diff --git a/grudge/dof_desc.py b/grudge/dof_desc.py
index 7bb7141960a47940a0fb7f90dc33401fe320a3ae..74373eec3321fa1be02083547c98ad0336032967 100644
--- a/grudge/dof_desc.py
+++ b/grudge/dof_desc.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def __getattr__(name):
 
 if sys.version_info < (3, 7):
     for name in _deprecated_names:
-        name = globals()[f"{_deprecated_names[name]}"]
+        globals()[f"{name}"] = globals()[f"{_deprecated_names[name]}"]
 
 # }}}