--- a/libinterp/corefcn/symtab.cc	Mon Feb 15 11:04:52 2016 -0800
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/symtab.cc	Mon Feb 15 14:03:23 2016 -0800
@@ -1322,6 +1322,43 @@
   return retval;
 }
 
+// look for @class/method>subfunction
+octave_value
+symbol_table::find_submethod (const std::string& name,
+                              const std::string& dispatch_type)
+{
+  octave_value fcn;
+
+  std::string full_name = "@" + dispatch_type + file_ops::dir_sep_str () + name;
+  size_t pos = full_name.find_first_of (Vfilemarker);
+
+  if (pos != std::string::npos)
+    {
+      std::string fcn_scope = full_name.substr (0, pos);
+      scope_id stored_scope = xcurrent_scope;
+      xcurrent_scope = xtop_scope;
+      octave_value parent = find_function (full_name.substr (0, pos),
+                                           octave_value_list (), false);
+      if (parent.is_defined ())
+        {
+          octave_function *parent_fcn = parent.function_value ();
+
+          if (parent_fcn)
+            {
+              xcurrent_scope = parent_fcn->scope ();
+
+              if (xcurrent_scope > 1)
+                fcn = find_function (full_name.substr (pos + 1),
+                                     octave_value_list ());
+            }
+        }
+
+      xcurrent_scope = stored_scope;
+    }
+
+  return fcn;
+}
+
 void
 symbol_table::dump (std::ostream& os, scope_id scope)
 {

--- a/libinterp/corefcn/symtab.h	Mon Feb 15 11:04:52 2016 -0800
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/symtab.h	Mon Feb 15 14:03:23 2016 -0800
@@ -1497,13 +1497,23 @@
     fcn_table_const_iterator p = fcn_table.find (name);
 
     if (p != fcn_table.end ())
-      return p->second.find_method (dispatch_type);
+      {
+        octave_value fcn = p->second.find_method (dispatch_type);
+
+        if (! fcn.is_defined ())
+          fcn = find_submethod (name, dispatch_type);
+
+        return fcn;
+      }
     else
       {
         fcn_info finfo (name);
 
         octave_value fcn = finfo.find_method (dispatch_type);
 
+        if (! fcn.is_defined ())
+          fcn = find_submethod (name, dispatch_type);
+
         if (fcn.is_defined ())
           fcn_table[name] = finfo;
 
@@ -1512,6 +1522,9 @@
   }
 
   static octave_value
+  find_submethod (const std::string& name, const std::string& dispatch_type);
+
+  static octave_value
   find_built_in_function (const std::string& name)
   {
     fcn_table_const_iterator p = fcn_table.find (name);