diff --git a/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_array_of.cpp b/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_array_of.cpp
index 89a71dba486..458430a3805 100644
--- a/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_array_of.cpp
+++ b/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_array_of.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ bvt boolbvt::convert_array_of(const array_of_exprt &expr)
   DATA_INVARIANT(
     expr.type().id() == ID_array, "array_of expression shall have array type");
 
-  const array_typet &array_type=to_array_type(expr.type());
+  const array_typet &array_type = expr.type();
 
   if(is_unbounded_array(array_type))
     return conversion_failed(expr);
diff --git a/src/util/std_expr.h b/src/util/std_expr.h
index e2d1ff13e57..05250e5b58f 100644
--- a/src/util/std_expr.h
+++ b/src/util/std_expr.h
@@ -1585,14 +1585,19 @@ inline index_exprt &to_index_expr(exprt &expr)
 class array_of_exprt:public unary_exprt
 {
 public:
-  DEPRECATED(SINCE(2018, 9, 21, "use array_of_exprt(what, type) instead"))
-  array_of_exprt():unary_exprt(ID_array_of)
+  explicit array_of_exprt(exprt _what, array_typet _type)
+    : unary_exprt(ID_array_of, std::move(_what), std::move(_type))
   {
   }
 
-  explicit array_of_exprt(exprt _what, array_typet _type)
-    : unary_exprt(ID_array_of, std::move(_what), std::move(_type))
+  const array_typet &type() const
+  {
+    return static_cast<const array_typet &>(unary_exprt::type());
+  }
+
+  array_typet &type()
   {
+    return static_cast<array_typet &>(unary_exprt::type());
   }
 
   exprt &what()