diff --git a/crates/rustc_codegen_spirv/src/abi.rs b/crates/rustc_codegen_spirv/src/abi.rs
index 302baec0c6..593b1b2a58 100644
--- a/crates/rustc_codegen_spirv/src/abi.rs
+++ b/crates/rustc_codegen_spirv/src/abi.rs
@@ -370,6 +370,40 @@ impl<'tcx> ConvSpirvType<'tcx> for TyAndLayout<'tcx> {
             .def_with_name(cx, span, TyLayoutNameKey::from(*self)),
             Abi::Scalar(ref scalar) => trans_scalar(cx, span, *self, scalar, Size::ZERO),
             Abi::ScalarPair(ref a, ref b) => {
+                // NOTE(eddyb) unlike `Abi::Scalar`'s simpler newtype-unpacking
+                // behavior, `Abi::ScalarPair` can be composed in two ways:
+                // * two `Abi::Scalar` fields (and any number of ZST fields),
+                //   gets handled the same as a `struct { a, b }`, further below
+                // * an `Abi::ScalarPair` field (and any number of ZST fields),
+                //   which requires more work to allow taking a reference to
+                //   that field, and there are two potential approaches:
+                //   1. wrapping that field's SPIR-V type in a single-field
+                //      `OpTypeStruct` - this has the disadvantage that GEPs
+                //      would have to inject an extra `0` field index, and other
+                //      field-related operations would also need additional work
+                //   2. reusing that field's SPIR-V type, instead of defining
+                //      a new one, offering the `(a, b)` shape `rustc_codegen_ssa`
+                //      expects, while letting noop pointercasts access the sole
+                //      `Abi::ScalarPair` field - this is the approach taken here
+                let mut non_zst_fields = (0..self.fields.count())
+                    .map(|i| (i, self.field(cx, i)))
+                    .filter(|(_, field)| !field.is_zst());
+                let sole_non_zst_field = match (non_zst_fields.next(), non_zst_fields.next()) {
+                    (Some(field), None) => Some(field),
+                    _ => None,
+                };
+                if let Some((i, field)) = sole_non_zst_field {
+                    // Only unpack a newtype if the field and the newtype line up
+                    // perfectly, in every way that could potentially affect ABI.
+                    if self.fields.offset(i) == Size::ZERO
+                        && field.size == self.size
+                        && field.align == self.align
+                        && field.abi == self.abi
+                    {
+                        return field.spirv_type(span, cx);
+                    }
+                }
+
                 // Note: We can't use auto_struct_layout here because the spirv types here might be undefined due to
                 // recursive pointer types.
                 let a_offset = Size::ZERO;
diff --git a/tests/ui/lang/issue-836.rs b/tests/ui/lang/issue-836.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9cced028c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/lang/issue-836.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// Test that newtypes of `ScalarPair` can have references taken to their field.
+
+// build-pass
+
+use spirv_std as _;
+
+struct Newtype<T>(T);
+
+impl<T> Newtype<T> {
+    fn get(&self) -> &T {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl Newtype<&[u32]> {
+    fn slice_get(&self) -> &&[u32] {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: core::ops::Deref<Target = [u32]>> Newtype<T> {
+    fn deref_index(&self, i: usize) -> &u32 {
+        &self.0[i]
+    }
+}
+
+struct CustomPair(u32, u32);
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn main(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] slice: &[u32],
+    #[spirv(flat)] out: &mut u32,
+) {
+    let newtype_slice = Newtype(slice);
+    *out = newtype_slice.get()[0];
+    *out += newtype_slice.slice_get()[1];
+    *out += newtype_slice.deref_index(2);
+
+    let newtype_custom_pair = Newtype(CustomPair(*out, *out + 1));
+    *out += newtype_custom_pair.get().0;
+    *out += newtype_custom_pair.get().1;
+}