diff --git a/compiler/semtypes.nim b/compiler/semtypes.nim
index 1e75b563ef..f4ff97ba4a 100644
--- a/compiler/semtypes.nim
+++ b/compiler/semtypes.nim
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ proc semEnum(c: PContext, n: PNode, prev: PType): PType =
         if sonsLen(v) == 2:
           strVal = v.sons[1] # second tuple part is the string value
           if skipTypes(strVal.typ, abstractInst).kind in {tyString, tyCString}:
+            if not isOrdinalType(v.sons[0].typ):
+              localError(c.config, v.sons[0].info, errOrdinalTypeExpected)
             x = getOrdValue(v.sons[0]) # first tuple part is the ordinal
           else:
             localError(c.config, strVal.info, errStringLiteralExpected)
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@ proc semEnum(c: PContext, n: PNode, prev: PType): PType =
         strVal = v
         x = counter
       else:
+        if not isOrdinalType(v.typ):
+          localError(c.config, v.info, errOrdinalTypeExpected)
         x = getOrdValue(v)
       if i != 1:
         if x != counter: incl(result.flags, tfEnumHasHoles)
diff --git a/tests/errmsgs/t9908_01.nim b/tests/errmsgs/t9908_01.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9d37b67b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/errmsgs/t9908_01.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+discard """
+errormsg: "ordinal type expected"
+line: 10
+"""
+
+# https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/9908
+
+type
+  X = enum
+    a = ("a", "b")
diff --git a/tests/errmsgs/t9908_02.nim b/tests/errmsgs/t9908_02.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7ff3d1ff73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/errmsgs/t9908_02.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+discard """
+errormsg: "ordinal type expected"
+line: 10
+"""
+
+# https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/pull/9909#issuecomment-445519287
+
+type
+  E = enum
+    myVal = 80.9