diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index 69036d33f8071..bd2bc211bd628 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -1906,7 +1906,7 @@
                    ,(expand-update-operator op op= (car e) rhs T))))
         (else
          (if (and (pair? lhs) (eq? op= '=)
-                  (not (memq (car lhs) '(|.| tuple vcat ncat typed_hcat typed_vcat typed_ncat))))
+                  (not (memq (car lhs) '(|.| globalref tuple vcat ncat typed_hcat typed_vcat typed_ncat))))
              (error (string "invalid assignment location \"" (deparse lhs) "\"")))
          (expand-update-operator- op op= lhs rhs declT))))
 
diff --git a/test/syntax.jl b/test/syntax.jl
index 1f5cdb34b3eb1..af5d7ce5e50e8 100644
--- a/test/syntax.jl
+++ b/test/syntax.jl
@@ -2602,6 +2602,15 @@ end
     @test ncalls_in_lowered(:((.+)(a, b .- (.^)(c, 2))), GlobalRef(Base, :BroadcastFunction)) == 0
 end
 
+module M59008 # dotop with global LHS in macro
+using Test
+global a = 1
+macro counter()
+    :(a += 1)
+end
+@test @counter() === 2 === a
+end
+
 # issue #37656
 @test :(if true 'a' else 1 end) == Expr(:if, true, quote 'a' end, quote 1 end)