diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/align.c b/src/cmd/gc/align.c
index 00dd9d88eaa..0d4fa991f3f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/align.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/align.c
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@ dowidth(Type *t)
 			w = sizeof_Array;
 			checkwidth(t->type);
 		}
+		else if(t->bound == -100)
+			yyerror("use of [...] array outside of array literal");
 		else
 			fatal("dowidth %T", t);	// probably [...]T
 		break;
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug280.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug280.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..869d446268c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug280.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// errchk $G $D/$F.go
+
+// Copyright 2010 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// http://code.google.com/p/go/issues/detail?id=808
+
+package main
+
+type A [...]int	// ERROR "outside of array literal"
+
+