diff --git a/src/check_expr.cpp b/src/check_expr.cpp
index fa1b4cd92..14d54af68 100644
--- a/src/check_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/check_expr.cpp
@@ -11323,6 +11323,13 @@ gb_internal ExprKind check_expr_base_internal(CheckerContext *c, Operand *o, Ast
 		node->viral_state_flags |= de->expr->viral_state_flags;
 
 		if (o->mode == Addressing_Invalid) {
+			o->mode = Addressing_Invalid;
+			o->expr = node;
+			return kind;
+		} else if (o->mode == Addressing_Type) {
+ 			gbString str = expr_to_string(o->expr);
+			error(o->expr, "Cannot dereference '%s' because it is a type", str);
+
 			o->mode = Addressing_Invalid;
 			o->expr = node;
 			return kind;