diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fa66c97fb..b0a5087a6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 - Incorrect position in Flash Player preview and SWF export
 - AS1/2 actioncontainers (like try) inside ifs
 - AS1/2 switch detection
+- [#1766] AS3 - direct editation - namespaces on global level without leading colon
 
 ## [15.0.0] - 2021-11-29
 ### Added
@@ -2340,6 +2341,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 [#1761]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1761
 [#1762]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1762
 [#1763]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1763
+[#1766]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1766
 [#1750]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1750
 [#1485]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1485
 [#1681]: https://www.free-decompiler.com/flash/issues/1681
diff --git a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/AVM2SourceGenerator.java b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/AVM2SourceGenerator.java
index bc1b84fbe..6294e8a96 100644
--- a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/AVM2SourceGenerator.java
+++ b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/AVM2SourceGenerator.java
@@ -1260,8 +1260,8 @@ public class AVM2SourceGenerator implements SourceGenerator {
     public void generateClass(List<DottedChain> importedClasses, List<AssignableAVM2Item> cinitVariables, boolean cinitNeedsActivation, List<GraphTargetItem> cinit, List<NamespaceItem> openedNamespaces, int namespace, int initScope, DottedChain pkg, ClassInfo classInfo, InstanceInfo instanceInfo, SourceGeneratorLocalData localData, boolean isInterface, String name, String superName, GraphTargetItem extendsVal, List<GraphTargetItem> implementsStr, GraphTargetItem iinit, List<AssignableAVM2Item> iinitVariables, boolean iinitNeedsActivation, List<GraphTargetItem> traitItems, Reference<Integer> class_index) throws AVM2ParseException, CompilationException {
         localData.currentClass = name;
         localData.pkg = pkg;
-        localData.privateNs = abcIndex.getSelectedAbc().constants.getNamespaceId(Namespace.KIND_PRIVATE, pkg.toRawString() + ":" + name, 0, true);
-        localData.protectedNs = abcIndex.getSelectedAbc().constants.getNamespaceId(Namespace.KIND_PROTECTED, pkg.toRawString() + ":" + name, 0, true);
+        localData.privateNs = abcIndex.getSelectedAbc().constants.getNamespaceId(Namespace.KIND_PRIVATE, pkg.toRawString().isEmpty() ? name : pkg.toRawString() + ":" + name, 0, true);
+        localData.protectedNs = abcIndex.getSelectedAbc().constants.getNamespaceId(Namespace.KIND_PROTECTED, pkg.toRawString().isEmpty() ? name : pkg.toRawString() + ":" + name, 0, true);
         if (extendsVal == null && !isInterface) {
             extendsVal = new TypeItem(DottedChain.OBJECT);
         }
diff --git a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/ActionScript3Parser.java b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/ActionScript3Parser.java
index 8299153f0..61d39c82c 100644
--- a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/ActionScript3Parser.java
+++ b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/abc/avm2/parser/script/ActionScript3Parser.java
@@ -607,9 +607,9 @@ public class ActionScript3Parser {
     private void classTraits(List<List<NamespaceItem>> allOpenedNamespaces, boolean outsidePackage, List<AssignableAVM2Item> cinitVariables, Reference<Boolean> cinitNeedsActivation, List<GraphTargetItem> cinit, List<DottedChain> importedClasses, List<NamespaceItem> openedNamespaces, NamespaceItem pkg, String classNameStr, boolean isInterface, List<GraphTargetItem> traits, List<AssignableAVM2Item> iinitVariables, Reference<Boolean> iinitNeedsActivation, Reference<GraphTargetItem> iinit) throws AVM2ParseException, IOException, CompilationException, InterruptedException {
 
         NamespaceItem publicNs = new NamespaceItem("", Namespace.KIND_PACKAGE);
-        NamespaceItem privateNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_PRIVATE);
-        NamespaceItem protectedNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_PROTECTED);
-        NamespaceItem staticProtectedNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_STATIC_PROTECTED);
+        NamespaceItem privateNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString().isEmpty() ? classNameStr : pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_PRIVATE);
+        NamespaceItem protectedNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString().isEmpty() ? classNameStr : pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_PROTECTED);
+        NamespaceItem staticProtectedNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name.toRawString().isEmpty() ? classNameStr : pkg.name.toRawString() + ":" + classNameStr, Namespace.KIND_STATIC_PROTECTED);
         NamespaceItem packageInternalNs = new NamespaceItem(pkg.name, Namespace.KIND_PACKAGE_INTERNAL);
 
         openedNamespaces = new ArrayList<>(openedNamespaces);