diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/builtins.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/builtins.go
index 87295fe0e70..e3844d5163e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/builtins.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/builtins.go
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ func (check *Checker) builtin(x *operand, call *syntax.CallExpr, id builtinId) (
 		var t operand
 		x1 := x
 		for _, arg := range call.ArgList {
-			check.rawExpr(x1, arg, nil) // permit trace for types, e.g.: new(trace(T))
+			check.rawExpr(x1, arg, nil, false) // permit trace for types, e.g.: new(trace(T))
 			check.dump("%v: %s", posFor(x1), x1)
 			x1 = &t // use incoming x only for first argument
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/call.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/call.go
index 954aa1de207..5bf17876c15 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/call.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/call.go
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ func (check *Checker) callExpr(x *operand, call *syntax.CallExpr) exprKind {
 		x.expr = iexpr
 		check.record(x)
 	} else {
-		check.exprOrType(x, call.Fun)
+		check.exprOrType(x, call.Fun, true)
 	}
+	// x.typ may be generic
 
 	switch x.mode {
 	case invalid:
@@ -94,6 +95,10 @@ func (check *Checker) callExpr(x *operand, call *syntax.CallExpr) exprKind {
 
 	case typexpr:
 		// conversion
+		check.nonGeneric(x)
+		if x.mode == invalid {
+			return conversion
+		}
 		T := x.typ
 		x.mode = invalid
 		switch n := len(call.ArgList); n {
@@ -122,6 +127,7 @@ func (check *Checker) callExpr(x *operand, call *syntax.CallExpr) exprKind {
 		return conversion
 
 	case builtin:
+		// no need to check for non-genericity here
 		id := x.id
 		if !check.builtin(x, call, id) {
 			x.mode = invalid
@@ -135,6 +141,7 @@ func (check *Checker) callExpr(x *operand, call *syntax.CallExpr) exprKind {
 	}
 
 	// ordinary function/method call
+	// signature may be generic
 	cgocall := x.mode == cgofunc
 
 	sig := asSignature(x.typ)
@@ -474,15 +481,11 @@ func (check *Checker) selector(x *operand, e *syntax.SelectorExpr) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	check.exprOrType(x, e.X)
+	check.exprOrType(x, e.X, false)
 	if x.mode == invalid {
 		goto Error
 	}
 
-	if x.mode == typexpr {
-		x.typ = check.varType(e.X)
-	}
-
 	obj, index, indirect = LookupFieldOrMethod(x.typ, x.mode == variable, check.pkg, sel)
 	if obj == nil {
 		switch {
@@ -683,7 +686,7 @@ func (check *Checker) use(arg ...syntax.Expr) {
 			check.use(l.ElemList...)
 			continue
 		}
-		check.rawExpr(&x, e, nil)
+		check.rawExpr(&x, e, nil, false)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -714,7 +717,7 @@ func (check *Checker) useLHS(arg ...syntax.Expr) {
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		check.rawExpr(&x, e, nil)
+		check.rawExpr(&x, e, nil, false)
 		if v != nil {
 			v.used = v_used // restore v.used
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/expr.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/expr.go
index 799874624d1..99204762bc8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/expr.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/expr.go
@@ -1085,8 +1085,10 @@ const (
 // rawExpr typechecks expression e and initializes x with the expression
 // value or type. If an error occurred, x.mode is set to invalid.
 // If hint != nil, it is the type of a composite literal element.
+// If allowGeneric is set, the operand type may be an uninstantiated
+// parameterized type or function value.
 //
-func (check *Checker) rawExpr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type) exprKind {
+func (check *Checker) rawExpr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type, allowGeneric bool) exprKind {
 	if check.conf.Trace {
 		check.trace(e.Pos(), "expr %s", e)
 		check.indent++
@@ -1097,11 +1099,40 @@ func (check *Checker) rawExpr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type) exprKind {
 	}
 
 	kind := check.exprInternal(x, e, hint)
+
+	if !allowGeneric {
+		check.nonGeneric(x)
+	}
+
 	check.record(x)
 
 	return kind
 }
 
+// If x is a generic function or type, nonGeneric reports an error and invalidates x.mode and x.typ.
+// Otherwise it leaves x alone.
+func (check *Checker) nonGeneric(x *operand) {
+	if x.mode == invalid || x.mode == novalue {
+		return
+	}
+	var what string
+	switch t := x.typ.(type) {
+	case *Named:
+		if isGeneric(t) {
+			what = "type"
+		}
+	case *Signature:
+		if t.tparams != nil {
+			what = "function"
+		}
+	}
+	if what != "" {
+		check.errorf(x.expr, "cannot use generic %s %s without instantiation", what, x.expr)
+		x.mode = invalid
+		x.typ = Typ[Invalid]
+	}
+}
+
 // exprInternal contains the core of type checking of expressions.
 // Must only be called by rawExpr.
 //
@@ -1386,7 +1417,7 @@ func (check *Checker) exprInternal(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type) exprKin
 		x.typ = typ
 
 	case *syntax.ParenExpr:
-		kind := check.rawExpr(x, e.X, nil)
+		kind := check.rawExpr(x, e.X, nil, false)
 		x.expr = e
 		return kind
 
@@ -1468,7 +1499,7 @@ func (check *Checker) exprInternal(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type) exprKin
 			// unary expression
 			if e.Op == syntax.Mul {
 				// pointer indirection
-				check.exprOrType(x, e.X)
+				check.exprOrType(x, e.X, false)
 				switch x.mode {
 				case invalid:
 					goto Error
@@ -1595,14 +1626,14 @@ func (check *Checker) typeAssertion(pos syntax.Pos, x *operand, xtyp *Interface,
 // If an error occurred, x.mode is set to invalid.
 //
 func (check *Checker) expr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr) {
-	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil)
+	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil, false)
 	check.exclude(x, 1<<novalue|1<<builtin|1<<typexpr)
 	check.singleValue(x)
 }
 
 // multiExpr is like expr but the result may also be a multi-value.
 func (check *Checker) multiExpr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr) {
-	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil)
+	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil, false)
 	check.exclude(x, 1<<novalue|1<<builtin|1<<typexpr)
 }
 
@@ -1612,16 +1643,18 @@ func (check *Checker) multiExpr(x *operand, e syntax.Expr) {
 //
 func (check *Checker) exprWithHint(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, hint Type) {
 	assert(hint != nil)
-	check.rawExpr(x, e, hint)
+	check.rawExpr(x, e, hint, false)
 	check.exclude(x, 1<<novalue|1<<builtin|1<<typexpr)
 	check.singleValue(x)
 }
 
 // exprOrType typechecks expression or type e and initializes x with the expression value or type.
+// If allowGeneric is set, the operand type may be an uninstantiated parameterized type or function
+// value.
 // If an error occurred, x.mode is set to invalid.
 //
-func (check *Checker) exprOrType(x *operand, e syntax.Expr) {
-	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil)
+func (check *Checker) exprOrType(x *operand, e syntax.Expr, allowGeneric bool) {
+	check.rawExpr(x, e, nil, allowGeneric)
 	check.exclude(x, 1<<novalue)
 	check.singleValue(x)
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/index.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/index.go
index e8755a1a68e..febfd21ea33 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/index.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/index.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import (
 // In that case x represents the uninstantiated function value and
 // it is the caller's responsibility to instantiate the function.
 func (check *Checker) indexExpr(x *operand, e *syntax.IndexExpr) (isFuncInst bool) {
-	check.exprOrType(x, e.X)
+	check.exprOrType(x, e.X, true)
+	// x may be generic
 
 	switch x.mode {
 	case invalid:
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ func (check *Checker) indexExpr(x *operand, e *syntax.IndexExpr) (isFuncInst boo
 	case typexpr:
 		// type instantiation
 		x.mode = invalid
+		// TODO(gri) here we re-evaluate e.X - try to avoid this
 		x.typ = check.varType(e)
 		if x.typ != Typ[Invalid] {
 			x.mode = typexpr
@@ -38,6 +40,12 @@ func (check *Checker) indexExpr(x *operand, e *syntax.IndexExpr) (isFuncInst boo
 		}
 	}
 
+	// x should not be generic at this point, but be safe and check
+	check.nonGeneric(x)
+	if x.mode == invalid {
+		return false
+	}
+
 	// ordinary index expression
 	valid := false
 	length := int64(-1) // valid if >= 0
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/stmt.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/stmt.go
index 3231fbec936..e138c581230 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/stmt.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/stmt.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (check *Checker) closeScope() {
 func (check *Checker) suspendedCall(keyword string, call *syntax.CallExpr) {
 	var x operand
 	var msg string
-	switch check.rawExpr(&x, call, nil) {
+	switch check.rawExpr(&x, call, nil, false) {
 	case conversion:
 		msg = "requires function call, not conversion"
 	case expression:
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ func (check *Checker) stmt(ctxt stmtContext, s syntax.Stmt) {
 		// function and method calls and receive operations can appear
 		// in statement context. Such statements may be parenthesized."
 		var x operand
-		kind := check.rawExpr(&x, s.X, nil)
+		kind := check.rawExpr(&x, s.X, nil, false)
 		var msg string
 		switch x.mode {
 		default:
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/examples/types.go2 b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/examples/types.go2
index 9ee014452c5..97c9951ada5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/examples/types.go2
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/examples/types.go2
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ func _() {
 
 // Generic types cannot be used without instantiation.
 var _ T // ERROR cannot use generic type T
+var _ = T /* ERROR cannot use generic type T */ (0)
 
 // In type context, generic (parameterized) types cannot be parenthesized before
 // being instantiated. See also NOTES entry from 12/4/2019.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/fixedbugs/issue39634.go2 b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/fixedbugs/issue39634.go2
index 8d14f8acaf8..8e6bd974e88 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/fixedbugs/issue39634.go2
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types2/testdata/fixedbugs/issue39634.go2
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ var x T25 /* ERROR without instantiation */ .m1
 
 // crash 26
 type T26 = interface{ F26[ /* ERROR cannot have type parameters */ Z any]() }
-func F26[Z any]() T26 { return F26 /* ERROR without instantiation */ /* ERROR missing method */ [] /* ERROR operand */ }
+func F26[Z any]() T26 { return F26 /* ERROR without instantiation */ [] /* ERROR operand */ }
 
 // crash 27
 func e27[T any]() interface{ x27 /* ERROR not a type */ } { panic(0) }