diff --git a/dagrt/builtins_python.py b/dagrt/builtins_python.py
index 623776c..ab8eca8 100644
--- a/dagrt/builtins_python.py
+++ b/dagrt/builtins_python.py
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ def builtin_dot_product(a, b):
     return np.vdot(a, b)
 
 
+def builtin_elementwise_abs(x):
+    import numpy as np
+    return np.abs(x)
+
+
 def builtin_array(n):
     import numpy as np
     if n != np.floor(n):
@@ -141,6 +146,7 @@ def builtin_print(arg):
         "<builtin>norm_2": builtin_norm_2,
         "<builtin>norm_inf": builtin_norm_inf,
         "<builtin>dot_product": builtin_dot_product,
+        "<builtin>elementwise_abs": builtin_elementwise_abs,
         "<builtin>array": builtin_array,
         "<builtin>matmul": builtin_matmul,
         "<builtin>transpose": builtin_transpose,
diff --git a/dagrt/codegen/fortran.py b/dagrt/codegen/fortran.py
index 3327855..63a5c32 100644
--- a/dagrt/codegen/fortran.py
+++ b/dagrt/codegen/fortran.py
@@ -2407,12 +2407,15 @@ def codegen_builtin_len(results, function, args, arg_kinds,
     code_generator.emit("")
 
 
-class AbsComputer(TypeVisitorWithResult):
-    def visit_BuiltinType(self, fortran_type, fortran_expr_str, index_expr_map):
+class AbsComputer(AssignmentEmitter):
+    def visit_BuiltinType(self, fortran_type, fortran_expr_str, index_expr_map,
+            rhs_expr, is_rhs_target):
+        expr = self.code_generator.expr(rhs_expr)
         self.code_generator.emit(
-                "{result} = abs({result})"
+                "{result} = abs({expr})"
                 .format(
-                    result=self.result_expr))
+                    result=fortran_expr_str,
+                    expr=expr))
 
 
 def codegen_builtin_elementwise_abs(results, function, args, arg_kinds,
@@ -2421,25 +2424,23 @@ def codegen_builtin_elementwise_abs(results, function, args, arg_kinds,
 
     from dagrt.data import Scalar, Array, UserType
     x_kind = arg_kinds[0]
-    if isinstance(x_kind, Scalar):
-        if x_kind.is_real_valued:
-            ftype = BuiltinType("real*8")
-        else:
-            ftype = BuiltinType("complex*16")
-    elif isinstance(x_kind, UserType):
-        ftype = code_generator.user_type_map[x_kind.identifier]
-    elif isinstance(x_kind, Array):
+    if isinstance(x_kind, Scalar) or isinstance(x_kind, Array):
         code_generator.emit("{result} = abs({arg})".format(
             result=result,
             arg=args[0]))
         return
+    elif isinstance(x_kind, UserType):
+        ftype = code_generator.user_type_map[x_kind.identifier]
     else:
         raise TypeError("unsupported kind for elementwise_abs argument: %s" % x_kind)
 
-    code_generator.emit(f"{result} = 0")
-    code_generator.emit("")
-
-    AbsComputer(code_generator, result)(ftype, args[0], {})
+    # Need to pass argument to assignment emitter as a variable (for mappers)
+    # Call it a target to avoid name mangling
+    from pymbolic import var
+    argvar = var("<target>" + args[0])
+    code_generator.sym_kind_table.set(
+        None, "<target>" + args[0], UserType(x_kind.identifier))
+    AbsComputer(code_generator)(ftype, result, {}, argvar, is_rhs_target=False)
     code_generator.emit("")
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_codegen_fortran.py b/test/test_codegen_fortran.py
index 9d3fd3d..a83b89d 100755
--- a/test/test_codegen_fortran.py
+++ b/test/test_codegen_fortran.py
@@ -150,19 +150,32 @@ def test_self_dep_in_loop():
         fortran_libraries=["lapack", "blas"])
 
 
+class AbsFailure:
+    pass
+
+
 def test_elementwise_abs():
     with CodeBuilder(name="primary") as cb:
-        cb("y", "<func>f(0, <state>ytype)")
-        cb("<state>ytype", "y")
-        # Test new builtin on a usertype.
-        cb("z", "<builtin>elementwise_abs(<state>ytype)")
         cb("i", "<builtin>array(20)")
         cb("i[j]", "-j",
                 loops=(("j", 0, 20),))
         # Test new builtin on an array type.
         cb("k", "<builtin>elementwise_abs(i)")
+        with cb.if_("k[20] > 19"):
+            cb.raise_(AbsFailure)
+        with cb.if_("k[20] < 19"):
+            cb.raise_(AbsFailure)
         # Test new builtin on a scalar.
         cb("l", "<builtin>elementwise_abs(-20)")
+        with cb.if_("l > 20"):
+            cb.raise_(AbsFailure)
+        with cb.if_("l < 20"):
+            cb.raise_(AbsFailure)
+        cb("y", "<func>f(0, <state>ytype)")
+        cb("<state>ytype", "y")
+        # Test new builtin on a usertype.
+        cb("<state>ytype", "<builtin>elementwise_abs(<state>ytype)")
+        # (We check this in the outer test code)
 
     code = create_DAGCode_with_steady_phase(cb.statements)
 
diff --git a/test/test_element_abs.f90 b/test/test_element_abs.f90
index a5129a4..7a92ec4 100644
--- a/test/test_element_abs.f90
+++ b/test/test_element_abs.f90
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ program test_element_abs
   real*8, dimension(100) :: y0
 
   integer i
+  integer stderr
+  parameter(stderr=0)
 
   ! start code ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -20,11 +22,17 @@ program test_element_abs
 
 
   do i = 1, 100
-    y0 = i
+    y0(i) = i
   end do
 
   call timestep_initialize(dagrt_state=dagrt_state_ptr, state_ytype=y0)
   call timestep_run(dagrt_state=dagrt_state_ptr)
+  ! For the UserType, check that the absolute value did its job.
+  do i = 1, 100
+    if (dagrt_state%state_ytype(i) /= 2*y0(i)) then
+      write(stderr,*) "UserType elementwise abs failure"
+    endif
+  end do
   call timestep_shutdown(dagrt_state=dagrt_state_ptr)
 
 end program