diff --git a/mypyc/irbuild/classdef.py b/mypyc/irbuild/classdef.py
index b1f2ed1a1a65..d49c0e580c91 100644
--- a/mypyc/irbuild/classdef.py
+++ b/mypyc/irbuild/classdef.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     TypeInfo,
     is_class_var,
 )
-from mypy.types import ENUM_REMOVED_PROPS, Instance, get_proper_type
+from mypy.types import ENUM_REMOVED_PROPS, Instance, UnboundType, get_proper_type
 from mypyc.ir.class_ir import ClassIR, NonExtClassInfo
 from mypyc.ir.func_ir import FuncDecl, FuncSignature
 from mypyc.ir.ops import (
@@ -556,6 +556,7 @@ def add_non_ext_class_attr_ann(
     get_type_info: Callable[[AssignmentStmt], TypeInfo | None] | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     """Add a class attribute to __annotations__ of a non-extension class."""
+    # FIXME: try to better preserve the special forms and type parameters of generics.
     typ: Value | None = None
     if get_type_info is not None:
         type_info = get_type_info(stmt)
@@ -565,7 +566,17 @@ def add_non_ext_class_attr_ann(
     if typ is None:
         # FIXME: if get_type_info is not provided, don't fall back to stmt.type?
         ann_type = get_proper_type(stmt.type)
-        if isinstance(ann_type, Instance):
+        if (
+            isinstance(stmt.unanalyzed_type, UnboundType)
+            and stmt.unanalyzed_type.original_str_expr is not None
+        ):
+            # Annotation is a forward reference, so don't attempt to load the actual
+            # type and load the string instead.
+            #
+            # TODO: is it possible to determine whether a non-string annotation is
+            # actually a forward reference due to the __annotations__ future?
+            typ = builder.load_str(stmt.unanalyzed_type.original_str_expr)
+        elif isinstance(ann_type, Instance):
             typ = load_type(builder, ann_type.type, stmt.line)
         else:
             typ = builder.add(LoadAddress(type_object_op.type, type_object_op.src, stmt.line))
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-tuples.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-tuples.test
index 26b039320844..f6c92b9c720f 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-tuples.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-tuples.test
@@ -99,8 +99,6 @@ assert f(Sub(3, 2)) == 3
 [case testNamedTupleClassSyntax]
 from typing import Dict, List, NamedTuple, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
-class ClassIR: pass
-
 class FuncIR: pass
 
 StealsDescription = Union[bool, List[bool]]
@@ -119,8 +117,12 @@ class Record(NamedTuple):
     ordering: Optional[List[int]]
     extra_int_constants: List[Tuple[int]]
 
+# Make sure mypyc loads the annotation string for this forward reference.
+# Ref: https://github.com/mypyc/mypyc/issues/938
+class ClassIR: pass
+
 [file driver.py]
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import ForwardRef, Optional
 from native import ClassIR, FuncIR, Record
 
 assert Record.__annotations__ == {
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ assert Record.__annotations__ == {
     'is_borrowed': bool,
     'hash': str,
     'python_path': tuple,
-    'type': ClassIR,
+    'type': ForwardRef('ClassIR'),
     'method': FuncIR,
     'shadow_method': type,
     'classes': dict,