2a7 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public class GNUCSourceParser extends AbstractGNUSourceCodeParser {
                     ICASTDesignatedInitializer desigInitializer = createDesignatorInitializer();
                     ((CASTNode) desigInitializer).setOffsetAndLength(
                             ((CASTNode) newDesignators.get(0)).getOffset(),
-                            ((CASTNode) newDesignators.get(0)).getLength());
+							((CASTNode)initializer).getOffset() + ((CASTNode)initializer).getLength() - ((CASTNode) newDesignators.get(0)).getOffset());
                     for (int i = 0; i < newDesignators.size(); ++i) {
                         ICASTDesignator d = (ICASTDesignator) newDesignators
                                 .get(i);